1、 Introduction

Kaizhou District has a long history and profound cultural heritage, making it an important cultural tourism destination in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Since Liu Bei established Hanfeng County in the 21st year of Jian'an in the Eastern Han Dynasty (216 AD), Kaizhou has a history of over 1800 years. As one of the important birthplaces of Ba culture, Kaizhou has gone through the administrative system changes of "county → state → county → county → state → county → district", forming unique regional culture and tourism resources. Kaizhou is blessed with abundant resources and talented people, nurturing a humanistic spirit of self-improvement, daring to be the first, openness, and pioneering. It is known as the "Jinkai County", "hometown of sons", and "handsome town".

This article aims to systematically sort out the historical development of cultural tourism in Kaizhou District, comprehensively explore its cultural tourism resources, and focus on sorting out the development of the old city of Kaizhou, providing reference for subsequent cultural inheritance and tourism development. The research will focus on the historical evolution, cultural elements (historical relics, folk culture, red culture, natural landscapes), and tourism development and utilization of Kaizhou, in order to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the sustainable development of cultural tourism in Kaizhou.

2、 The historical evolution and administrative division changes of Kaizhou District

2.1 Pre Qin to Southern and Northern Dynasties: The Historical Origins of Ba Di Qu Ren County

The Kaizhou region has a long history and was part of the Ba Kingdom as early as the Spring and Autumn Period. During the Xia and Shang dynasties, the Kaizhou region was under the jurisdiction of Liangzhou; The Western Zhou Dynasty was the territory of the ancient Yong State. In the second year of King Kuang of Zhou (611 BC, the 16th year of Duke Wen of Lu), the three kingdoms of Chu, Qin, and Ba united to destroy Yong, dividing its territory into three parts. Today, Kaixian County is part of the Ba State. During the Warring States period, the Kaizhou region first belonged to Chu and then to Qin. In the eleventh year of the reign of King Huiwen of Qin (314 BC), Quxian County was established, and Kaizhou County belonged to Quxian County (with its capital located in Shuangjiang Town, Yunyang County today), under the jurisdiction of Ba Commandery.

During the Qin and Han dynasties, the Kaizhou area was still part of Quren County in Bajun. In the 21st year of Jian'an in the Eastern Han Dynasty (216 AD), Liu Bei, the former ruler of Shu, established a new county from the western part of Quren, named it "Hanfeng" after the meaning of "abundant Han soil". This marked the beginning of the establishment of Kaizhou. The Taiping Huanyu Ji records that "during the Qin and Han dynasties, Kaizhou was called Quren County in Bajun", and the Huayang Guozhi records that "Kaizhou was established as a county (Hanfeng County) in the 21st year of Jian'an in the Eastern Han Dynasty (216 AD)". Therefore, Kaizhou was undoubtedly a township of Quren County in Bajun in ancient times. Kaizhou has a history of establishment for 2338 years (314 BC to present) and 1808 years (216 AD to present).

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there were significant changes in the administrative divisions of the Kaizhou region. In the Southern Song Dynasty's Yongzhong Junior High School (around 421 AD), Baqu County (with its capital located in Zhajingba, Dajin Town) and Xinpu County (with its capital located in Xujiaba, Xinpu Village, Nanmen Town, Kai County) were established in Hanfeng County, all of which belonged to the Badong Kingdom of Jingzhou. In the first year of Tianhe in the Northern Zhou Dynasty (566 AD), Badong Commandery was divided to establish Wan'an Commandery, which governed Yongning (county seat) and Wanshi (renamed Baqu) counties; Zhou'an Commandery was also established, with jurisdiction over Xiliu (county seat) and Xinpu counties. In the fourth year of Tianhe (569 AD), Kaizhou was moved to Xinpu, and later moved to Yongning, with jurisdiction over four counties: Yongning, Wanshi, Xinpu, and Xiliu (newly established).

2.2 Sui Tang to Ming Qing Dynasties: Establishment and Evolution of Kaizhou Establishment

In the 18th year of the Kaihuang reign of the Sui Dynasty (598 AD), Yongning County was renamed Shengshan County, named after its proximity to Shengshan Mountain. In the second year of the Daye reign of the Sui Dynasty (606 AD), the province merged with other counties and abolished Kaizhou. The two counties under its jurisdiction, Shengshan and Xinpu, were transferred to Xinzhou, while the two counties under its jurisdiction, Xiliu and Wanshi, were transferred to Tongzhou.

