Chengdu Travel guide

Local dishes

Sichuan dishes and stuffed dumplings made of glutinous rice flour serve in soup, Sichuan noodles with peppery sauce, husband-and-wife pig lung slices and other famous snacks.

CHengdu

Local famous handicrafts include Sichuan brocade, Sichuan embroidery, Lacquer ware and porcelain body bamboo ware, etc. On Chengdu streets visitors can taste authentic museums. The region's principal museum, Sichuan Provincial Museum houses more than 1,800 artefacts in two distinct categories.

Precious Light Monastery (Baoguangsi)

Precious Light Monastery (Baoguangsi), the enormous Buddhist temple complex dates back to the second century AD and houses a large collection of art treasures including 500 arhat statues, paintings executed by emperors and a fine collection of contemporary works. Straw crafts are on sale at a nearby colourful peasant market.

Sichuan Opera

Sichuan Opera is a distinct regional art form. This spectacular theatrical presentation features bright sets and costumes, plus a combination of music, dance and acrobatics. Also thoroughly delightful is the city's Children's Opera Troupe, featuring performances between the ages of five and fourteen.

Zhuge Liang Shrine (Wuhou Temple)

Zhuge Liang was a renowned general and statesman during the early Three Kingdoms period some 1,800 years ago. A shrine to his memory was built 400 years after he died, and rebuilt a thousand years after that. It's situated in a charming park with a teahouse and an excellent bonsai collection.

River View Pavilion (Wangjianglou)

River View Pavilion (Wangjianglou) has been a favoured site for river watching on the banks of the Fuhe River since prehistory.

Dujiangyan Dam

Dujiangyan Dam is one of China's greatest engineering projects built 2,000 years ago, situated about 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Chengdu. Visitors are taken to an exhibition room in the Dujiang Dam Pavilion to watch a film tracing the history of the irrigation network.

The Chengdu Zoo

The Chengdu Zoo is one of the biggest zoos in China. There are 3,000 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 5.600 square meters.

The zoo grounds are spacious and comfortable and although animal cages are undeniably cramped and uninvitingly concrete, the animals are healthy. Like at many zoos in developing countries, there are attractions not found in western zoos. There is a man employed to shoot rats that have taken to living in some of the animal habitats and there are exhibits that let guests get very close to the animals - just watch out that you don't lose any fingers. A visit to the zoo is easily combined with a visit to either the Panda Breeding Research Centre or to the Zhaojue Temple, both of which are close by.

Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage

Du Fu (712 - 770) and Li Bai, both lived during the Tang Dynasty, are widely regarded as the two greatest poets in Chinese history. The later half of Dufu's life companioned the fading of the heyday of the Tang Dynasty and the social upheavals caused by the riot of An Lushan from the north. Compelled by poverty and social turbulence, he moved to Chengdu from Changan (now Xi'an) in 759 at the age of 47. In Chengdu, he built the thatched cottage and lived there for nearly 4 years. Thereafter, he journeyed downward along the Yangtze River. During his stay, he created more than 240 marvellous poems, mostly related to the social unease.

The original residence of Du Fu had long disappeared. What we see today is the rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The cottage is located in the western suburbs of Chengdu. As a tribute to this great Chinese poet, the 130 acre park is a dotted with Du Fu's poems. Reading his poems, even the English translation, is a great enjoyment.