Parachute Tower

Parachute Tower

The Parachute Tower is a cultural relic protection unit of Chongqing Municipality.

The Píbèi Parachute Tower, built in 1942 and also known as the Chongqing Parachute Tower, is located within the present-day Datianwan Stadium in Yuzhong District, Chongqing.

On April 4, 1941, the China Soaring Association, established in Chongqing, decided to build the Píbèi Parachute Tower to train air force personnel, promote aviation development, advance national sports, popularize youth education, and enhance national defense awareness. At that time, in terms of height and the quality of construction materials, the Píbèi Parachute Tower could rival renowned parachute towers around the world, making it not only the foremost in China but also first-class in Asia. Though it has aged and can no longer meet the needs of modern parachuting, its status as China’s and Asia’s first parachute tower—and its role in training numerous outstanding athletes—ensures its place in the annals of China’s sports history.

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With an investment of 500,000 yuan, the project was overseen by Shanghai Keh Tai Engineering Company, designed by the renowned Chinese architect Mr. Yang Tingbao (a current member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences), and constructed by Tao Fuji Construction Company.

The tower is a reinforced concrete structure in the shape of a cone. It stands 38 meters tall in total, with an actual jump height of 28 meters, the steel arm reaching 35 meters above ground level. The top diameter is 1.52 meters, the base diameter 3.35 meters, and the lower circumference 13 meters.

When the three parachute steel frames are spread outward, they resemble a steel giant embracing the blue sky—an impressive sight.

Background of Construction

After the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan, the Nationalist government relocated to Chongqing, which was designated as the war-time capital in September 1940. Chongqing quickly grew into a renowned political, military, economic, and cultural center in the rear area during the war, making it a primary target for Japanese strategic bombing. Having suffered heavy losses during the Battle of Shanghai and the Battle of Wuhan, by 1940 the Chinese Air Force had fewer than 100 aircraft remaining, with only a quarter stationed in Chongqing. Active air defense was weak, so forming a parachute unit in Chongqing and strengthening air force capabilities became an urgent task. To bolster air defense and promote gliding as a supplementary effort to air force development, on April 4, 1941, the China Soaring Association (with provincial branches) was founded in Chongqing. Chiang Kai-shek personally served as its chairman, and a gliding demonstration was held on the inauguration day. The association aimed to train air force officers, promote aviation development, advance national sports, and popularize youth education. To spark public interest in aviation and strengthen national defense awareness, in June the association began surveying and constructing its first gliding field in Beibei. Meanwhile, Chen Lifu, executive director of the association, deputy director of the Air Force Commission, and Minister of Education, took charge of building the Píbèi Parachute Tower.

On April 4, 1942, China’s first parachute tower was completed at Lianglukou in Chongqing, and a grand celebration for the tower’s completion and inauguration ceremony was held. The inauguration ceremony coincided with the first anniversary celebration of the China Soaring Association and took place at 3:00 PM at Lianglukou, attended by over 500 people including Bai Chongxi, Zhang Zhizhong, Gu Zhenggang, and Yu Youren. After a speech by association chair Chen Lifu, Yu Youren opened the tower doors. As he swung the doors open, he turned back, raised his arm, and proclaimed: “The tower doors are open—let our nation’s youth climb up!” Amidst the roaring cheers, Chen Lifu entered the tower first and ascended to the top platform. The first group to reach the tower dropped many wooden glider models and colorful small parachutes from above. Hao Gengsheng, a staff member of the Soaring Association, performed the first parachute jump. Due to sudden strong winds, planned special events such as a youth-only jump session were canceled. However, the organizers announced that for three days, all city residents could visit the tower for free and try parachuting.

To celebrate the tower’s completion, Chen Lifu personally wrote an essay titled "Record of the Píbèi Parachute Tower," which was engraved on a stone tablet and erected at the base of the tower as a memorial. The tablet is 117 cm high, 57 cm wide, and 13 cm thick, featuring vertical, regular-script Chinese characters in intaglio.

Usage History

After its completion, the Píbèi Parachute Tower provided a crucial training site for pilots during the War of Resistance. However, because each jump cost one silver dollar—a high price that deterred most youths—the sport failed to gain widespread popularity.

After the liberation of Chongqing, with the close attention of Comrade He Long, the city’s parachuting activities flourished. In 1954, the Chongqing Parachute School was established at Datianwan Stadium to conduct aerial parachuting and train a number of skilled parachutists. The tower also underwent multiple renovations by relevant departments and still stands intact within Datianwan Stadium today. In September 2000, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit by the Chongqing Municipal People's Government.