- Historical landmarks
- Natural attractions
- Parks and nurseries
- Chengdu museums
Chengdu or Chengdu is a famous city in the Sichuan province, which for several centuries has been recognized as the capital of China. Today Chengdu is a large metropolis with a developed infrastructure. Tourists will always find where to go in Chengdu, as this city has a wide variety of attractions for every taste.
Historical landmarks
The architectural appearance of the city has been formed over the centuries, and traditional Buddhist architecture has significantly influenced its specifics. Therefore, most of the architectural objects are Buddhist structures. Once in Chengdu, be sure to include the following attractions in your travel program:
- Temple of Uhoutsi, located in the southern part of the city and occupying an area of more than 35 thousand square meters. Historians have established that the creation of the temple roughly dates back to the third century. The temple is surrounded on all sides by a red wall, which was built in the 5th century. After passing through the central gate, tourists find themselves in a beautiful peach garden with abundant vegetation. Here you can relax in the shade of trees and enjoy the picturesque scenery. The garden is followed by several galleries and pavilions built in the classical Buddhist style. Separately, it is worth noting the memorial complex with the tomb where Liu Bei, the greatest Chinese commander of the Three Kingdoms period, is buried.
- The Green Goat Temple is known far beyond Chengdu. Locals call this complex the "Palace of the Black Goat". The history of the temple goes back to the 6-8 centuries, when Taoism flourished in the Middle Kingdom. The temple consists of several separate structures: pagodas, palaces and gardens. In front of the entrance to the main building, you can see statues of golden dragons, which the Chinese associate with wealth and health. Near the second temple there are two popular sculptures depicting goats. Their unusualness lies in the fact that the body of a goat is made up of body parts of animals of the eastern astrological calendar. For example, a goat's paws are like a tiger's, and a tail is like a dog's. According to popular legend, rubbing a goat's nose brings good luck and financial well-being.
- Wang Nian Monastery is a shrine that plays an important role in the development of Buddhism in China. The building is located on Mount Eimeshan and dates back to the 4th century. The attraction was built in accordance with all the canons of Buddhism. The pearl of Wang Nian is the statue of the Bodhisattva Pusian, which is a deity whose function is to guard the temple. Also noteworthy is the sculpture of a Bodhisattva on an elephant, which is more than 10 centuries old. According to popular legend, touching an elephant's head with a hand brings happiness and good luck to a person. Therefore, tourists often come to the monastery to see this sculpture. You can get to Wang Nian both on foot and by cable car. However, it is worth knowing that the journey on foot will take at least 2 days.
- The Qingyang Taoist Palace, located in the eastern part of Chengdu, was built during the Tang Dynasty, more than 10 centuries ago. Four hundred years after its creation, the palace was almost completely destroyed. It took about 20 years to restore it. This event took place already in the era of the Qing dynasty. The center of the architectural composition of Qingyang is the Sanqing Hall, which covers an area of more than 1,500 square meters. The main structure of the structure was built of red bricks combined with wood. The facades of the hall are decorated with skillful carvings depicting elements of the plant and animal worlds. Separately, it is worth noting the pavilion of eight trigrams, which the masters of the past erected without a single nail. This is the hallmark of the pavilion. The octagonal structure is set on a stone pedestal, and the dome of the pavilion is decorated with figures of dragons, which are considered a symbol of the spirits of Lao Tzu.
Natural attractions
If you come to Chengdu, then you should definitely see its amazing natural sites scattered around the city and beyond. There are many mountain ranges, picturesque valleys and water areas around Chengdu.
The Qingcheng Mountains, covering an area of over 200 square kilometers. Rock formations surround the valley near Chengdu. On one side of the valley flows the Mnitziang River, and on the other side there are 35 peaks of the Qingcheng mountain range. The highest of them is called Laosiao Ding with a height of 1250 meters. The mountains are covered with abundant vegetation all year round, so there are always a lot of tourists here. The most visited are the Front and Back mountains, where most of the Taoist temples are located.
The Back Mountain was opened to the public only in 2015, after which it became a favorite place for long walks for Chengdu residents.
The Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is 200 kilometers from Chengdu. You can get there as part of a tourist group if you purchase a train ticket in advance. The reserve is distinguished by its amazing nature, colorful lakes and waterfalls. Due to the special composition of the water, the waters shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow. This unusual phenomenon is especially noticeable on sunny days.
It is convenient to move around the reserve, as there are paths along the entire route and all conditions have been created to ensure the safety of tourists. After the tour, visitors are invited to relax in special areas, dine in a cozy cafe and take beautiful photos.
Another famous Chengdu National Park called Jiuzhaigou is located 350 kilometers from the city. This place is located at an altitude of 2200-4500 meters above sea level and is famous for its cascading waterfalls, as well as 107 lakes scattered over the vast territory of the reserve. These natural formations appeared after many years of melting of glaciers. At the same time, the water in the lakes, as a rule, is emerald or yellow, which is explained by the active life of algae.
Parks and nurseries
Chengdu is popular with tourists due to the fact that it contains most of the country's parks. Each of them has its own history and theme. Also the city is famous for its nurseries and zoos.
Bifengxia Nursery is the most important place for China, established in 2003. Over the course of several decades, the nursery has grown into a large-scale organization known throughout the world for its volunteer programs for breeding and preserving pandas. This animal is considered a national treasure of the Celestial Empire, therefore, impressive sums are spent by the government on the maintenance of Bifengxia.
A visit to the nursery will bring extremely positive emotions, as its territory is well-groomed and abundantly covered with greenery. Pandas living in Bifengxia live in conditions close to natural. Most of the animals are later released into the wild. For this, the nursery specialists have developed a special program that allows pandas to quickly adapt to the conditions of their natural environment after living in the nursery.
Wangjiang Park is located in dense bamboo close to the Jiangjiang River. The construction of the park falls on the era of the Qing dynasty and its creation is dedicated to the memory of the great Chinese poet Xuetao. A distinctive feature of Wangjiang is the presence of more than 200 species of bamboo trees in the park. Among them there are rare species of bamboo brought specially from the southern provinces of the Middle Kingdom and other Asian countries.
The central part of the park is occupied by an old pavilion 40 meters high. The first two floors are in the shape of a quadrangle, while the other two are octagons. Numbers 4 and 8 are considered in China as a symbol of harmony and unity, therefore they are incorporated into the concept of the pavilion.
In the park, you can not only enjoy nature, but also visit a tea house, taste dishes of national cuisine, and buy souvenirs.
Chengdu museums
Connoisseurs of Chinese culture should visit the city's museums. They are divided according to thematic principle and offer their visitors exciting excursions in different languages. The most famous museums in Chengdu are:
- Thatch House is a museum dedicated to the famous Chinese poet Dufu, who lived and worked in the seventh century. The museum is a manor house located in a park surrounded by nature. Several pavilions house collections that tell about the life and work of the poet. Household items, manuscripts, calligraphic scrolls, miniature figurines of Dufu - all this can be seen in the museum. At the request of tourists, guides conduct fascinating excursions in English and Chinese. During the tour, you can learn about the biography of Dufu, the creative stages of his development and the features of his poems.
- The Dinosaur Museum is a favorite place not only for children, but also for adults. The museum is rightfully one of the leading museums in China. The museum was opened in 1987. The design of the building was developed by the best architects in Chengdu, resulting in a three-story building with a bizarre shape. Three floors are occupied by the "History of the Dinosaurs" and "Journey into the Past" expositions. The pride of the museum is the exhibit, which is about 180 million years old. The exhibit has been preserved in perfect condition. Other exhibits were found in the Dashanpu area and restored by museum specialists.
