People’s Liberation Monument

Located at the intersectionof Minzu Road, Minquan Road and Zourong Road in the center of Chongqing city, the People’s Liberation Monument, locally called Jiefangbei, is the only monument to commemorate the Chinese people’s victory in the Sino-Japanese War, a witness of Chongqing and China’s changes in half a century and a landmark of today’s Chongqing. The pedestrian street built around Jiefangbeihas developed into the most prosperous business area in Chongqing, commonly known as Jiefangbei CBD.

The precursor of the People’s Liberation Monument was the Spiritual Fortress, constructed in 1940 to inspire people to fight against invaders decisively and persistently. However, it was destroyed in an air attack. In 1946 the government built a monument called the Monument of Victory in the Sino-Japanese War on the former address of the Spiritual Fortress. It's made of steel and cement, strong enough to resist bombers and shells.In 1949, the Chongqing government changed the monument’s name to the People’s Liberation Monument, which was then inscribed by GeneralLiu Bocheng, the then chairman of the Southwestern Military and Political Commission.The previous reliefs were changed to reliefs of the People’s Liberation Army. A gardencovering 280m2(334 square yards) surrounding the monument was built in 1958.

Facing Minzu Road, the People’s Liberation Monument is an octagonal building about 27.5m (90 feet) high, with eight floors and 24 windows.The diameter of the monument is 6 meters (about 19.6 feet).

Its pedestal is1.6m (5.2 feet) high and covered with red marbles. Inside its wall there is a memorial steel pipe, with the monument blueprint, newspapers, stamps, notes, photos and books from the 1940s in it. A letter from the former US President Roosevelt to the people of Chongqing at the time of victory of World War II is also preserved inside.It has a spiral staircase, through which you can get to the top of the monument. At the height of 23m (75.5 feet) there used to be a four-sided clock donated by a local Catholic church that rings on the hour. Now it has been changed to a Rolex clock. A circular balcony is above the clock, with the capacity of 20 visitors to admire the view. The roof of the monument is decorated with white neon lights, providing a splendid night view along with the skyscrapers surrounding it.

You definitely should not miss the People’s Liberation Monument to feel Chongqing’s history and to take an excellent photo of a busy night in modern Chongqing.
 

 By Metro
1. Get off at Jiaochangkou Station on Line 1 and get out from Exit 3
2. Get off at Xiaoshizi Station on Line 1 and get out from Exit 1
3. Get off at Linjiangmen Station on Line 2 and get out from Exit B/D
4. Get off at Xiaoshizi Station on Line 6 and get out from Exit 6.

 By Bus