In the first year of Emperor Gaozu's Wude reign (618 AD), Wanzhou was renamed Kaizhou; In the first year of the Zhenguan era (627 AD), Xiliu County of the province was merged into Shengshan County; In the first year of Guangde (763 AD), Shengshan County was renamed Kaijiang County, and Kaizhou governed three counties: Kaijiang, Xinpu, and Wansui (renamed Wanshi). In the fourth year of the Qingli reign of the Song Dynasty (1044 AD), Xinpu in the province entered Kaijiang, and Wansui was renamed Qingshui. At that time, Kaizhou governed two counties. In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), provinces and counties were incorporated into prefectures.

In the sixth year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1373), the prefecture was changed to a county, and "Kai County" was named after it. Because Nanhe was formerly known as Kaijiang, the state and county were named after it. The Qing Xianfeng's "Kaixian Gazetteer" cites the "Kuizhou Prefecture Gazetteer" and clearly states: "Shengshan is located three miles north of the county, with a sudden peak, and is the main mountain of the county. The mountain is named after the character" Sheng "." This means that the mountain top to the north of the county town has a contour shape resembling the character "Sheng".

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were multiple changes in the administrative area of Kai County. The "Annals of Kuizhou Prefecture" during the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty (1506-1521) recorded that Kai County was "about 290 miles wide from east to west and 310 miles long from north to south", with an area of about 29827 square kilometers. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1796), the "Annals of Kuizhou Prefecture" recorded that Kai County was "240 miles wide from east to west and 130 miles wide from north to south", with an area of approximately 10351.4 square kilometers. During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty (1821-1850), the "Annals of Kuizhou Prefecture" recorded that Kaixian was "180 miles east to west and 240 miles north to south", with an area of approximately 14332.7 square kilometers. During the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty (1851-1861), the "Kaixian Gazetteer" recorded that Kaixian was "240 miles east to west and 240 miles north to south", with an area of approximately 19100.3 square kilometers.

2.3 Historical Transformation from Kaixian to Kaizhou District since Modern Times

Since modern times, the administrative division of Kai County has also undergone a series of changes. After Chongqing was placed under the direct jurisdiction of the central government in March 1997, Kai County came under the jurisdiction of Chongqing City. After 1998, Kai County successively surveyed the boundaries of its territory with surrounding districts and counties, and since then, the administrative area of Kai County has not changed much.

In June 2016, the State Council officially approved the revocation of Kaixian County in Chongqing and the establishment of Kaizhou District, marking the beginning of a new era in Kaizhou. On June 21, 2016, with the approval of the State Council, Kaixian County was abolished and replaced by Kaizhou District in Chongqing. On June 28th, the Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress passed the Decision on Matters Related to the Withdrawal of Kaixian County and the Establishment of Districts, marking the beginning of the Kaizhou District era.

Kaizhou District is located in the northeast of Chongqing, between 30 ° 49 ′ 30 ″~31 ° 41 ′ 30 ″ north latitude and 107 ° 55 ′ 48 ″~108 ° 53'36 "east longitude, with a total area of 3963 square kilometers. There are Han, Mongolian, Korean, Yao, Kazak and other ethnic groups living in Kaizhou District. By the end of 2023, Kaizhou District has a total population of 1.6496 million with registered residence and a permanent resident population of 1.1856 million. The topography of Kaizhou District is mainly mountainous, forming three geomorphic types, seven geomorphic units, and eight grade topographic planes. It belongs to the subtropical monsoon climate, mild climate, and four distinct seasons.

3、 The Cultural Value and Tourism Development of Historic Sites in Kaizhou

3.1 Kaizhou Ancient City: Historical Changes and Cultural Relics of a Thousand Year Old City

The ancient city of Kaizhou is an important historical and cultural heritage site in Kaizhou District, with a history dating back to the Tang Dynasty. In the first year of Tang Wude (618 AD), the capital was relocated to the ancient city of Kaixian, which is the earliest recorded document about the ancient city of Kaixian. During the Song and Tang dynasties, it was named Kaijiang County, but during the Yuan dynasty, it was renamed Kaizhou, with its capital still located in the old city of Kaixian.

The development process of the ancient city of Kaizhou can be divided into five stages:

1. Han Dynasty to the first year of Tang Wude: In 2008, a Han Dynasty tomb KXG VII M1 was excavated in the ancient city of Kaixian, which is a brick chamber tomb with a sword handle shaped top. This is the first time that Han Dynasty relics have been clearly discovered in the ancient city of Kaixian, Chongqing, filling the gap in the academic community's long-term search for human activity relics in Kaixian. The reason why the capital was moved to the ancient city of Kaixian in the first year of Tang Wude's reign may not only be due to its location at the confluence of the East River and the South River, where the terrain is flat and transportation is convenient, which is conducive to the development of the city, but also because since the Han Dynasty, the population, politics, economy, and settlement scale of this area may have developed to a certain extent, possessing the basic conditions for being a county capital.

