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- Chengdu
- the Land of Abundance
 Chengdu is the
capital of Sichuan Province with a history of over 2000 years.
Chengdu's name meaning 'Became a Capital' in Chinese comes from Chengdu's
history as an ancient capital city. Chengdu is best known for its
temples, pandas, tea and spicy food. Favored by superior natural
conditions and rich natural resources, the city is known for
its great abundance of products and many scenic and historic
spots. Chengdu is also one of the cleanest Chinese cities and
serves as the main gateway to Tibet and other major tourist
attractions in Sichuan.
- Chengdu City
Ratings
- ** The following
ratings are based on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best.
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- Quick
Facts
- Population
- 2 million
- When to
go
- Tourist Season
- October to February;
Coldest Month - January and February, with temperature as low
as -3C;
Hottest Months - July, with temperature as high as 38C;
Annual Precipitation - 1000 millimeters
- Getting
In and Out
- By Air - Chengdu
is a little over 2 hours by air from Beijing. There are also
flights connecting Chengdu with other major Asian cities;
By Train - Chengdu is around 22 hours from Kunming by train
and 17 hours from Xi'an;
By Bus - Chengdu can be reached in 4 hours by express bus from
Chongqing.
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History
With a history of over 2000
years, Chengdu had its greatest glory as the capital of the state
of Shu during the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 221-263). Even now Sichuan
Province is still referred to by the name of Shu. From the Han Dynasty,
Chengdu became well known for its production of silk brocade and
was called the 'Brocade City'. Chengdu was one of the most splendid
cities in China with grand city walls, which were pulled down in
1949 when the Communists took it over.
- Temple
of Marquis Wu (Wuhou Ci) * *
- With an area
of 3.7 hectares, the Temple of Marquis Wu is situated on the
southern suburbs of Chengdu. It was built in memory of military
heroes of the Three Kingdoms period. It encloses a hall dedicated
to Liu Bei with statues of Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu. The
Zhuge Liang Hall was dedicated to Zhuge Liang, one of the most
famous strategists, who was the Prime Minister of Shu during
the Three Kingdoms period. The stories of these heroes can be
found in the classic novel The Tale of Three Kingdoms.
- Chairman
Mao Badge Museum and Research Facilities * * *
- Located at
23 Wu Fu Street in an old neighborhood in Chengdu, Chairman
Mao Badge Museum and Research Facility is a museum converted
from an aging house. The owner Wang An Ting displays here his
great collection of Mao memorabilia. The 60-year old Wang used
to be a factory worker. Throughout the years he has collected
anything with Mao's picture you could possibly image: Mao posters,
plates, ceramic busts, buttons, mirrors, wash basins, etc.
During the Cultural Revolution, people were required to wear
buttons with Mao's picture on them and keep Mao's quotes in
their pockets. To show their loyalty, every family had a great
number of household items with Mao's picture painted. Today
some of these Mao memorabilia are worth a fortune.
- Du Fu's
Thatched Roof Cottage * *
- Du Fu (712-770)
was a famous Tang poet who lived in Chengdu for a brief period
of time, during which he wrote over 200 poems. The cottage shrine
was built in the Song Dynasty 3 centuries after Du Fu's arrival
at Chengdu. If you are interested in Chinese poetry, you definitely
should pay pilgrimage to this one of the greatest poets in China.
However, don't expect to see anything in the cottage that belonged
to Du Fu.
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Art
- Guanyin
Temple * * *
- Located 32
km from Chengdu, the Guanyin Temple contains original murals
and painted clay scriptures. This off-the-beaten path temple
is home for 10 nuns and offers a pleasant surprise for art-lovers.
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Local Culture/Unique Tour
- Sanxingdui
Museum * * * *
- Sanxingdui
Museum is one of the most exciting new museums in China. Built
on the 3000 year old, 12sq meter site of the Shu culture, the
museum houses interesting relics unique to the Chengdu area.
The museum is located 38 km from downtown Chengdu. The beautifully
designed museum is worth a visit.
