The climb to the summit of Emei Mountain or 峨眉山, is extremely popular. It is important to take enough time for the climb and descend. Normally, it takes one day to climb up and one for coming down. Monasteries and at the summit, you will come across some reasonably priced accommodations for travelers. It is important to bring some spare food and wear enough warm clothes because the temperature is lower than at the foot.
The mountain can be reached by train as well as by bus. The “Chengdu-Kunming” line (train) will take you directly to the mountain. If you prefer by bus, you can get on the bus at Chengdu’s Xinnan Men Bus station or from Leshan to Emei Mountain.

The Giant Buddha of Leshan, the tallest stone statue of the world, is close to the Emei Mountain. For interested travelers, the bus at the Xinnan Men Bus Station will go to Leshan and will begin to operate at 8 am and the last bus departs at 7pm. For visiting the giant Buddha, a ticket is required. Furthermore, there are bus rides to Emei Mountain at Shiyangchang Transportation Center from 7.30 am. – 7.00 pm. Also, the Jinshan Station also offers buses to that area. Most buses to Leshan or Giant Buddha operates on a regular interval between 7.30 am. – 7.00 pm.

In Dujiangyan (都江堰), there is the oldest water conservation project in the world. The irrigation project was established around 250 BC during the warring states period. It is easy to get to Dujiangyan because there are regular bus rides.

Near the border of Yunnan, a four hours ride from south Chengdu, is the Yibin Bamboo Sea (宜宾竹海). This area can be explored by numerous ways from well visited paths which can be traveled within a few hours to small passages taking one day. The trip can be done in one weekend but for a more leisure visit, a four day travel is ideal. Take the train from Chengdu or Chongqing to Yibin city then transfer to the bamboo sea of CMB. It is about 2-3 hours car ride.

For all places mentioned above, an entrance ticket is required. The following table will show the entrance price for the respective places mentioned above.

峨眉山 – Emei Mountain:
150rmb/person

青城山 – Qingcheng Mountain:
150rmb/person

乐山大佛 – Giant Buddha of Leshan:
90rmb/person

都江堰 – Dujiangyan:
90rmb/person

宜宾竹海 – Yibin Bamboo Sea:
85rmb/person

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Chongqing Hot property May 2012 –

As the country’s largest municipality, Chongqing, in Southwest China, boasts an attractive mix of history and modernity. Perched beside the Yangtze River, the 3,000-year-old city represents the Yangtze River civilization and is the birthplace of Bayu culture.

Surrounded by mountains and by the Yangtze and Jialing rivers on three sides, Chongqing is also called Mountain City.

Chongqing’s streets are famously undulating and built on slopes. At night, the lights of homes dot the hills, sparkling like stars. Bridges light up in the evenings as ships beneath them glide along the two rivers.

As the major manufacturing center and a transport hub for western China, Chongqing serves as the economic center of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and attracts visitors from home and abroad for its famous spicy dishes, cultural heritage and stunning modern scenery.

1. Dazu Rock Carvings

Located 167 kilometers east of Chongqing, Dazu county is known as the county of rock carvings.

Started around 650 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and continued through the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, the Dazu Rock Carvings contain all the cliff-side carvings in Dazu county and demonstrate the peak of ancient artisans’ skills in the area.

The collection is composed of rock carvings in Beishan, Baodingshan, Nanshan, Shimenshan and Shizhuanshan. There are more than 5,000 statues and 100,000 Chinese characters of inscriptions and epigraphs among the rock carvings, with Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian figures showcasing the artistic achievements of the area and its people.

2. Ciqikou

On the banks of the Jialing River, not far from its junction with the Yangtze River, lies the ancient village of Ciqikou (porcelain village). Covering an area of about 1.2 square kilometers, it is 14 kilometers west of Chongqing.

Ciqikou can be traced back more than 1,000 years. It gets its name from the classic porcelain handicrafts made in the village.

Formerly a busy port at the lower reaches of the Jialing River, Ciqikou remains a symbol and miniature of old Chongqing. In 1998 the State Council listed Ciqikou as a protected cultural site.

Tourists will find that the locals are still devoted to their traditional lifestyles and unaffected by the trappings of modernity in the city. A major attraction is the Shu Embroidery workshops.

3. People’s Assembly Hall

As one of the largest public assembly buildings in China, the People’s Assembly Hall in Chongqing is one of the landmark buildings in the city.

