Bai Xiang Ju: A Secret Spot to Experience Chongqing Daily Life

Highlight

· The most magical residence in Chongqing, a 25-story apartment building without an elevator

· The terrain is complex, with three exits on the 1st, 8th and 15th floors

· A great view of the Yangtze River Cableway

It represents a period of Chongqing architecture.

In that era, when building houses, they would take into account the special terrain, adapt to local conditions, and try their best to blend in with the mountain while making it convenient for residents to travel.

1.What is Baixiangju? It was built in 1992 and was the most complex apartment in Chongqing at that time. It's a complex consisting of three buildings, with the highest being 24 stories, but there are NO ELEVATORS.

2.How it works without elevators? It's built on a hill, there are 3 entrances on the 1st, the 8th, and the 15th floor, which are connected to three streets on different layers. Thus, anyone going home needs to climb no more than 8 floors. And this just complies with the relevant regulations of Chinese law.

3.Where is the real ground floor? Next to the building complex, there is a long flight of steps. If we go all the way down along the steps, we'll reach the riverside. For the old urban area of Chongqing, I'd say the riverside is the real ground floor.

4.The Sky Corridor Commercial Street on the 15th Floor There is a sky corridor connecting the whole building complex on the 15th floor. Since it's directly connected to the main street, it has actually become a commercial street. This reminds me of the same street in Cyberpunk 2077. With many popular movies filmed there, this corridor is now very lively. Many souvenir shops have opened here, while the local residents' mahjong parlors are still thriving.

Transportation Options

Metro: Exit 7 of Xiaoshizi Station on Line 6/1

Bus: 862 Loop Line, Daomenkou Bus Stop

Ticket Purchase

Free entry.

Itinerary

16th floor - the corridor

Entering the apartment from the entrance on the 15th floor, a long corridor connects the three units, which is also the public space of the apartment. Here, you can see the iconic cableway shuttling over the Yangtze River from the best perspective.

8th floor - the platform

Go down the stairs in the building and go out from the exit on the 8th floor. You can reach a platform that is both flat and like a rooftop. You can see the whole picture here.

1st floor - the riverside

Going down the stairs in the picture, you can reach the first floor of Baixiangju, which is close to the river and has a spacious riverside road.

Tips

Go early in the morning or late at night (to avoid the crowds). We went at night and were able to take beautiful night photos

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes to experience the fun of climbing up the hill.