Move over, spicy noodles—Chongqing’s latest claim to fame isn’t just its fiery cuisine. Tourists are flocking to this southwestern Chinese metropolis to "devour" its iconic landmarks, turning the city’s transportation marvels into a social media buffet.

A quirky trend that exploded on March 17 under the hashtag #TouristsEatingTheCableway# has swept the nation.The local news agency Upstream News has dispatched its reporter Li Zuoting to check this out. The following is her tongue-in-cheek guide to the "edible" attractions of this "8D Magic City”.

First up: The Line 2 monorail slicing through a residential building at Liziba Station. What started as a photo gimmick has morphed into a full-on ritual. At Xiangguosi Riverside Park in Jiangbei District, visitors line up to "bite" the train as it whizzes by, perfecting their angles for Instagram-worthy shots. The craze went international last month when Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning showcased a video of the monorail "feast" on February 22, pitching Chongqing as a must-see destination. Locals are calling it a "world-class delicacy," and it’s no surprise it tops the list.

Next, the historic Yangtze River Cableway, a fixture since 1987, is getting its own viral moment. At Longmenhao Old Street and Baixiangju, tourists use clever perspective tricks to "swallow" the cable cars crossing the river. Social media is buzzing with quips like, "No hotpot dipping sauce? That’s a Chongqing crime!" This nostalgic aerial icon, China’s first over the Yangtze, lands at number two for blending heritage with modern-day mischief.

Rounding out the top three, Jiangbei International Airport and  Yinghua (Sakura) Lake are serving up a double feature: airplanes and high-speed trains. Visitors are snapping creative shots "eating" landing jets and zooming railcars, proving Chongqing’s "if it moves, it’s edible" mantra—hotpot logic applied to infrastructure.

Professor Luo Zibo, a tourism expert at the China Tourism Academy, told Upstream News the city’s multi-layered, “gravity-defying” landscape is the secret sauce. "Chongqing’s 3D urban fabric pulls people into a cross-dimensional adventure," he said. "By ‘consuming’ these landmarks, tourists aren’t just spectators—they’re creators, forging a deeper bond with the city." It’s a formula that’s amplifying Chongqing’s nickname as the "8D Magic City," where winding streets and wild architecture fuel endless imagination.

From monorails to cableways, Chongqing’s turning its urban jungle into a shareable spectacle. What’s next? With a city this bold, don’t be surprised if skyscrapers or stilted riverside villages like Hongya Cave join the menu. For now, this is one trend that’s leaving travelers—and the internet—hungry for more.