Standing at Xuetian Wan, Renmin Road, the auditorium is built in the traditional Chinese style.

The main complex is a cluster of attached structures, which contain the hall and three attached buildings to the east, south and north. It is spanned by a greenish-glazed tile dome, supported by scarlet columns. The building’s pillars and other structural elements are sculpted in a delicate and refined way, all framed amid lush greenery.

4. Eating and drinking

As one branch of Sichuan cuisine, Chongqing cuisine, also called Yu cuisine, is famous for its distinctively spicy and strong flavors.

The city has a humid, cloudy climate with an annual mean temperature of 18.6 C, leading the locals to become addicted to spicy dishes that they reckon are stronger in taste than their Sichuan neighbors’ offerings.

Chili pepper, sesame, scallions, ginger, garlic, wine, soy sauce and seasoning are employed in almost 40 different cooking methods, including drying, salting, spicing, frying and smoking. Smell, taste, presentation and nutrition are all delicately coordinated in Chongqing dishes.

Many local specialties such as steamed sticky rice sparerib, taoran chili chicken with taro are popular with residents and visitors.

Chongqing is touted as the birthplace of hot pot in China and the restaurants can be found in virtually every corner of the city.

Hot pot used to be a winter dish but is now eaten all year round.

With the catering business thriving, many food streets are developing. The pedestrian streets around Jiefangbei (called Jiefangbei Central Business District), Nanbin Road, and Bayi Street are full of restaurants.

Many eateries also dot Nanbin Road by the bank of the Yangtze. Tourists can pick a riverside table to take in the night view of the river and the city as they wine and dine.

The level of difficulty in setting up your company depends on your industry. The reason is that China encourages foreign investment in certain industries while discourages it in others.

There are several different registration classifications for foreign companies doing business in China. You will need to decide which one best suits your needs. The main classifications are Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE), Joint Venture (JV), Representative Office and Partnership Enterprise (PE).

A Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise is a business that is 100% owned by a foreign company or companies. These are often established in Special Economic Zones. Only businesses in certain industry categories are allowed to set up as a WFOE. A WFOE requires a minimum capitalization, can generate income, pays tax in China and can repatriate profits. (Ref. 2)

A Joint Venture is a partnership between a foreign company and a local partner. A Joint Venture may be appropriate if WFOEs are not permitted in your industry classification.

A Representative Office is easier to set up than either a WFOE or JV. It costs less and does not require capitalization. However, Representative Offices may not engage in trade, receive fees for service, sign contracts or directly generate income. They are typically used for market research, promotion, and establishing or maintaining China business contacts.

A Partnership Enterprise is a new classification that came into effect March 1, 2010. It allows partnerships between foreign companies and individuals, and Chinese companies and individuals. (Ref. 2)

It typically takes 4 to 6 months to register a WFOE or JV, depending on scale and industry. (Ref. 3)

A number of government offices are involved in the process including the Ministry of Commerce or its subsidiary, the Local Industry and Commerce Administration Bureau, the State Taxation Bureau, the Local Taxation Bureau, the Foreign Administration Office of Police, the Bank, the Foreign Exchange Administration Bureau, the Public Security Bureau, and the Customs Office. (Ref. 3)

Basic Steps

Here is an outline of the basic steps to setting up a WFOE or JV in China. (Ref. 1) The process is simpler for Representative Offices.

1) Name Approval
2) Approval to Establish Company
3) Registration of Business License
4) Filing and Carving Seals
5) Enterprise Code Certification
6) Statistics Bureau Registration
7) Foreign Exchange Approval
Registration with City Tax Bureau
9) Setup of Bank Accounts
10) Customs Bureau Registration
11) Capital Verification
12) Business License Update

References

1. Orientation China Guidebook, First Edition, American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai

2. Types of Business Presence in China, Path to China

3. Register a Company in China: Full registrations, Authority and Timeframe, NSW Chamber

Recommended Reading

How to Start a Business in China – WFOE, China Law Blog

How To Start A Business In China — The Minimum Capital Requirements For A WFOE, China Law Blog

Setting Up a Representative Office in China, Export.gov, US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration

How to Form a Representative Office in China, China Law Blog

8 Must-Knows about Business Set-up in China, NSW Business Chamber

Starting a Business in China, International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group