Chongqing’s Great Hall of the People – In Photos

The Great Hall of the People was perhaps one of the more memorable places I visited when I was in Chongqing. Whereas Hongyadong Custom Folk Area was ostentatious and lively, the People’s Auditorium was the complete opposite. It was serious, somber, yet still rich in history and culture. Additionally, it was such a nice place to take pictures.

Chongqing’s Great Hall of the People: A Protected Cultural Relic Site With a Rich History

One thing that stood out when I reached the Great Hall of the People was the building’s size. Up close it totally dominates the horizon and I think the best word to describe it would be ‘imposing’.

In general, you can get here by taking the Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2 to Daxigou Station and then walk from there (about 15 minutes). Probably the quicker route though is taking the Metro Line 2 to Zengiayan Station. This is directly opposite the Three Gorges Museum (the building with a green roof seen in the background of this picture) which in turn is facing the Chongqing People’s Square (this is different from Chongqing Liberation Square) where the Great Hall of the People is located.

These are plaques found on one of the two buildings serving as a gate to the Great People’s Hall. This is the building to the left and the inscription on both of the plaques basically talks about the Great People’s Hall being designated as a protected cultural relic site (National Key Cultural Relics Protection Site).

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So not only does the building look imposing, its details also look very intricate. The sloped roof with its rafters exposed that are over the doors reminded me of the ones that I saw in Japan (specifically the ones in Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine).

Once I was done appreciating the building’s facade, I then went to the entrance to purchase admission. Along the way, I came across these signs. The first on the left are safety reminders while on its right is information regarding the price of the ticket for admission into the building. As you can see, a ticket for adults costs CNY8 while children less than 1.2 meters tall can get inside for free.

So the place is actually quite popular for both foreign and local travelers likely because it’s close to two other destinations (People’s Square and Three Gorges Museum). That said, paying for the ticket was a breeze. Before I went inside though, I had to take a picture of the entrance and the balcony above it.

Here’s a closer look at the intricate design of the roof covering the entrance. I already thought the details looked intricate from afar and upon closer inspection it’s actually even better. The colored details on the ‘frieze’ (not sure if it’s the correct term for Chinese architecture) looks really cool and complex.

Like with the buildings that I had been to in Japan, this one also has some restrictions on what you can bring inside. That said, the restrictions here are kind of ridiculous. I particularly chuckled at the radioactive materials restriction as I don’t think there’s any consumer-grade product that has enough radioactivity to pose a threat to human life.

After taking pictures outside the entrance, I then proceeded to get inside. The security here was pretty strict considering this is a government building. Goofy restrictions aside, it’s important to remember that China is still pretty strict about a lot of things so make sure you’re not bringing in anything that might get you in trouble.

So this is actually quite nice. Aside from welcoming visitors, this interactive display also has a tracker showing the number of people who’ve gotten inside the Great People’s Hall for the day. As you can see, it’s already close to 11:00PM and it has logged a total of 433 visitors already.

Now if you want souvenirs of your visit then you’re going to want to look for this vending machine. It hands out medals for CNY35 each and there’s a total of 4 that you can collect. I personally think that the price is a bit much but if you budget your money well, then this probably won’t be a problem.

As I was on my way to the auditorium tour, I couldn’t help but marvel at the staircase and the columns here. The red color and gold accents really give off regal vibes while the light fixtures kind of remind me of those Chinese historical movies in the 1990s and 2000s.

Here’s a sign showing directions. Initially I was not quite sure what the Odd and Even Numbers on there meant. My guess was that this might have to do with other events or functions that are done in this building.

I wasn’t quite sure who these government officials were (other than Hu Jintao who is the third from the right) but I do know when this was taken. Apparently, this was during the 53rd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China which places the date of the image to some time in 2002 which also coincides with Hu Jintao’s last year as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

Here’s an infographic detailing the function of the Great Hall of the People along with some images from its rich history. Looking at the list of the events that it has witnessed, it’s actually quite impressive how much of a part this building has played as a venue for some of the most important events in the 20th century.

