Yuzhong District Coral Park

　　Chongqing Coral Park is situated at No. 380 Binjiang South Road along the Yangtze River, close to Chongqing Railway Station, nestled against the mountain ridges of Yuzhong District and overlooking the Yangtze River. The overall planned area is nearly 600,000 square meters. The first phase covers an area of 93,800 square meters (including 66,900 square meters of green space, accounting for over 70% of the total land), with an investment of over 60 million yuan. Construction began in June 1994, and the park was preliminarily completed and opened to the public on December 21, 1997. After opening, Coral Park consists of various scenic areas including "New Century Plaza," "Century Pillar of Light," "Elegant Bridge Pavilion," "Fragrant Flower Stream," "Pebble Sentiments," "Cultural Plaza," "Hollow Water Curtain," "Soaring Dragon," "Imaginative Cultural Sunflower," "Colorful Flower House," "Flower Maze," and "Shaded Leisure Area." The entire park features a landscaping design based on lawns as the foundation, trees as the framework, and flowering shrubs as highlights. A major feature of Coral Park is its frequent hosting of diverse and vibrant events. Since its opening, it has held large-scale flower exhibitions such as "Stepping into Spring," the "Happy Camp" activities, and the "First Chrysanthemum Exhibition of Yuzhong District." It also successfully hosted the opening ceremony of Chongqing’s "One Conference, One Festival," four editions of the "Chongqing International Beer and Beverage Festival," the "Silver Star Night" and "Christmas" grand evening galas, among others. Coral Park is a modern urban park funded by the government. Both its construction and design are distinctive and have received widespread acclaim from all sectors of society.

　　During the construction process, the park incorporated many data points related to Chongqing’s direct-administered municipality status, as well as cleverly integrating maps and districts of the new Chongqing. The park features over 10 scenic spots, organically connected by large expanses of greenery, while the riverside viewing platform offers distant views of the lush peaks of Nanshan Mountain. As a modern urban park, Coral Park is carving out its unique charm and becoming a pearl along the Yangtze River.

　　During the planning and design process, the park’s designers employed many bold and innovative approaches. Along the park’s central axis running from west to east, they planned and designed scenic spots and structures such as Century Plaza, Bridge Pavilion, Bleachers, Open-Air Stage, Soaring Dragon, and Colorful Flower House, connecting them seamlessly. The Century Pillar of Light in the plaza serves as the dragon’s head, while the Colorful Flower House acts as the tail, forming a three-dimensional space with varying heights and rhythmic undulations. This enriches the park’s facade and nighttime effects. At the park’s western entrance, New Century Plaza ingeniously incorporates many memorable numerical elements of the new Chongqing. The inner plaza has a diameter of 61.8 meters, symbolizing June 18—the official inauguration date of Chongqing Municipality. The outer plaza spans 82.4 meters in diameter, corresponding to the new Chongqing’s land area of 82,400 square kilometers. The circular area of the plaza features 43 landmark pillars, representing the 43 districts, counties, and cities of the new Chongqing, encircling the Century Pillar of Light that embodies the city’s vibrant momentum. The pillar stands 41.8 meters tall, with a red five-pointed star at its top and 3,002 crystal spheres embedded in its surface, representing Chongqing’s population of 30.02 million. The base of the pillar is 3.14 meters high, signifying March 14—the date when the National People’s Congress approved the establishment of the municipality. The center of the plaza features a newly designed map of Chongqing, marking the locations of the 43 districts, counties, and cities, as well as the precise positions of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers—a thoughtful touch. Adjacent to Century Plaza is a uniquely designed, fusion-style Bridge Pavilion spanning 3,200 square meters and stretching 130 meters in length, connecting to Cultural Plaza. Cultural Plaza serves as both the central hub for park visitors and a venue for cultural performances by artists and residents. Further east lies a nearly 100-meter-long dragon structure. Water cascades from the dragon’s body, blending with ground fountains to create the illusion of a dragon soaring through clouds. In the park’s eastern section, a 554-square-meter olive-shaped glass dome greenhouse maintains a constant temperature year-round. It not only protects tropical and foliage plants through winter but also nurtures rare and exotic flowers.

　　The park’s rear section is the Shaded Leisure Area, offering visitors a personal retreat. Surrounding the park’s central axis is extensive greenery, with over 20,000 square meters of lawns organically integrating meticulously crafted scenic spots such as "Fragrant Flower Stream," "Pebble Sentiments," "Sunflower Grove," and "Flower Maze." The riverside viewing platform is a key attraction where visitors can gaze at the flowing Yangtze River, admire the lush Nanshan peaks, and enjoy the scenery. Another highlight of Coral Park is its ingenious landscape design using plants. The planning adopts a bold, large-scale, and color-block approach, with a verdant green as the dominant tone. Vast lawns form the base, complemented by a variety of trees and flowers that create distinct seasonal landscapes. The riverside walking path is lined with expansive peach and willow trees, forming a picturesque scene of pink blossoms and green willows. In summer, leafy flowers and crape myrtles take center stage. Amidst the peak of summer, blooming flowers create a delightful visual feast. Autumn brings a riot of colors from over ten varieties and more than 1,000 cotton rose (hibiscus mutabilis) plants planted in the northern part of the park, competing in splendor. Winter features the fragrant tree-shaded area in the park’s eastern section, lush and green, dotted with camellias, wintersweet blossoms, and michelia alba flowers, adding a unique charm.