158
ICHANG-CHUNGKING
Tien-choo-tang
ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION
Right Rev. Fr. Benjamin Christiaens Bishop tit. of Colophon and Vicar Apost. of Southern Hupeh Rev. Fr. Giovanni Franzoni Rev. Fr. Zacharias de Keyser Rev. Fr. Gabriel van Gestel, Kin-chow Rev. Fr. Ansgarius Braun
Rev. Fr. Laurentius Fuchs, Che-nan
Rev. Fr. Basilius Papin, Kin-m en Rev. Mauritius Robert
#Chen-mow-lang-
Rev. Sœurs Franciscaines
Rev. Mère Marie de Jésu, vic. provle. Rev. Mère Magdeleine de Pazzi, Sœurs Angeline du St. Suaire, Salette, St. Elzéar
CHUNGKING
The city of Chungking, situated in lat. 29 deg. 33 min. 30 sec. N. long., 107 deg 9 min. E., may well be described, as not only the commercial capital of Szechuen, but of the whole of Western China. The foreign import trade centres here, and is then distributed by a smaller class of trading junks up the various rivers of the province. All exports-yellow silk, white wax, hides, leather, feathers, bristles, rhubarb, musk, opium, and the large assortment of Chinese medicines-are received, assorted, repacked, and shipped to Ichang, Hankow, and Shashi, consignments to the latter port being transhipped there into smaller junks, and forwarded to the southern provinces, vid the Tung Ting lake.
The city occupies the end of a high and rocky bluff forming a peninsula, at the junction of the river Kia-ling with the Yangtsze, 1,250 miles from the mouth of the latter. The principal streets of the city are on the side of the Yangtsze, in which are many fine shops. It is surrounded by a crenelated stone wall in good repair, which is some five miles in circumference, pierced with nine gates. This wall was built in 1761, replacing an older one. The climate of Chungking is very depressing, perhaps the worst in China; the summers being hot and damp, the winters raw and chilly, with thick fogs from November to March. Spring and autumn can indeed hardly be said to exist. The ordinary rise of the river is about 70 feet; in the year 1871 the Chinese say
it rose over one hundred feet, the water not being able to force its way fast enough through the gorges. On the left bank of the Kia-ling and facing Chungking, extending below the junction of the two rivers, is the walled city of Kiang-Peh-ting, formerly within the district of Li Min Fu, but now incorporated in Chungking Fu These two cities, and the large villages in their immediate neighbourhood are estimated to contain a population of three hundred thousand.
The
port was declared open to Foreign trade in March, 1891, but business did not actually
commence until the 18th June, since which date, a large and gradually increasing trade is being done both in imports and exports, carried in foreign chartered junks.
The Yangtsze is navigable for steamers from Ichang, not only to Chungking, but as far as Suchau-fu, where the Min river joins the Yangtsze, which is also navigable for light draft steamers nearly to Chen-tu, the provincial capital. The Kia-ling is also navigable from Chungking for the same steamers nearly as high as Pao-ning-fu. The period of navigation for the Upper Yangtaze and smaller rivers is from early in May to the end of October.
DIRECTORY
AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSIONARY UNION
Rev. W. M. Upcraf,
Süchow-fu
Rev. Geo. and Mrs. Warner, do. Rev. R. and Mrs. Wellwood, do. C. H. Finch, M.D., and Mrs. Finch Miss E. Inween Miss B. G. Forbes
BIBLE CHRISTIAN MISSION, address, care of
China Inland Mission
Rev. and Mrs. Vanstone, Yunnan-fu
Mrs. Thorne, Chao Tong-fu
Rev. S. Pollard,
Rev. F. Dymond,
do.
Rev. W. Tremberth, do.
do.
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