Chongqing Main City Suburban Tour | Observations at Taojia

Jiulongpo District Tongguanyi Catholic Church I've visited Taojia a few times recently and have only been to Tongguanyi Ancient Town once. There used to be many rural scenic spots around, but due to the pandemic, many are now deserted. Today, I went to the former residence of Zhou Gongzhi and stumbled upon a beautiful Catholic church nearby online, so I decided to check it out. I drove there, and you can directly navigate to the Jiulongpo Catholic Church (Taojia). There's parking available at the entrance, right at the mouth of Yingxiongwan Village, and then it's a 5-minute walk. The church is 114 years old to date, covering a total land area of 3647m2 and a building area of 2516m2, of which the church occupies 470m2. The church and bell tower are brick-and-wood structures, while the rest of the buildings are brick-column and earth-wall constructions. The church has a ceiling height of 7 meters and features a Sino-Western architectural style, tall and imposing. When Catholicism first came to China, 'Tianzhu' was transliterated from the Latin word for God as 'steep rock'. The village where the Tongguanyi Catholic Church is located is also called 'Steep Rock Tower Village'. The use of 'Steep Rock' as a place name is either a coincidence or was named by the French priests. Inside the church, there is an altar at the front and an organ loft at the back; in the center of the church, there is a statue of the Virgin Mary, who is venerated as the patron saint. Above the statue of the Virgin Mary, there is a striking red five-pointed star, symbolizing a beacon guiding through the vast sea. On both sides of the church, there are fourteen oil paintings hanging, originally brought by French missionaries and one of the main features of the church. Behind the church is the bell tower, which houses a French-made alloy bell said to produce a loud and melodious sound that can be heard from miles away. To the right of the church, there is the priest's house, a monastery, and a holy water well. The monastery's kitchen still has a large iron pot, a clay stove, and a big chimney. The main hall of the church is 470 square meters with a 7-meter-high arched dome that gathers sound, allowing clear communication from any corner of the church. Beneath the priest's house is a basement of about 20 square meters, used for storing food and wine, acting like a refrigerator, preserving items for a long time. The church's holy water well leads directly to the Dripping Water Rock River. Inside the courtyard of the Tongguanyi Catholic Church, there is a cactus and a redbud tree. These are iconic to the church and are said to have remained undamaged over the years. The cactus is six to seven meters tall, with a trunk as hard as wood and a waist circumference of over 80 centimeters, supported by a rockery and known locally as the 'Overlord's Whip'. An inscription nearby indicates that the cactus and redbud tree are as old as the church itself, having witnessed a century of history. Photography is not allowed inside the church, but now you can have a church wedding there. The outer courtyard is not very large; it takes about 10 minutes to walk around. There's also a small coffee shop, perfect for tea and a chat. According to the auntie, there are many different types of plants to slowly enjoy and photograph. There are many wind chimes in the courtyard, and the sound of them in the breeze is very pleasant. The entrance is Yingxiongwan Village, which was also a schoolhouse in the past, and you can visit it as well. Transportation: In Taojia Town, first take the subway to Jiulong Garden Station (Jiangtiao Line), then take the bus to Tongguanyi Juxiang Hexinyuan Station. If driving, navigate directly to Tongguanyi Town Catholic Church Tickets: Free Touring Time: 20~60 minutes Nearby: Tongguanyi Ancient Town, Zhou Gongzhi's Former Residence, Yingxiongwan Village