Greening Chongqing enhancing 'double happiness' and mountain-city trails as an eco-city strategy

Chóngqìng (重庆) is the fastest growing inland city in China, the most populous of Chinese municipalities, and now hosts 32.4 million residents. Nestled at the confluence of the Jialing (Jiālíng Jiāng) and Yangtze Cháng Jiāng) rivers, originally named Jiangzhou in 316 BCE, Chóngqìng has historically served as a key economic node and centre of governance in China. This paper examines the process and vision being taken in Chóngqìng to formulate a unique greening strategy or a ‘Green Cultural Belt’. The ancient city tapestry of Chóngqìng exists within the ‘mother town’ in Yuzhong District (渝中区) with some 639,000 residents. The district presents unique archaeology with records spanning over 3,000 years. This town experienced four distinct city wall construction movements (316 BCE; 226 AD; 1240 AD; 1371 AD). The first three demonstrate a gradual expansion of the town’s footprint, while the latter wall building movement formed a Fengshui (Compass school) characteristic. The town is today interlaced with a unique semi-grid system of human and trade movement mountain trails (山城步道, Shanchengbudao), often linking gates towards the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. These rivers provided water trade passageways and drinking water supplies for residents prior to a reticulated water supply. The town was once concentrated within the walls, however, urbanisation has witnessed extensive industrialization and suburbanization on both sides of the rivers and in the larger valley, and massive urban rejuvenation projects within Yuzhong district. Much of this historic Yuzhong district fabric exists today, and uniquely distinguishes Chóngqìng from other cities in China.