Chongqing Foreigner's Street

Chongqing Foreigner's Street

A few days ago, I went for a stroll with my parents at Foreigner's Street in Nan'an, and I was left with quite a few thoughts. Located by the river near Danzishi in Nan'an, Foreigner's Street is a theme park–like attraction that is still under construction while already open to visitors. The most talked-about feature is their Guinness World Record–holding largest public toilet. The toilet is built on a small hill in the center of the park, with a unique design that is truly spectacular. All of this piqued my interest, and when I got home and searched online, I was surprised to find that Foreigner's Street, including its giant toilet, has sparked so much controversy. Below, I’d like to share my own understanding of the place—though all of this is based solely on my personal observations and speculation, with no official basis.

Foreigner's Street is built on a piece of open land by the Yangtze River near Danzishi in Nan'an. Its location is rather remote, and not far from the street are residential developments by the same developer. It’s quite clear that the purpose of building Foreigner's Street was to attract crowds and heat up the real estate market in the area. As a park, Foreigner's Street does not charge an entrance fee, and its commercial spaces available for rent come with a “three-year rent-free, just pay a deposit” policy. Given this setup, their only way to make a profit is by attracting more and more visitors to boost the surrounding land and property values. Moreover, the so-called “world’s largest toilet” has drawn global attention, bringing in a constant stream of locals eager to see the spectacle—even the bus line from Jiefangbei to Foreigner's Street has made a nice profit from it.

Now let’s talk about the park itself. Upon first arriving at Foreigner's Street, you’ll see numerous large signs covered in internet slang. It’s obvious that the team behind this project is mainly composed of young people or recent graduates, giving off that free-spirited college vibe along with all the immaturity that often comes with youth. The park blends Eastern culture, Western culture, and even parody culture. Though the buildings aren’t particularly refined, they exude a relaxed atmosphere, giving the impression that the designers had big dreams but were held back by budget constraints. Visitors come here mostly out of curiosity, making the Chongqing phrase “watching foreign tricks” particularly fitting here. If you don’t eat anything or ride any amusement park rides, you can basically visit for free. My mom and I bought a grilled corn cob for 4 yuan, and I could barely finish it. For the average Chongqing resident, whose income isn’t very high, this is definitely a great deal. People can come here to relax, have some fun, and not worry about the cost—that’s the true social significance of Foreigner's Street today.

But does Foreigner's Street really do everything right? Anyone who’s been there will tell you that it’s pretty dirty—strewn with plastic bowls, disposable chopsticks, napkins, fruit peels, and all kinds of litter, not to mention the ongoing construction and piles of dirt everywhere. This easily brings to mind the issue of public civility, but I’d argue that the management of Foreigner's Street is severely lacking. As a service-oriented venue, there are many ways to keep the park clean: hire more cleaning staff, properly guide visitors to behave civilly, and so on. The key question is how much importance the management places on maintaining a clean environment and how much they’re willing to invest to solve this problem. With surrounding entertainment facilities still under construction, if these environmental issues aren’t addressed promptly, they could become a major obstacle to the park’s future development.

Finally, let’s talk about the “world’s largest toilet.” I find it quite interesting. It’s located in the center of the park, ensuring that anyone in urgent need can get there as quickly as possible. There are plenty of stalls, so you don’t have to worry about arriving only to find them all occupied. Plus, the various decorations inside offer a glimpse into toilet cultures from around the world, making the whole experience both logical and entertaining. Some have criticized the decorations as vulgar, with even a few claiming they go against the principles of spiritual civilization and harm the image of a municipality directly under the central government. I think that’s an overreaction. Many of the decorations inside aren’t original to Foreigner's Street—they’re inspired by creative designs found in bars and restrooms abroad, widely available online. Gathering these ideas in the “world’s largest toilet” is actually a way to showcase global toilet culture. Many people are shocked, feel ashamed, or think it’s embarrassing—I believe that’s just because they haven’t seen much of the world. If we’re talking about the image of a municipality, and the people of Chongqing can’t even tolerate a toilet, then there’s no point in discussing the city’s image at all. Whether the “world’s largest toilet” is truly meant to be a comprehensive “toilet museum” or just a publicity stunt, time will tell.