Chengdu - land of milk of honey
As the capital city of Sichuan, Chengdu is a city with many faces. On the one hand this is an incredibly modern and vibrant place. Beijing has a relatively relaxed attitude towards this city and as such, Chengdu has blossomed in terms of affluence and investment. The traditional industries of gold, silver, silk and laquerware have helped to make this city one of the most important centers of commerce in the country. Today, skyscrapers dominate the skyline and Japanese cars and western goods are hugely popular and widely available.
This modernization has no doubt been helped by the important role that Chengdu plays in terms of education and culture in China. Once one of the most important printing centers in the country, Chengdu has a long history as a destination for learned poets and artists to gather and seek inspiration. The great poet Du Fu, made his home here and today there are 14 colleges and an impressive university situated in the city.
Nestled amongst this affluence and development is another side to Chengdu. Traditional wooden Chinese architecture that once dominated this city can still be found in the outskirts although it is fast disappearing. What does still exist here however in abundance, is a great street life. Markets and street hawkers fill the streets dealing in everything you could possibly imagine, from snakes and snails to fortunes and foot scrubs.

Many travelers here are simply killing time or passing through en route to Tibet. This is however, a very pleasant city to do just this: feast on some great food and soak up some of the mellow atmosphere in one of the thousands of tea houses dotted about the city.

Tourist Attractions in Chengdu:

Du Fu's Thatched Cottage (Dufu caotang)
It is the former residence of one of China's most famous poets-Du Fu (712-70 AD).He left home at the tender age of 20, becoming a court official at the former capital in Chang'an. Du Fu's civil service duties did not last long however, and he was captured by rebels and forced to flee the city for Chengdu after only a few years. It was in Chengdu, at this small and simple house, that Du Fu was inspired to write more than 200 poems that are regarded today as masterpieces of realist poetry. Du Fu actually achieved something of a cult status for himself and even today, numerous poets and artists have a great esteem for the great man's work. The themes of Du Fu's work are simple, and he talks in length about the social and living conditions of his society. Perhaps the most important thing of all about this great man's work was that it was compassionate. Due to the lack of sympathy and concern elsewhere in society at this time, this was especially inspirational. In memory of the great poet, temples and pavilions were added to the site during the Song Dynasty. The exhibits here include a brief account of Dufu's life and some of his original calligraphy and poems. The complex also contains three imposing statues of some of China's greatest poets: Du Fu, Li You and Huang Tingjian (the latter two were Song dynasty poets).

Chengdu Zoo
The Chengdu Zoo is one of the biggest zoos in China. It has over 30 halls of various designs reflected in green trees and bamboo and flowers and feeds over 300 animals. There are 3000 animals and 250 species, but the most popular beasts are undoubtedly the giant pandas. Ten pandas live at the zoo and laze away their days in the Panda Hall-the zoo's largest building which covers 5600 square meters. The zoo won a gold medal of the "Global 500 Best" of the UN Environmental Program in June 1989.

Temple of the Marquis Wu (Wuhou Temple)
Wuhou temple is located in the outskirts of Chengdu. It was built in memory of the Prime Minister Zhuge Liang of the Shu State during the Three Kingdoms Period (AD220-280). It was originally built in the Northern and Southern Dynasties (AD420-589). Today, the temple here contains a statue of Zhu Ge and an impressive Three Wonders Tablet (it contains exquisite examples of calligraphy, carving and poetry). The tomb of the founder of the Shu kingdom, Liu Bei, is also here. This is an interesting place for those interested in Chinese history and legend. Inside the temple there is a small but good museum about the Three Kingdoms Period, a comfortable teahouse, a vegetarian restaurant, and an art gallery showing the work of Sichuanese artists.

