Sichuan Province, 504km (313 miles) NW of Chongqing, 842km (523 miles) SW of Xi'an
Ask a resident of Beijing or Shanghai what to do in Sichuan's capital of Chengdu, and 9 times out of 10 they'll tell you to drink tea and eat hot pot, such is the city's reputation as a culinary capital that knows how to take it easy. Indeed, Chengdu's cuisine is irresistible and tea drinking is a custom that took hold here 1,300 years ago and never let go. With few genuine ancient sights within the city proper (Du Fu's cottage is only a replica; Wuhou Temple is ho-hum), drinking tea may be Chengdu's most durable link to the past. But what Chengdu lacks in ancient sites, it makes up for in charm and atmosphere. Like so many cities in central China, Chengdu has a pretty little river running through it. The narrow Fu He and its southern tributary form a sort of moat around the city, sections of which are lined with attractive restaurants and teahouses. The city is also in the midst of a building boom, but a few old ramshackle warrens and outdoor markets still survive just west of the city square.
Chengdu is the gateway to scenic Jiuzhai Gou, the Buddhist mountains of Emei Shan and Le Shan, and one of the most important panda breeding centers. It's also a traveler's haven and a place to gather information between trips. People are friendly and the pace unrushed. And because Chengdu is one of the few cities with daily flights to Lhasa, many travelers come here to arrange transportation to Tibet.
Spicy food, overcast skies, and a leisurely existence best describe life in Chengdu. Chengdu’s famous hotpot restaurants will leave you breathing fire, while street vendors on every corner sell spicier "Shao Kao". Ask anyone in China about Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, and they will immediately rave about ’Chuan Cai’, or Sichuan cuisine. The only question they will then ask you is, "Ni pa chi la ma?", which of course means, "Are you afraid of eating spicy food?"
To the west of Chengdu the steep ascension of the Tibetan Plateau begins. Chengdu enjoys a temperate climate, but the plateau’s moisture is to blame for the frequent cloudcover. Still, the temperature rarely drops below freezing, and the city enjoys many months of comfortable weather. Many main streets are tree lined while unused public spaces are filled with flowers and other kinds of vegetation. The natural atmosphere created by the urban vegetation sets Chengdu apart from most modernized, large cities in China. Two rivers, the Funan and the Jin (Brocade), also weave their way through the city, creating space for many pleasant riverside paths, parks, and teahouses.
Unlike most other parts of China, Chengdu locals lead atypically relaxed lives. Residents fill the sidewalks day and night drinking tea, playing mahjong, and violently slamming down cards in a three player game known as "Dou Di Zhu". It is common to walk into a shop and have the shopkeeper or manager completely ignore you while he or she chats or plays cards with his friends or employees.
While Chengdu is as modern as any other provinical capital, the rest of Sichuan Province is not as developed. Sichuan’s diverse landscapes offer a range of untainted mountains, grasslands, river valleys, and lakes in an equally varied range of climates. The further west you travel in China, the less globalized the culture has become. Base your trip to Sichuan out of Chengdu and discover an incomparable city in a unparalled province.
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.