1. From the first year of Wude in the Tang Dynasty to the Song and Yuan Dynasties: It is unknown whether a city wall was built after the Tang Dynasty moved its capital to the old city of Kaixian. However, from the characters "Guo" and "Cheng" in "Su Yun Ting", it seems to reflect that city walls were already built in the mid Tang Dynasty, but this understanding still needs further verification through archaeological data. The county seat of Kaixian during the Song and Yuan dynasties was developed on the basis of inheriting Tang Dynasty cities, and its geographical location remained unchanged. Its political, economic, and cultural status remained unshaken.

1. Ming Dynasty to the mid Qing Dynasty: The county town of Kaixian in the Ming Dynasty saw significant development in the city sites of the Song and Yuan dynasties, such as outsourcing the earthen city walls with bricks and stones, excavating moats, etc. Literature also recorded the names and usage of various city gates in the Ming Dynasty. The city gates and walls of Kaixian County in the Ming Dynasty were used by the Qing Dynasty. The urban layout has not undergone significant changes, and the map of Kaixian County in the Qing Qianlong's "Kaixian Chronicle" may be roughly the same as the layout of Kaixian County in the Ming Dynasty.

1. Late Qing Dynasty to Republic of China: In the late Qing Dynasty, Kaixian County can be divided into two cities: the inner city developed on the basis of Kaixian County during the Ming Dynasty to the mid Qing Dynasty, while the outer city was expanded and repaired during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. In the late Qing Dynasty, Kaixian County had an inner and outer city system. The east, south, and west walls of the outer city were all newly built, while the north wall was built on the basis of the north wall of the inner city and connected to the east and west walls of the outer city on both sides. The outer city is rounded and rectangular in shape. There are a total of 5 city gates and 6 water tunnel gates, with a significant increase in quantity compared to before.

1. People's Republic of China: After the founding of the People's Republic of China, many ancient buildings such as temples, ancestral halls, and guild halls were renovated or demolished, and a number of new buildings and halls were built. The urban layout of the ancient city of Kaizhou is formed by a closed ring road consisting of Renmin Road, Qingjiang Road, Huancheng Road, and Ximenwai. It is connected to Kaicheng (Kaixian Chengkou) Road to the northeast, Donghe Bridge to Kaiyun (Kaixian Yunyang) Road to the east, Nanhe Bridge to Kaiwan (Kaixian Wanzhou) Road to the south, and Sleeping Buddha Road to the west.

On January 26, 2025, the grand opening of streets in the former city of Kaizhou will be completed, and the entire Hu Ma Road will be connected. Kaizhou Ancient City is one of the key projects for the deep integration and development of cultural tourism around Hanfeng Lake. The project is based on the theme of "heritage" and fully explores historical and cultural resources. It extracts historical and cultural themes such as buildings and structures from the Han and Tang dynasties, Ming and Qing dynasties, Republic of China period, and modern styles. It focuses on the construction of main buildings such as Shengshan Hall, Li Family Courtyard, Shen Family Courtyard, and Yu Palace, as well as the folk culture street of Ba Yu residential areas. Around the functional positioning of "inheriting excellent culture and telling the story of Kaizhou" and the business positioning of "sharing with guests, suitable for living, and integrating culture and tourism", it restores the urban elements and human fireworks of Kaizhou's old city, inherits and reproduces the millennium Kaizhou culture.

3.2 Comrade Liu Bocheng's Former Residence and Memorial Hall: An Important Carrier of Red Culture

The former residence and memorial hall of Comrade Liu Bocheng is the most important red cultural heritage in Kaizhou District and a national 4A level tourist attraction. The former residence of Comrade Liu Bocheng is located in Zhoudu Village, Zhaojia Street, Kaizhou District, Chongqing. It is a courtyard in Kaizhou with blue tiles and earthen walls, and half a thatched cottage. It is an ordinary farmhouse in the late Qing Dynasty's eastern Sichuan (now eastern Chongqing) area. After renovation and opening to the public on December 4, 1987, Comrade Deng Xiaoping inscribed the name of his former residence. The former residence collection includes a large number of items used by Liu Shuai and his family in the past. Through original display and supplemented by photographic materials, it showcases Liu Bocheng's growth trajectory of diligent farming and hard study during his youth, and his determination to "save the people from fire and water".

The Comrade Liu Bocheng Memorial Hall is located in Shengshan Community, Hanfeng Street, Kaizhou District, Chongqing. It is also a national 4A level tourist attraction, a national patriotic education demonstration base, and a national defense education demonstration base. The exhibition line of the memorial hall is 520 meters long, displaying 630 precious pictures, 358 physical and documentary materials, vividly reproducing the glorious and great life of Marshal Liu Bocheng.

