Job Discussion Forums

[Austeach2010]

Hi,

I have researched the city and neighbouring Provence, I like the city very much.

I have a choice between Chongqing and Chengdu to teach. Does anyone have any advice?

[Mister Al]

Chongqing-very hot and steamy in the summer and damp, cold and miserable in the Winter. Great food and gorgeous women.

[MisterButtkins]

I'm in CHongqing right now, just on vacation though. Honestly this city weirds me out for a few reasons. It's built right on the sides of mountains, in these huge steps. If you want to go to a higher or lower step you either have to walk 20 minutes to find a road that goes up or down the mountain, or you have to go down these winding back alley staircases. From a distance the Chongqing skyline looks very impressive, and combined with the mountains and trees it seems very beautiful. Up close, however, a lot of the city is rotting and run-down. Some of the 30 floor apartment buildings look like they would fall over if a person pushed on them too hard. Doesn't seem safe during an earthquake at all. The food is very spicy and very greasy. One of the popular dishes here is called 'hui guo rou' and consists mostly of deep fried bacon. Yes, deep fried bacon. Nothing soothes the stomach quite like deep fried bacon The smog level is tolerable (in my opinion) - nowhere near as bad as, say, Xi'An. Perhaps about the same as Beijing. It's extremely humid all the time and I can't help thinking climbing up and down those back alley staircases during the summer must be horrible.

Personally I think it's an interesting city to visit but I'd never want to live here. Ever.

[XiGua]

I was there about 2 months ago. I lived in Zunyi for 6 months and when I visited it was atrocious. Pollution was terrible and it seemed like a terrible place to live. Night life is pretty crazy; so if you're into that Chongqing is great, but for me a 1 day trip was more than enough. It seemed like there is nothing overly exciting there.

But i'm a small town guy, so big cities will NEVER interest me as much as small town life.

[kukiv]

I passed through a couple of summers back with my nephew and his friend. The friend suffered from asthma - the dirty air, and all that climbing - gave him a terrible time. Chongqing was the only location where he had problems - his trip included other big cities like Chengdu, GZ and Shenzhen.

With its hills, Chongqing is one of those few cities in China where you'll almost never see a bicycle.

It's also a city where you really will sense the massive gulf between rich and poor. Huge sums of money were made in this area off the three gorges project - and lots of that cash was siphoned into buying stuff like luxury cars. While the steep roads - and no peditricycles - mean that one way they still transport goods around in Chongqing is on the shoulders of the poor. The porters, in pumps and tattered shirts, hang around on many street corners - with bamboo and ropes used to balance a load on their shoulders - they make quite a contrast to a passing Lexus or Cadillac!!!!!

[samhouston]

[Austeach2010]

Mister Al


You have won me over.....................

[Adeem]

Hey OP

Live in Chengdu and work a few times a month with colleagues from Chongqing (plus I lived in one of the smaller cities in Chongqing municipality for a few years), and this argument still rages unabated when someone is silly enough to bring it up.

Chongqing is batsh*t crazy. The roads are weird, the traffic is nuts, the cloud is ever present and oppressive, and the city is grimy as hell.

However, the people are pretty awesome - loud and interesting. The food is fantastic and prices are very cheap.

It is a city still owned by the people, rather than just the government and business interests, so you feel the life oozing out of every pore. The nightlife is well known as pretty raucous.

Chengdu can supply the nightlife, but is cleaner, flatter, and better ordered. The prices are a bit higher, but the service is a bit better. The food is not quite as good (though there is still awesome stuff), but there is more choice of world cuisine. It is hands down a prettier city, though it is also enveloped in cloud for much of the time (but not today - I am off out!)

Both cities appeal totally differently to different people, but you do find that Chongqing dwellers are fanatically loyal to the city. Comes from taking so much stick. Kinda like a pom living in Australia.

I say Chengdu, but I suppose you have to try it for yourself. Prob easier to get a better paid job in Chengdu too.

Hope this helps.