Fuling, a river town in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Photo: VCG

When someone can simultaneously see the brown waters of the Yangtze River merging with the emerald green waters of the Wujiang River, they are likely witnessing the breathtaking scenery at Fuling, a district in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

Located in the middle of the mountain city of Chongqing, Fuling is an important water junction along the Yangtze River. Boasting destinations such as the Mount Wuling Great Rift Valley and Baiheliang, the world's oldest hydrological station, Fuling district is also rich with cultural and natural heritage sites. 

Rich heritage

Known as the "ancient scar on the Earth," the Mount Wuling Great Rift Valley is a typical example of southern China's karst. It is located on the east bank of the lower Wujiang River in Fuling district. The reason it is also called a rift valley is because of the crustal movement that caused the fracture of the cliff and formed a natural canyon.
 
This unique geological formation has given rise to scenic spots like the "bronze wall" and the "heart rock." The "bronze wall" is the valley's most famous feature, has a reddish hue and resembles a vertical knife blade. The wall stretches for kilometers and is made of limestone that dates to the Permian period in the Paleozoic age. 

The natural ecosystem of the Mount Wuling Great Rift Valley is as well-preserved as its scenic spots. The valley has a forest coverage rate of more than 95 percent, and it is home to more than 2,300 species of wild animals and plants such as the Golden Pheasant, or Chrysolophus pictus, a type of bird that is unique to China. 

In order to better protect the biodiversity of the valley, a biodiversity judicial protection circuit station was officially established in 2022 under the support of the district government. The station deals with issues like the prevention and restoration of ecological risks of the site, meanwhile, it has helped wild animals return safely to their homes by handling illegal wildlife trafficking cases. 

In October 2024, a batch of wild animals including eight owls and a masked palm civet were returned to the valley. 

"The Mount Wuling Great Rift Valley not only exhibits spectacular natural views but also displays the results of the successful protection efforts being carried on in Chinese natural sites," Zhuang Mingxun, an ecological conservation expert, told the Global Times.
 
Taking an hour's drive from the valley, one can reach another legacy of the district, the Baiheliang Underwater Museum. The museum is home to a 1,600-meter-long underwater stone ridge that has been engraved with more than 160 inscriptions.
 
Some of those inscriptions record data regarding historical water levels, while some others carry examples of ancient Chinese literati impressions: for example, Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) calligraphic master Huang Tingjian left a seven-character poem expressing his will to return to Fuling.
 
Baiheliang is in the process of applying a joint World Heritage title with the Rawda Island's Nilometer in Egypt. The museum's director Jiang Rui told the Global Times that if the application is successful, the museum will be expanded and become the first exhibiting facility in China to focus on hydrological heritage.
 
"It is going to be a local cultural specialty or a powerhouse that drives the growth of local tourism," said Jiang.
 
All-round experience
 
What makes Fuling district's "cultural specialty" stand out is not only the visible treasures it offers but also the rich heritage that can be experienced through taste.

Originated in the Guangxu period (1871-1908) in Qing Dynasty, the Fuling Zhacai also known as dried and pickled mustard stem is a national-level Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) item unique to the district.
 
The Fuling Zhacai serves as a side dish. In the past, it was used to add flavor to plain rustic food, but now it represents the local culinary culture and has become an international snack that has spread to countries and regions like Japan, South Korea, and Europe. In 2024 so far, the value of exports of the Fuling Zhacai has surpassed 65 million yuan ($8.9 million).

From the seasoning to the time for pickling, the making of traditional Fuling Zhacai depends on the experience of old-generation craftswomen and craftsmen. It mirrors the local lifestyle and is part of the district's cultural nostalgia.

Indeed, as a custom, when people come home from a journey, their relatives always welcome them with a steaming bowl of shredded pork noodles and pickles.
 
This simple side dish is of great importance to locals as it has revitalized rural resources, helping the district find its own tourism niche. In the district's Er'du village, a total of 159 families have started to join a program for renting out their spare houses and starting catering businesses such as tea houses or pickle-themed restaurants.
 
"In the past, villagers tended to go to the big cities to work and their land and houses were left unused," said Ren Qiuju, a leading member of Er'du village's revitalization committee. However, Ren shared that more and more young people are starting to seek careers in their own hometowns.
 
A museum dedicated to the pickle tradition has been opened in the district. This new venture, along with the Baiheliang site, the Mount Wuling Great Rift Valley, and 20 new special tourism routes are boosting the district's cultural tourism.