Goose Neck Park, the earliest private garden in Chongqing

Goose Neck Park is located in Yuzhong District of Chongqing, formerly known as Yi Garden, and was the villa of Li Yaoting, the first chairman of the Chongqing Chamber of Commerce and a wealthy merchant in the late Qing Dynasty. It was built in the first year of the Xuantong period of the Qing Dynasty (1909), and it has been more than 110 years since then. During the Republic of China period, Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling lived here, and Turkey once set up a legation here. Goose Neck Park was originally named Goose Neck Ridge, as it is situated on a steep and narrow ridge that is held between the Yangtze River and the Jialing River to the north and south, resembling the neck of a goose, hence the name. The two rivers that embrace the Chongqing peninsula are closest to each other here. It is said that Li Yan, the governor of Shu Han, once wanted to cut through the high cliffs here to connect the two rivers. Backed by the mountain city, Goose Neck Park stands tall and aloof, overlooking the two rivers to the west, and enjoys the natural scenery that is majestic, perilous, vast, and elegant. The garden landscape within the park is exquisite, located at a high point in Yuzhong District, where the Lansheng Building at the top of the mountain offers a 360-degree unobstructed view of the Chongqing urban area, especially the night view, which is particularly charming. The park has witnessed the development of Chongqing through the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, the War of Resistance, and the establishment of New China, and it is home to the 'Tree King', a Huangge tree that has been around for more than 170 years; the 'Flying Pavilion', an antique building built in the 1930s, named for its resemblance to a flying bird because it extends three halls along the pavilion; and the Australian and Danish legations established during the wartime capital period in Chongqing. Each scenic spot carries a piece of history, telling its own fascinating story.