Gongjing - Sister City

The Gong in Gongjing is the same Gong in Zigong as the cities of Gonging and Ziliujing were combined in 1939. So after day-tripping to places outside of town for 4 days in a row, we finally rode the city buses over to Gongjing on consecutive days to see the sights.

Basically it's the same story as the previous days: salt wells, waterways, guild halls, old buildings, bridges, and the Old Road, but with enough difference to not be a waste of time. And Gongjing is much less urban than Zigong. One can walk to Aiye Village and back along the Fuxi river, enjoying the dams and sluices, fisherman, and rural scenes.

Fuxi River with dam at left and salt well at right.


Fuxi River.


The old wharf in Aiye is impressively "well worn".


The riverwalk between Gongjing and Aiye.


It's possible to make out the dam (actually behind the field of vision in this photo), sluices, and locks from the bridge in Aiye. There were once 17 sets of such "waterworks" on the Fuxi River to facilitate the movement of salt.


Guangdong Guild hall - Gongjing.


Guizhou Guild Hall - Gongjing.


Old Post Office - Gongjing.


This old well is no longer producing salt brine, but is producing natural gas.


This derrick is huge and now produces natural gas - check out the meter.



The old road from Changtu to Aiye


Great lines of the Post Office in Aiye.


A section of the Old Road with worn sandstone blocks that's right in downtown Gongjing.