Northern and Southern Hot Springs Park (Wenquan Si)

Northern Hot Springs Park

With the Jialing River to the north, the predecessor of the park was Wenquan Si (Temple of Hot Springs) originally built in 423. It was restored during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and in 1927 the present park was constructed and includes a swimming pool, bathrooms, restaurants and other tourist equipment.

The park is comprised of temple halls and pavilion buildings constructed along a hill. On the north-south axis are the four main buildings - Guanshengdian, Jieyindian, Dafodian (Great Buddha Hall) and Guanyindian (Hall of Goddess of Mercy). Inside the Great Buddha Hall, there is a huge Buddha statue from the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).

To the east is Guxiangyuan (Antiquity Garden) built on the original site of the Wenquan Si Temple. Inside the garden are the tomb pagodas and tablets of monks from past dynasties.

There are more than ten hot springs in the park which output over 5,000 tons of water. The water' s temperature is around 35 C (95 F) to 37 C (99 F) and is suitable both for bathing and for treating ailments such as dermatitis, rheumatism, arthritis, and gastroenteritis.

Admission Fee:	CNY 10
Bus Route:	252,253,254,255

Southern Hot Springs Park

Located in the southeastern suburb of Chongqing City, 18 kilometers (12 miles) away from the city area, the Southern Hot Springs is a group of garden buildings built in the mountains. Compared to its northern counterpart, this park is said to have more natural beauty such as cliffs, mountain rocks, forests, and legendary scenic spots. There are over one-hundred bathing rooms for public and private bathing The mineral-rich hot spring waters have an average temperature around 41 C (106 F) and are said to have a therapeutic effect on dermatosis and arthritis.

Admission Fee: CNY 8
Opening Hours: 09:10 to 17:00
Recommended Time for a Visit: 45 minutes
Bus Route: 302,368