Opening Words:

As night falls and the city lights sparkle, the pulse of the Sichuan-Chongqing region beats with a more vibrant and diverse vitality. Under the coordination of the «2025 Nightlife Chongqing Festival,» the grand opening of the «Vibrant China, Nighttime Sichuan-Chongqing» 2025 Inaugural Sichuan-Chongqing Urban Night Economy Carnival has commenced! Guided by the national strategy to «boost consumption,» and with the careful guidance of relevant authorities, efforts have been pooled from universities, associations, and platforms like Douyin and Meituan to jointly sound the strong note of the night economy era. The event focuses on the «Five Night» lifestyle dimensions—Night Flavors, Night Wellness, Night Appreciation, Night Fun, and Night Shopping. This is the bustling market scene filled with the aroma of hot pot, the relaxing wellness by rivers and lakes, artistic immersion under neon lights, cool experiences in city blocks, and seamless shopping in smart business districts. It vividly illustrates the life aesthetics of Sichuan-Chongqing nights and serves as a powerful engine for consumption upgrades and scene innovation.

This column will follow the «Sichuan-Chongqing Media Tour’s Night Economy Research Trip,» delving into the new scenes and formats of the regional night economy; inviting you to witness the carnival’s highlights and capture the myriad aspects of the vibrant nighttime Sichuan-Chongqing through the lens. Using scene innovation as the brush and digital empowerment as the ink, the column aims to cultivate a thriving hundred-billion-level nighttime consumption market, working together to create a super IP known as «China’s Premier Night Economy Hub,» making «Nighttime Sichuan-Chongqing» shine on the world stage and significantly enhancing the region’s international consumption influence.

«Hunan cuisine, Hubei cuisine, Guizhou cuisine, and also Qianjiang Tujia ethnic cuisine.» A single sentence from a local official captures the characteristics of this consumer hub city in the Wuling Mountain area.

For enjoying the «Night View,» the Wuling Riverbank offers both scenic night views and a taste of urban life.

For savoring «Night Flavors,» the Jiangyuan Lane Chicken Gizzards Food Street is absolutely not to be missed. As the «Hometown of Chinese Chicken Gizzards,» this dish is Qianjiang’s culinary «golden招牌» (signature dish).

For finding «Night Fun,» the Zhuoshui Ancient Town features the «World’s First Covered Wind-Rain Bridge» and the immersive theme park «Fairy Sword Zhuoshui City.»

For those wanting «Night Shopping,» commercial areas like the Qianjiang Dashizi Shopping Plaza and Xingduhui Business District are already prepared.

Qianjiang, growing more beautiful by the night, is quietly reshaping its nighttime consumption scenes, achieving an iterative upgrade of its night economy.

Qianjiang’s Night Economy: More Diverse Scenes

As a famous tourist city and regional consumption center, Qianjiang has inherent advantages for developing its night economy; the key lies in turning these advantages into successes.

It is understood that the district has incorporated the night economy into its regional economic development plan and initiated pilot projects for the integrated development of commerce, culture, tourism, and sports. The focus is on creating characteristic commercial streets and night markets, with the main features being dining consumption (barbecue, hot pot, Tujia specialty dishes) as the leading factor, complemented by cultural and leisure consumption. A development layout for nighttime consumption has been formed, consisting of one 5A-level scenic spot (Zhuoshui Ancient Town), two core business districts (Zhengyang Xingduhui, Dashizi Shopping Plaza), and five commercial streets (Jiangyuan Lane Chicken Gizzards

Wuling Riverbank

The Wuling Riverbank is a scenic area along the Wuling River in Hunan Province, China, flowing through the renowned Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Historically, the region has been inhabited for centuries by the Tujia, Miao, and Bai ethnic minorities, whose cultures are deeply intertwined with the river and its surrounding landscape. Today, it is celebrated for its dramatic karst mountain scenery, which has inspired centuries of Chinese landscape painting and poetry.

Jiangyuan Lane Chicken Gizzards Food Street

Jiangyuan Lane Chicken Gizzards Food Street is a historic culinary street in Chengdu, China, renowned for its signature dish of spicy braised chicken gizzards. The lane dates back over a century, originally serving as a bustling market area where this affordable and flavorful snack became popular among locals. Today, it remains a vibrant destination where visitors can experience authentic Sichuan street food culture.

Zhuoshui Ancient Town

Zhuoshui Ancient Town is a historic riverside settlement located in Hunan Province, China, with a history dating back over 1,000 years to the Tang and Song dynasties. It served as a vital commercial hub due to its strategic position on the Yuan River, facilitating trade in timber, tea, and other goods. Today, the town is renowned for its well-preserved Ming and Qing-era architecture, ancient flagstone streets, and rich Miao and Tujia ethnic culture.

World’s First Covered Wind-Rain Bridge

The World’s First Covered Wind-Rain Bridge is a traditional Dong ethnic minority architectural masterpiece located in Sanjiang, Guangxi, China. Built in 1916 without using any nails, it is renowned for its intricate wooden joinery and multi-story pavilions. The bridge has historically served as a vital transportation link, a social gathering place, and a cultural symbol for the Dong people.

Fairy Sword Zhuoshui City

«Fairy Sword Zhuoshui City» is a fictional location from the popular Chinese xianxia novel *The Legend of Chusen*. It is a major city in the story, known for being the home of the powerful Qingyun Sect and a central hub for cultivators. Its history is tied to the legends within the novel, including its name which likely originates from a mythical sword or a founding figure associated with the city.

Qianjiang Dashizi Shopping Plaza

Qianjiang Dashizi Shopping Plaza is a modern commercial complex located in the heart of Qianjiang, a city in Hubei province, China. It was developed as part of the city’s urban renewal and economic expansion efforts in the early 21st century. The plaza serves as a major retail and entertainment hub, reflecting the city’s growth into a regional economic center.

Xingduhui Business District

The Xingduhui Business District is a modern commercial and financial hub located in Guangzhou, China. It was developed as a core part of the city’s new Tianhe District, which was established in the 1980s to drive Guangzhou’s economic expansion. Today, it is a symbol of the city’s rapid modernization, featuring skyscrapers, shopping malls, and corporate headquarters.

Zhengyang Xingduhui

«Zhengyang Xingduhui» is a modern commercial and cultural complex located in the historic Qianmen area of Beijing, near the iconic Zhengyangmen Gate. It was developed to revitalize the historic district, blending contemporary architecture with traditional Beijing courtyard (siheyuan) design elements. The site reflects a 21st-century effort to create a new urban lifestyle hub while paying homage to the area’s rich history as a former bustling commercial center during the Ming and Qing dynasties.