Wang Cong Temple
The Temple is located in the southwest suburbs of Pixian County. It is dedicated to the first king of the Shu Kingdom and to his deputy, both of whom are buried there. The Shu Kingdom moved its capital from Pixian to Chengdu 2,300 years ago and the temple and statues in the park were built to commemorate Sichuan's first well-documented ancestors. It has a history of over 1,500 years, and has now been listed as a key historical site under state protection. Today there is a small museum with a number of paintings and a collection of archeological relics unearthed in the Pixian area. There is also a teahouse, a lake and, as well as many pleasant walking paths.

Wenshu Buddhist Temple
Wenshu Buddhist Temple is located in the downtown area of Chengdu. It was known originally as the Miaoyuan Pagoda in Tang Dynasty and changed to present name after the repair work in the Qing Dynasty. The temple covers an area of about 13.5 acres with the five main halls deployed symmetrically along a central axis. On both sides are situated drum and bell towers, subsidiary rooms and dinning halls. The temples most conspicuous collection includes 200 elaborate statues of Buddha, 500 pieces of paintings and calligraphies from famous people and over 120,000 volumes of rare Buddhist Scriptures.

Baoguang Buddhist Temple
Baoguang Buddhist Temple, situated in Xindu City north of Chengdu, is one of the four most renowned Buddhist temples in South China. It was originally built in the Eastern Han Dynasty and covers 20 acres of land. A walk through the temple unfolds a total of five halls and sixteen courtyards along with a monumental stupa constructed during the Tang Dynasty. Worthwhile visiting are also 500 gold - gilded statues of arhats, 6.6 - feet tall each and with looks of his own.

Wangjian Mausoleum
The mausoleum of Wangjian is situated in East Fuqin Road, Chengdu. It mainly consists of the coffin chamber and the exhibition hall. Wangjian was the founder of Former Shu, a kingdom in the Five Dynasties Period. He was brave, diligent, and intelligent, and was highly praised and respected by his people. Under his rule, his country, Former Shu, became the most powerful one and Chengdu, the capital became the most prosperous city. The teahouse here is also famous all over the city. You can enjoy the well-known performance of royal music of the former Shu here.

Sichuan University Museum
The first floor exhibition hall in the Sichuan University Museum houses stone carving and inscriptions from the East Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) and the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). There is a stone coffin carved with finely detailed scholars and there are Bodhisattva statues and an amazing eight-foot tall sculpture of a standing Buddha. Most of the museum's exhibits are on the second floor. There is an exhibition of Taoist stone carvings and inscriptions, instruments used in worship, and ritual clothing; an exhibition of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to Republican Chinese (1912-1949) clothing; and a Folklore Exhibition Hall featuring artifacts from the lives of Chinese people. The museum was well designed and all of the exhibits are labeled in both Chinese and English. On the third floor, there is a natural history museum, but it is only opened sporadically.

Qing Yang Palace (Qing Yang Gong)
First built during the Zhou Dynasty (1022-486BC), the Qing Yang Palace served as a place of worship for Taoists through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, making it one of China's most famous and ancient Taoist temples. The most impressive structure inside the massive Qing Yang Palace is the Hall of the Three Purities. Built in the early Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the 8th year of the reign of Qing emperor Kangxi, this structure houses two ancient statues of green sheep. The sheep on the right is a combination of the animals of the Chinese zodiac. The sheep on the left supposedly has magical powers and will protect anyone who touches it from evil influences.

Dujiangyan Irrigation System
The Dujiangyan Irrigation system is a miracle of ancient Chinese ingenuity. Before the completion of Dujiangyan, the plains around the Min River were prone to floods due to the fast moving Min River flowing down from its mountain source and meeting flat ground. During the Warring States Period in 256BC, the governor of the Shu Prefecture Li Bing and his son led the people to build the large water conservancy works to control flooding on the Chengdu plains. Up to now, 2,250 years have passed, and the works still play a significant role in agriculture on the Chengdu plains. The central brilliant idea of the project is the annual silt removal and maintenance plan devised by Li Bing that ensures the projects long-term usefulness. The actual structure of the project includes a dyke that divides the Min River into inner and outer flows. The inner flow is then redirected to irrigate local farmland. One interesting thing about the irrigation system is that the project is ongoing and has expanded to more than three times its original irrigated area of 1 million hectares.