Comrade Liu Bocheng Memorial Hall and Former Residence are national patriotic education demonstration bases, national defense education demonstration bases, the seventh batch of key cultural relics protection units in China, and national third level museums. They are one of the 30 "Red Tourism Boutique Routes" and 300 "Red Tourism Classic Scenic Spots" in China, and are national 4A level tourist attractions. The memorial hall is located in Shengshan Park, Hanfeng Street, Kaizhou District, Chongqing, at the foot of Fenghuang Mountain and by Hanfeng Lake. It is 4 kilometers away from the urban area of Kaizhou, 57.2 kilometers away from Wanzhou, and 320 kilometers away from the main city of Chongqing. The former residence is located in Zhoudu Village, Zhaojia Street, southern Kaizhou District, Chongqing, on the banks of the Puli River. It is 18 kilometers away from Kaizhou City, 28 kilometers away from Wanzhou District, and 262 kilometers away from the main city of Chongqing.

The main body of Comrade Liu Bocheng Memorial Hall is a modern antique style building, with a typical Sichuan Chongqing architectural art style. The eight gilded characters "Comrade Liu Bocheng Memorial Hall" on the door are inscribed by Deng Xiaoping. Through two renovations and expansions, it now covers an area of 4 hectares and consists of the main exhibition hall and the east and west parts. The main exhibition hall is divided into two courtyards, one inside and one outside. The inner courtyard is a display hall with six exhibition halls connected by corridors, while the outer courtyard has a calligraphy and painting hall. The eastern scenic area mainly includes a film and television education hall, a large military equipment exhibition hall, a marshal pool and other landscapes, and a renovated tourist reception center. The western scenic area is constructing landscapes such as the Jieyuan Bridge, the Art of War Sketch Garden, the Liu Shuai Meritorious Column Stone Carving Square, and the Flowing Water Pine Wind Pavilion. In December 2012, the Liu Bocheng Memorial Hall Scenic Area in Kaizhou was approved by the National Tourism Administration as a national 4A level scenic spot.

The Comrade Liu Bocheng Memorial Hall was officially completed and opened on December 4, 1992, the 100th anniversary of Liu Shuai's birth. Since its opening, the memorial hall has successively won titles such as "National Patriotic Education Demonstration Base", "National Defense Education Demonstration Base", "National Third level Museum", "National AAAA Tourist Scenic Area", "National Red Tourism Classic Scenic Area", "National Education Base for Caring for the Next Generation of Party History and National History", and "National Education Base for Ethnic Unity and Progress". Since the opening of Comrade Liu Bocheng's memorial hall and former residence, it has received more than 15 million visitors from all over the country.

3.3 Wentangjing Salt Industry Site: A Historical Witness to the Millennium Salt Capital

The Wentangjing Salt Industry Site is an important historical and cultural heritage site in Kaizhou District, and was listed as the fourth batch of cultural relics protection units in Chongqing in July 2025. According to the Notice of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government on the Announcement of the Fourth Batch of Chongqing Cultural Relics Protection Units (Yufu Fa [2025] No. 9), a total of 74 immovable cultural relics in the city have been listed as the fourth batch of municipal cultural relics protection units. The successful selection of the "Wentangjing Salt Industry Site" is an important milestone in the protection of cultural heritage in Kaizhou District. It will provide a solid institutional guarantee for the long-term protection and value inheritance of the site, and also add a shining cultural card to Kaizhou.

Wentangjing (now Wenquan Town) has a long history of salt industry, first seen in the Western Han Dynasty, gradually recorded after the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and recorded in great detail during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. According to folklore, there are records of wild animals consuming salt brine in all salt producing areas in the Three Gorges region. There is a legend in the folk of Wentangjing that hunters chase white sheep to the salt spring, and the current cave is named White Sheep. This indicates that the salt mines in the Three Gorges area are shallowly buried, exposed to the surface, easily discovered, and have been developed and utilized for a long time.

The historical value of the Wentangjing Salt Industry Site lies in its important witness to the ancient salt industry economy in Kaizhou. Kai County was originally named Hanfeng County and was built in the 21st year of Jian'an (216 AD) at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. It was founded by Liu Bei, who was the ruler of Shu at that time. The reason why Liu Bei separated Quren County and established Hanfeng County has not been specifically documented in the past. There are many speculations today, based on relevant historical materials and the social, economic, political, and military conditions at that time, the main reason for the establishment of Hanfeng County was the production of salt in the Wentangjing area.

The protection and development of the Wentangjing Salt Industry Site is of great significance for studying the ancient salt industry economy, regional development history, and ancient urban development in the Three Gorges region. As Professor Li Xiaobo from Sichuan Normal University stated in "Salt