So remember earlier how I wasn’t quite sure what the Odd and Even Numbers in the signage meant? Well, it actually referred to the seats in the People’s Auditorium. For some reason, the seats are divided into sections that either have odd or even numbered seats. This specific entrance is for sections that have odd numbered seats.

Here’s a closer look at the seats with the grand stage in the background. As you can see, this area has sections of seats that are odd numbered. I personally am not sure why this is the case. The auditoriums of this size that I’ve been to typically just follow a regular number scheme for seating.

Whatever the reason might be for the seating arrangement, there’s one thing I know for sure: this is such an enormous stage (just like the one in Chongqing 1949 Grand Theatre). Like you can see the guy in red standing at the front of the seats just before the stage and he looks really small.

Another cool feature of the People’s Auditorium is the ceiling. I think it’s not quite a dome like say, the Sistine Chapel’s, but it still looks cool nonetheless. The supporting structures look mesmerizing for some reason and you might get lost just looking at the details.

Here’s a look at the other viewing floors in the auditorium. I’m not quite sure what they’re called in China but in theaters, the second viewing floor is called the mezzanine while the third and fourth are called the balcony and top balcony respectively.

Thinking about it now, it does seem like whoever designed the auditorium was thinking of a theater stage or maybe even referencing one during the design process. I will also say that the acoustics here are really nice.

Here’s a view of the stage while sitting on one of the seats. I’m not gonna lie, it is kind of weird (in a good way) that I’m sitting on a seat that has witnessed so many events in China’s recent history.

So here’s a detailed writeup of the auditorium including its dimensions and notable features. What really stood out to me is the explanation regarding the steel frame of the dome. So from what I understand, the dome’s metal frame can expand/contract 44mm inward/outward depending on the temperatures. I’m guessing this was to lessen possible structural damage and to make the dome more stable (I could be wrong).

Here’s a map of the auditorium as well as directions for visitors on tour to follow. Now when I say directions what I mean really is just a suggestion. We were actually quite free to roam around and I don’t think I adhered to the directions strictly. That said, I still made sure to be respectful to other visitors during that time.

As you can see, I’m a little farther away from the rest of the visitors since I was taking pictures. Remember when I said the acoustics here was great? Well, from where I’m standing I could actually still hear what the guide was talking about.

If you’ve also noticed, there are people sitting towards the back who don’t seem to have a problem hearing the guide talk. I will say though that the acoustics are probably this good because there aren’t that many people now. For major events with possibly hundreds in attendance, it’s more than likely that they make use of the auditorium’s sound system.

After I finished a tour of the auditorium, I decided to check out the other areas of the Great Hall of the People. My first stop was at the North Hall as it was close to where I took the previous image. This specific area was, if I’m not mistaken, called the Cultural and Creative Center.

If you’re looking for souvenirs of your visit to this place then this is not the area you’re going to want to check out. These stalls feature a variety of ornaments and jewelry that you can actually purchase.

Initially I was confused as to why jewelry and ornaments were on display here so I looked it up and Chongqing is actually known for making these. Some of the techniques that are still used in jewelry and ornament making here in Chongqing include filigree inlay which is also recognized as part of the country’s national intangible cultural heritage list.

Other than jewelry and ornaments, I also came across this display featuring some carvings as well as what looked to be a piece of a tree trunk. I was curious so I decided to check it out.

So this specific infographic talks about Cinnabar and how this has been used for generations in China. I was wondering why this was included here so I decided to do some research and found that it was mined heavily in Sichuan which Chongqing used to be a part of. It also kind of explains the red color used on the building’s columns.

And with my visit to the Great Hall of the People concluded, my next target would be the Three Gorges Museum which I pointed out at the start of this writeup. As you can see, it’s just opposite the Great Hall of the People and it’s a relatively short walk from where I’m standing to get there.

Before I conclude this visit though, here’s one last picture of Chongqing’s Great Hall of the People. It was definitely an interesting tour of the place and while I think it’s not a must-visit, there’s definitely a lot that you can learn about Chongqing and China if you do find yourself here. Moreover, admission here is relatively cheap so I think it’s actually worth a visit if you have the time.