Chongqing, a picturesque mountain city that clings to steep cliffs located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. As a trading center for centuries, Chongqing was formally established in 1997 by China's central government as the nation's fourth directly-administered municipality. Sharing borders with Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, Chongqing now administers a sprawling area of 82,364 square kilometers (31, 800 square miles) that includes 27 counties, 16 districts, and total population exceeding 33,000,000 people, making it the world's largest metropolitan region. The city serves as an important economic center and vital communication and transportation hub in southwest China.

The city's origin dates back over 3,000 years and it is known to have served as the capital of the ancient Ba Kingdom before that Kingdom fell to the expanding Qin state in 316 B.C. Since its discovery 3,000 years ago, Chongqing was originally called Jiangzhou, Yuzhou and Gongzhou before getting its present name nearly 800 years ago. The name 'Chongqing' was gained in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD) when Guang Zong (Emperor Guang) ascended the throne meaning 'double happiness'. In more recent times, Chongqing served as China's war-time capital and headquarters of Chiang Kai-Shek's Nationalist government during the war of resistance against Japan (World WarⅡ). During the war, the island over which the Yangtze River Bridge is now built served as an airstrip for “The Flying Tigers”! After the war, Chiang Kai-Shek and Mao Zedong, participated in the famous “Chongqing Talks”, which sought unsuccessfully to negotiate a political reconciliation between the Nationalists and the Communists.

Chongqing is also well known for its weather. The winter is the foggy season here and the city is popularly known as a city of fog. In fact, Chongqing averages 68.3 foggy days each year. In the summer, Chongqing is known as one of the "three furnaces along the Yangtze". The name is well chosen as the temperature can reach as high as 43 degrees centigrade (116 degrees Fahrenheit) while the humidity during the summer typically hovers between 90 and 95 percent. Chongqing has plenty of night rain all year round, especially in summer. So the best time to visit Chongqing should be in spring, autumn and winter.

Chongqing attracts visitors from home and abroad for its cultural heritage and tourist attractions. Featuring a geographic nature of mountains and rivers, it is a very popular destination during foreign visitors' China tours. The city is the starting point of the yangtze river cruise, which is expected to explore the wonderful scenery of the three gorges. Qutang Gorge and the Twelve Peaks of Wu Gorge and many scenic spots are well-known for their grandness and cultural significance. Cultural sites including Dazu Grottoes, Shibaozhai, Ghost City of Fengdu, Zhangfei Temple and Qu Yuan Temple are attracting visitors to visit Chongqing each year. Especially, the Dazu Grottoes, carved during the 9th century, which are valuable works of art. Another one not to be missed is the Gold Buddhist Mountain, reputed as a rich repository of diverse animals and plants, and there's the Fishing Town, which is one of the three ancient battlefields in China.

Traveling in Chongqing City, one will feel fortunate to be able to savor the delicious local food, such as Sichuan cuisine and the world-famous hot pot dishes. Also, the handicrafts made from bamboo have been enjoying great popularity among the visitors.