A melting pot of fiery flavors

"The hotpot soup base is the real deal and reasonably priced, plus the whole tour is a full-on sensory adventure," she says.

A decade ago, the industrial park was known strictly for large-scale production of hotpot ingredients. Today, it has transformed into one of the city's signature destinations — the first and only industrial tourism site themed around Chongqing hotpot — drawing over 400,000 visitors in its peak year.

Its most recent expansion came in late September, when the Zhoujunji Hotpot Seasoning History and Culture Museum opened to the public, enriching the experience by showcasing the history and cultural significance of Chongqing hotpot.