The novelty of Kuang-Cho is that much of the city is actually located underground. Local legends say that a once-great emperor built his barracks here, and that now the city has taken over this military atmosphere to bring in warehouses, factories, restaurants, and inns.
Though still lagging behind Shangti in its technical resources, Kuang-Cho has made an effort to catch up over the last few years, and has even developed a factory for Clockwork mechanisms. The train station at Kuang-Cho is a tribute to this local industry; the lobby of the station is filled with many large clocks that function as timers, each showing approximately how much time the next train has before it arrives. This gives locals the pleasure of complaining when their train is either behind or ahead of schedule.
Getting to Kuang-Cho
Kuang-Cho is located on the Imperial Line of the Rosuto-Shima Steam Rail Authority between Shengti and the Twin Cities. Travelling to the city any other way is very time consuming and uncomfortable; though long-range coaches still make the trip, the roads travel through Huinin, a city extremely inhospitable to foreign travellers.
Getting around Kuang-Cho
Above ground and below, steam-powered rickshaws are available for travellers. The drivers in Kuang-Cho, however, are less than trustworthy, often taking corners at inadvisable speeds and striking fear into the hearts of their riders! For those with weak stomachs, walking is advisable in the city below, while horses and coaches are available for hire above ground.
Where to Stay and What to See
Below ground there are fewer inns than above, though these few below are closer to the action and the night-life of Kuang-Cho. The Mandate of Heaven, which locals call the T'ien Ming, is a local restaurant that specialises in night life; not only do local musicians and performers frequent the restaurant, but it hosts lively debates featuring scholars and laymen from every edge of the island. One night a week, the restaurant also encourages amateurs to perform, accompanied by an in-house band. All of these performances are augmented by a strange contraption developed by local mechanics and engineers to amplify the voice, so that singers and speakers can be heard from any part of the restaurant. Hostess Doi Ren is often a performer at these amateur nights, and anyone visiting Kuang-Cho without hearing her perform will certainly have missed one of the highlights of the underground city.
