Chengdu(940 views)

Release date:2011-02-10 00:44:35

Situated at the centre of Chengdu Plain, Chengdu covers an area about 12.3 thousand square kilometers of Sichuan Province. It is the capital of Sichuan Province, the ‘Heavenly State’ (Tian Fu Zhi Guo) and is rich with natural resources. Two rivers, Min and Tou that branches from Yangtze River form the arteries and bring life to Chengdu making the land more fertile.

History
During 4th Century BC, a Shu king called KaiMing moved his capital to the current location and named it Cheng Du, which means ‘becomes capital’. In 316 BC, another city was established here by Qin General.

Chengdu survived many rebellions, wars and world wars but all of it turned in favor of Chengdu. The name Chengdu and its importance as a capital and centre of politics, commerce and military of Sichuan remained the same throughout its 2,400 years of history.

Shopping
Chengdu is famous for its embroideries and brocades. Bright colors and delicate designs make Shu embroidery very famous and places among four famous embroideries of China. If you like to take back home a feel of Chengdu, Shu embroidery and brocade works that comes in different products such as quilt covers, pillow cases, bed sheets, ornamental textiles, handbags, etc… are the best.

Lacquer ware known for its durability, gloss and complicated production techniques is also coveted by many travelers. Silver inlaid products and bamboo products are the other interesting products. Other than shopping malls, supermarkets and small shops scattered around in the city, you can also try to buy commodities from Chunxi Road, Zongfu Road and Luomashi Area.

Food and Dining
Sichuanese Cuisine, Hotpot and Snack form Chengdu Cuisine. Of all cuisines in China, Sichuanese Cuisine is the most famous. It is spicy and can satisfy all types of taste buds. Sichuanese dishes like Ma Po Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken, and Spicy Pork Slices are the most wanted dishes both inland and other foreign countries.

Though hotpot was first introduced to Chengdu from Chongqing, it gradually developed its own style flavored with three or four kinds of spices. On streets you can find many vendors selling mouthwatering snacks. Trying out Sichuanese Cuisine during your visit to Chengdu certainly adds an extra flavor to your trip.

Climate
Chengdu has a subtropical climate and annual average temperature comes around 160 Celsius. Ideal time to visit Chengdu is March through June and September through November. During summer it is very hot and chances of sunburn are very high.

Attractions

Wolong National Natural Reserve
Visiting Chengdu is incomplete without seeing pandas. Located in the east of Mount Qionglai, covering 200,000 hectares is the Wolong Panda Reserve. There are many pandas in this reserve and tourists are able to take photograph with different panda species. Those who are interested can adopt pandas by giving a small amount of donation. Not only tourists but also scientists and explorers visit Wolong National Natural Reserve. Other than giant pandas, you can also find rare species like red panda, golden monkey, white lipped deer and gnu. Here, bamboos, the favorite food of pandas are abundant. During the disastrous earthquake in 2008, Wolong Panda Reserve faced severe damages and hence pandas were moved to Bifeng Gorge Base of China Panda Protection and Research Centre until the former is repaired.

Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic Area
At Jiuzhaiguo Valley you can witness nature at its full splendor. Its pristine beauty can melt even a stone-hearted person. Located in Nanping County, this heavenly beauty is 450 kilometers away from the city. Tibetan villages along with blue lakes, waterfalls, green forests make the scenery more natural.

Attractions in this 600 square kilometer area include Shuzheng Valley, Rize Valley, Zechawa Valley, Zaru Valley etc…

Huanglong Scenic Area
'A fragment broken apart from the heaven and fell down to earth’ is the impression that a traveler gets while visiting Huanglong Scenic Area. Here nature has arranged a colorful fiesta to its visitors, a wonder in the form of colorful ponds. This phenomenon is due to the presence of calcium carbonate. There are other attractions in this area such as caves, ponds, waterfalls, and temples.

Sanxingdui Museum
The Museum is located at Sanxingdui archeological site where surprising archeology discovery is made. Three mounds of earth found in this area brought the name Sanxingdui and it is said that those three mounds are the remains of a city wall. This is believed to be an ancient capital city of Shu. More than 1000 relics are unearthed of which bronze figured heads with golden mask, ornaments, vessels, are displayed in this museum. Sanxingdui site and relics are still under study and hence it is an important place to visit.

For those who travel to refresh their senses, Chengdu with plenty of natural attractions is the best option.

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