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"Furnace city" emerges as "coolcation" magnet for global travelers_我的网站

A |     심상·서클 넘어 인간의 ‘업’ 탐구스크래치 기법으로 관계망 형상화                    김영미 작가의 ‘2-3.circle’(2025). 캔버스에 아크릴과 돌가루, 130.3×162.2㎝. 김영미 작가 제공. 김영미 작가의 개인전 ‘업:業:UP’이 오는 29일부터 다음 달 13일까지 서울 목동 구구갤러리에서 열린다. 이번 전시는 김 작가가 오랜 시간 탐구해 온 심상(心象)과 서클(Circle) 시리즈를 넘어 인간의 숙명과 인연, 관계망을 ‘업(業)’이라는 주제로 풀어낸다. 홍익대학교 동양화과와 동 대학원을 졸업한 김 작가는 한국화를 전공했지만, 사실적 묘사보다 내면의 이미지와 감각적 움직임에 주목해 왔다. 특히 캔버스에 아크릴 물감과 돌가루를 여러 겹 덧입힌 뒤 조각도로 긁어내는 ‘스크래치’ 기법을 일관되게 구사해왔다. 쌓고 긁어내는 반복적인 행위를 통해 화면에 시간의 흔적과 내적 질서를 만든다. 이번 전시에서는 다양한 원과 선이 서로 교차하고 겹치며 유기적인 관계망을 이룬다. 굵게 긁어낸 면과 가느다란 실선의 조화, 과감한 색채 변화가 두드러진다. 화면을 가로지르는 원들은 클러스터나 뉴런의 연결망을 연상시키며 생명감과 움직임을 드러낸다. 작품 속 원은 단순한 기하학적 형태를 넘어 사람과 사람, 개인과 세계, 보이는 것과 보이지 않는 것의 관계를 상징한다. 원과 선이 만들어내는 흐름과 균형을 통해 인간이 어떤 인연과 관계 속에서 존재하는지 질문한다. 김 작가는 “모든 창조적 원리는 무에서 유가 됐다가 다시 유에서 무가 되는 순환을 한다”며 “인간은 그 순환 속에서 숙명적인 삶을 살아내면서도 우주의 질서 안에서 빛나고 싶은 연약한 존재인지도 모른다”고 말했다. 전시를 기획한 구자민 구구갤러리 대표는 “이번 전시는 넓고 굵게 긁어낸 흔적과 가느다란 선이 조화를 이루고, 과감한 색채 변화도 두드러진다”며 “수많은 원과 선의 결합이 하나의 우주를 만들고 있다”고 설명했다.。    

    Foreign tourists enjoy hotpot while watching a Sichuan Opera face-changing performance inside a former air-raid shelter at the Underground City hotpot restaurant in Liangjiang New Area of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, July 10, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)Despite outdoor temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Australian tourist Roy Rostand was enjoying hotpot at a restaurant without air conditioning, apparently feeling no discomfort from the summer heat.
The answer to his comfort lies in the restaurant's unlikely location. This hotpot restaurant, named Underground City, is hidden inside a former air-raid shelter, one of the city's distinctive spaces offering natural coolness.
"It's amazing that the restaurant stays so cool even in scorching summer heat," Rostand said. "Chongqing has given me the chance to experience something I can't find in Australia."
Chongqing has long been dubbed one of China's "furnace cities" for its sweltering, humid summers. In July alone, the city endured 26 consecutive days of high heat, with temperatures breaching 40 degrees Celsius for a full week and topping out at a scorching 41.6 degrees.
The blazing heat, however, has failed to dampen the enthusiasm of global travelers. According to the Chongqing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, more than 610,000 inbound and outbound trips by foreign nationals were recorded at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in the first half of the year, marking an 86-percent surge year on year. The top five source countries were Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia.
European travelers proved to be a standout growth driver. Data from Trip.com shows that as of July 21, inbound travel bookings from Europe to Chongqing for this summer season climbed by over 40 percent year on year, while scenic spot ticket orders surged by 214.7 percent and activity-based bookings rocketed by a staggering 6,900 percent.
Thanks to China's visa-free policies and other travel facilitation measures, Chongqing is rapidly gaining traction as a go-to "coolcation" hotspot for international visitors. Creative cool-off spaces, diverse travel experiences and comprehensive summer services have all contributed to its rising appeal.
UNDERGROUND COOL
Chongqing's summer cooling secrets were first found underground. Since the late 1930s, the city has carved thousands of air-raid shelters into its mountainous terrain.
Once serving as sanctuaries for civilians during the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, these spaces have now been repurposed as hotpot restaurants, tea houses and venues for Sichuan Opera performances, providing both refreshing coolness and preserving the city's living memories.
"The temperature inside the shelters remains around 25 degrees Celsius all year round, making them natural cool retreats," explained Wang Jing, marketing director of Underground City.
"We serve more than 300 tables a day on weekends," she added. "Right now, about one in every six diners is from overseas. And we're seeing more and more visitors from Southeast Asia and Europe."
Annika, a tourist from Germany, revealed that the restaurant has gone viral on overseas social media platforms. "We were attracted not only by this unique way of escaping the summer heat, but also by the opportunity to dine in a place filled with history and culture," she said.
CHASING CHILL
On August 1, Chongqing issued an orange heat alert. At a water park in its Fuling District, 10 tonnes of industrial ice were dumped directly into the wave pool. Half-submerged in the refreshing water, visitors could splash around or even play mahjong at custom-made tables in the pool.
This unique summer cooling scene has attracted coverage from mainstream media in countries including Russia and Canada, with overseas outlets reportedly dubbing it the most intriguing summer spectacle in China this year.
At Chongqing Xingrui international travel service, inquiries from cross-border travelers hailing from hot and humid regions such as Vietnam, Laos and Indonesia have risen notably in recent weeks.
Peng Hengcong, head of the travel agency, said they have rolled out themed tour products, including "cool retreats in the mountains" and "gorge rapids adventures," tailored to overseas visitors seeking summer cooling experiences. These products cover areas with higher altitudes or rich water systems in Chongqing, with the highlight being a "23°C summer" experience.
Luo Zibai, an expert with the China Tourism Academy, believes that Chongqing's sustained popularity among travelers lies in its ability to fully leverage its distinctive strengths and develop differentiated tourism products that offer a broad spectrum of experiences.
URBAN REFUGE
Chongqing is weaving a citywide "cooling network" -- ranging from shopping malls to public facilities, and from indoor spaces to outdoor areas.
At a shopping mall called The Ring in the city, visitors are greeted not by endless rows of shops, but by a lush indoor rainforest. With misting systems and carefully designed lighting, the mall keeps the temperature at about 21 degrees Celsius, creating a cool, dreamy summer escape.
"I like Chongqing a lot because it has its own character," said Bilal Badri, who was visiting from the Netherlands. "The way nature and the city's landscape blend together here is just perfect."
The cool experience extends beyond the mall. In the Mountain City Alley historic district, a 400-meter-long pedestrian walkway has been transformed into a "cooling corridor," where misting systems and shaded areas reduce the perceived temperature by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius.
In addition, since July 8, Chongqing's rail transit system has set up cooling zones in 158 metro stations, offering free air-conditioned spaces and heat-relief supplies to residents and tourists alike.
"Chongqing's creative and thoughtful ways to help people beat the summer heat are impressive. It's really interesting to discover these unique experiences," said Alexandra, a Romanian tourist. "This time I didn't stay long enough to explore more of the city, and I'm planning to come back in the near future."
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Published on:15:32:03