- Chengdu
Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base * * * * *
- Located 7
miles northeast of city center, Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding
and Research Base is a research base with the goal of breeding
pandas in captivity. So far around 30 pandas have been successfully
born here in captivity. Unlike those in the zoos, the pandas
at the Breeding and Research Base are often let out to roam
across 80 acres of hills, forests and bamboo grooves. Early
morning is the best time to visit the base when the pandas are
awake and active. If you are lucky, you can find yourself a
few feet away from a giant panda, sitting there and looking
at you.
- Dujiangyan
Irrigation System * * * *
- Located on
the upper reaches of Minjiang River west of Guanxian county,
Dujiangyan is one of the world's first irrigation systems. It
was built between 306-251 AD by the local people under the guidance
of Li Bing, then leader of Shu Prefecture in the kingdom of
Qin and his son. The project enabled the western Sichuan Plain
to become 'land of abundance'. Its scale and sophistication
are a tribute to the scientific genius of ancient China.
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Nature/Scenic
- Jiuzhaigou
* * * * *
- 50 km from
Chengdu and 2,000 meters above sea level, this natural preserve
comprises of 60,000 hectares of primitive forest with species
earlier thought to be extinct. The road of Jiuzhaigou, although
far from being well-maintained, does pass through some of the
most stunning landscapes in China. The name of Jiuzhaigou came
from the nine Tibetan settlements. Therefore, you can expect
to see Tibetan and Qing minorities in the area.
The natural beauty of Jiuzhaigou is breathtaking. Exotic animals
are running about besides crystalline lakes; Endless forests
cover the snow-capped mountains; Carpets of flowers spread right
under the waterfalls.
The best time to visit is September through early October.
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Food/ Shopping
- Famous
Local Food
- Spicy Sichuan
Cuisine, Smoked Duck with Tea Fragrance, Dan Dan noodles, Lai
Tang Yuan Dumplings, Long Chao Dumplings
- Famous
Local Restaurant
- Mapo Doufu
Restaurant
- Antique
Shopping
- Sichuan Antique
Store, Antique Market at Chao Tang Bei Road
- Shopping
for Unique Local Products
- Chengdu Bamboo
Weaving Factory, Number Two Shu Embroidery Factory
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Night Life
- Bars
- Huigui (Reunion)
Bar, Hei Ma Yi Pi Jiu Guan (Black Ant)
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Religion
- Divine
Light Monastery (Baoguangsi) * * *
- Founded in
the Han Dynasty about 2000 years ago, the Divine Light Monastery
houses a fine collection of Buddhist treasures. It is located
18 km north of Chengdu at Xindu. Among the most impressive items
in the Monastery are the Buddhist scriptures written on palm
leaves. The beautiful Sheli Pagoda in the monastery is the Chengdu
version of a leaning tower with a history of 1000 years old.
- Green City
(Qingcheng) Mountain * * * *
- Located 90
km form Chengdu, Qingcheng Mountain is acclaimed as 'the most
secluded place on earth'. The mountain is densely covered with
green woods and the skyline of its peaks resembles that of city
walls; hence the name. Nestled among the lofty ancient trees
are 108 monasteries, temples and pavilions. The beautiful Green
City Mountain rises up to 1600 meters. Known as one of the birth
places of Taoism, the Green City Mountain houses many cultural
relics, some of which date back 2000 years.
- Leshan
Buddha * * * *
- Leshan is
about 168 km southwest of Chengdu, reachable by bus. Situated
at the confluence of Minjiang River, Qingyi River and Dadu River,
on the western slope of Lingyan Mountain east of Leshan city,
the sitting giant Buddha is carved into a cliff overlooking
the rivers. As the popular saying goes: "The mountain is a Buddha,
the Buddha is a mountain." Standing 71 meters tall the Leshan
Buddha is the biggest stone Buddha in the world. Its ear-hole
can accommodate two men standing abreast. Carving started in
713 and was completed in 803. The Buddha was built to prevent
accidents on the rivers, which were frequent at a time. A boat
tour along the river presents the best view of the Buddha as
well as that of the Guardians.
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