Leshan Giant Buddha
Leshan Giant Buddha, known as the largest stone Buddha in the world, is located in Leshan city 167 kilometers from Chengdu. This colossal statue was carved on a cliff on Soaring to the Clouds Hill facing the three rivers. On the rock face to the left of the statue, a twisting path leads down to the base of the statue from the top of the hill. The huge seated figure measures 71 meters from top to bottom, has a head 10 meters wide, a nose 5.6 meters high, ears 7 meters long, and legs 28 meters from knee to foot. The foot can seat more than a hundred people on its flat instep. With his eyes half closed, his facial expression kind and dignified, this Buddha has a majestic bearing. The statue, flanked by two armed warriors, represents a highlight in the development of sculpture in ancient China. According to historical records, the statue took ninety years to complete, from 713 to 803 during the Tang Dynasty. A monk called Hai Tong from Lingyun Temple is said to have sponsored the construction of the Buddha at the confluence of the rivers to protect boats and passengers from the violent currents there.

Qingchengshan Mountain
Qingchengshan Mountain is located 50km northwest of Chengdu. It is one of the ancient cradles of Daoism. It covers 120 square km, and has 36 peaks, 72 caves and 108 sights. The mountain has numerous Taoist temples and sites along the paths to its peak. The area is green all year round and is known for its secluded tranquility. The scenic spot also combines religious culture with natural sights. The front (side of Qingcheng Mountain is involved in Taoist culture and well-known sights including the Taoist Master Cave, the Supreme Lord Hall, and Happiness-building Hall scattered in dense forest, and the backside of the mountain characterized by natural scenes including waterfalls and plank roads.

Emei Mountain
Emei Mountain is in the city of Emeishan, which is 160kms to the southwest Emeishan city. Jinding, the highest peak of Emeishan Mountain, is 3100-meter high. Emeishan Mountain has been famous for its beauty and the Buddha. In this mountain, the natural scene and its long history melt together and assist each other. It has become the object of people to sing for. As the natural heritage, Emeishan Mountain can assist the studies on world biota. In addition, its special geologic feature is the proof of bioorganic derivation. As the cultural heritage, Emeishan Mountain possesses the relics of Buddhism culture. Here you can find long-period humanism history, temple and buildings and a large amount of precious cultural relics, all of which make the mountain one of four Buddhism Mountains.

Sanxingdui
The site of Sanxingdui is located in the city of Guanghan, 40 km from Chengdu. It is recognized as one of the most important ancient remains in the world for its vast size, lengthy period and enriched cultural contents. The first Sanxingdui relics were discovered by a farmer in 1929 and excavation has continued ever since. During this period, generations of archaeologists have worked on the discovery and research of the Sanxingdui culture. In 1986, two major sacrificial pits were found and they aroused widespread academic attention around the world. Because there are no texts found, nor is there any mention of this culture in the records of other countries. Analysis of lead and other elements in the bronzes indicates sources similar to those of other cultures along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. At this point, however, the unique culture remains a mystery. The most important discovery is bronze masks. They include man-face masks and vertical-eyed masks with a pair of post-shaped bulging eyes and a pair of fully expanded ears. On their foreheads, a kui-dragon (a special shape) crown was castled. The largest one of the vertical-eyed masks is 65 cm high and 138 cm wide. It is really the King of all masks in the world. It is considered a combination of gods and a human being; this was regarded as the idol of the ancient Shu people. Animal-face masks are another kind of special structure, with nine kinds altogether. Animal-face masks have Kui-dragon ears, open mouths and grinning teeth, and look like neither a human being nor any known animal. They were considered a kind of god by ancient people. The excavated Sanxingdui remains are the largest among all the early Ba Shu cultural remains. This excavation pushes Ba Shu history back a further 1,000 years to the time from 1,000 BC to 2,000 BC. The exquisite arrangements and the house remains show that agriculture, animal husbandry, handicrafts and architecture had developed by that time, creating the foundations for a civilized society. Among large numbers of Chinese cultural relics, Sanxingdui is considered one of those with the greatest historical and scientific significance.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu is located about 10km from the Chengdu downtown area; the Research Base was built to imitate the wild ecological environment of pandas. It covers 600 acres in area with a green coverage of 96 percent. The base created a perfect ecological environment for the living and breeding of pandas and other precious and rare wild animals. It breeds 23 pandas and lesser pandas, which is about one-third of the entire captive giant panda population in the world. Most of the giant pandas at the Base stay individually in the captive cages, which are in fact large enclosures, each consists of an in-door room and an out-door courtyard. The semi-nature enclosures are very large wild areas but protected by border fences. Those giant pandas that will soon be released back to the wild will be put in the semi-nature enclosures for a long enough period of time for them to adapt to the natural environment. The Research Base also houses black-necked cranes, white storks, 14 species of bamboo, and 300 other plant species. Ninety species of birds also inhabit the area.

