Chengkou County 城口县

History

The county government explains the name as a "walled town" (城) guarding the gateway of three provinces and a "mouth" (口) commanding routes in every direction. The area belonged to Dangqu (宕渠) under the Han and to Taiping County of Dazhou under the Ming; the Chengkou sub-prefecture (城口厅) was first created in 1822, the second year of the Daoguang reign, and became a county in 1913.

Chengkou was part of the Sichuan–Shaanxi revolutionary base, and the county government describes it as the only place in Chongqing where soviet governments were set up at county, district, township and village level.

What to see

Kanggu (亢谷) in Dong'an (东安镇), which the county government calls Chengkou's most representative gorge, is a 4A scenic area and municipal resort between 1,100 and 2,680 metres, with forest covering about 90 per cent of it, and is nicknamed "little Zhangjiajie". Also in Dong'an, the Huanganba (黄安坝) alpine grassland lies at roughly 2,200 to 2,500 metres and the county government describes it as the largest high-mountain pasture in southern China. It is cool at night even in summer, the leaves turn in mid to late October, and Chongqing's first and last snows of the year often fall here, leaving snow for about four months.

Tucheng Red Army Old Street (土城红军老街), a 4A scenic area, combines an old street first built in the Jiaqing reign of the Qing, a Red Army memorial park and the Chengkou Soviet Government Memorial Park. The memorial park holds the Sichuan–Shaanxi Soviet Area Chengkou Memorial Hall (川陕苏区城口纪念馆) and is on the national list of classic red-tourism sites.

Food and local products

Chengkou smoked cured pork (城口老腊肉) is the county's best-known product; the county government gives it 2,500 years of history and it is on Chongqing's intangible-heritage list. Chengkou is known as the "home of Chinese raw lacquer"; its Damu lacquer (城口大木漆) is counted among China's five famous lacquers, and Chengkou lacquer craft is listed as intangible heritage. Jiming tribute tea (鸡鸣贡茶) is one of Chongqing's ten famous teas, and Chengkou walnuts and chestnuts carry national geographical-indication status.

Highlights

• Kanggu 亢谷: 4A gorge scenic area and municipal resort in Dong'an, 1,100–2,680 m
• Huanganba alpine grassland 黄安坝: High pasture at about 2,200–2,500 m with long winter snow
• Tucheng Red Army Old Street 土城红军老街: Qing-era street with soviet and Red Army memorial parks, a 4A scenic area
• Chengkou smoked cured pork 城口老腊肉: The county's best-known product, on Chongqing's intangible-heritage list
• Jiming tribute tea 鸡鸣贡茶: One of Chongqing's ten famous teas