Jiu Zhai Gou (Nine Villages Valley)
As the saying describes "when coming back from the Huangshan Mountains one does not want to see a mountain; when coming back from Jiuzhaigou one does not want to see water." The essence of Jiuzhaigou, known as "king of Chinese water scenes", lies in its waters: lakes, spring waters, streams, waterfalls, rivers and shoals. Jiu Zhai Gou got its name from the nine Tibetan Villages in the area. It is located at an elevation of about 9,842.5 feet in the south of Min Mountain Range, about 279 miles south to Chengdu. The area is well known both at home and abroad for its natural scenery which includes snowy peaks, double waterfalls, colorful forests and green sea. In 1992 it was listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO. There are six scenic spots: Changhai, Jianyan, Nuorilang, Shuzheng, Zharu and Heihai. Mountains ragging 1,980 to about 3,100 meters in height are covered by a variety of trees and plants such as green conifers, luxuriant broadleaf trees and colorful rare flowers and grasses. The mountains, lakes, natural primeval forest and unique scenes make Jiuzhaigou a fairyland. Scenes change according to the season and the area is particularly colorful in autumn when the wind makes kilometers of tree belt along the lake undulate like a sea wave. Waterfalls, lakes, springs, rivers and shoals add to the color and the green trees, red leaves, snowy peaks and blue skies are reflected from lakes and rivers. Trees grow in the water and flowers blossom in the middle of lakes. At the Shuzheng Scenic Spot, there are 40 lakes and they extend five kilometers along a valley. The spot is a central point in Jiuzhaigou's landscape and covers an area of three square kilometers. The lakes vary in color according to their depths, residues and scenery around them. Reed Lake is an ideal habitat for birds; Spark Lake appears to move while the jade-like Rhinoceros Lake is a good place for rowing, swimming and rafting. There are also the Shuzheng Waterfalls that have a backdrop of trees. Nuorilang Scenic Area extends from the Nuorilang Waterfalls to Zhuhai, an area of three square kilometers. The 320-meter-wide Nuorilang Waterfall drops 20 meters and is the widest highland waterfall in the country; it is the symbol of Jiuzhaigou. Other places of interest include the quiet and mirror like Jinghai Lake, the 310-meter-wide Pearl Beach Waterfall and the Five-Color Lake that has a richly colored underwater landscape. The Sword-Shaped Rock Scenic Area contains Goose Lake, Suspended Springs, Sword Rock, snow-covered Mountains and primeval forests. Sometimes you can see giant pandas. There is also the 17.8-kilometer Zechawa Ravine, the longest and highest in Jiuzhaigou. At the end of it is the eight kilometer-long Changhai Lake, the largest in the area. In Haizi there is the Five-Color Pond, the brightest lake in Jiuzhaigou