China Travel

What would China be without pandas? The Giant Panda Breeding Research Base is working hard to make sure we don't have to find out. Some 10 km (6 miles) from downtown Chengdu, this is the place to see and learn about these gentle and endangered creatures. Over 35 pandas live at the base, including some red pandas along with the more famous giant variety, pampered by a staff whose primary goal is to get the notoriously low-libido animals to reproduce. Coerced procreation may not be enough to keep pandas alive in their wild habitat, though Sichuan's wild panda reserves have recently reported boosts in overall populations. Despite protected status, the panda's remaining sanctuaries, like so much of China, are beginning to suffer from serious environmental degradation and climate change—not good news for the pandas, though they'll no doubt continue to be models for countless pl... more »

The Chan (Zen) Buddhist Wenshu Monastery (Wenshu Yuan) is Chengdu's oldest and largest temple. Today's temple is a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD) reconstruction of an earlier temple dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). Today's temple hums with life, as monks, worshippers and tourists mix it up amidst the site's courtyards, four halls and eleven-story pagoda. There's also a monastery museum exhibiting calligraphy, painting and other artifacts and outlining the temple's history. Dedicated to the incarnation of Wisdom, Wenshu, you'll see his gilded likeness, seated on a lion—one of many images of his symbolic animal. The four halls are beautiful examples of classic architecture, with their red walls, upturned eaves and vaulted ceilings. Chengdu has a sizeable Buddhist population who pay homage to Wenshu and the Buddha with incense while monks chant, keeping rhythm with ... more »

Of all China's classical poets, Du Fu (712-70 AD) stands aside fellow Tang Dynasty master Li Bai as the best known and best loved. After travels around eastern China and his home province of Henan, Du Fu had found himself in the troubled Tang capital of Chang'an (modern Xi'an) where he hoped to establish a career as an official in service of the Tang emperor. The emperor, however, was busy fighting off the forces of rebellious general An Lushan and due to various circumstances, Du Fu's official career was not to be. The An Lushan rebellion, which started in 755 AD, lasted for eight years and, in 760, Du Fu left the capital for Chengdu. Despite the tumultuous times, Du Fu's five-year residence in Chengdu saw him write many of his greatest works. During a time of war and upheaval, his famed thatched cottage gave him sanctuary and inspiration. Over time, Du Fu's work has won him a ... more »

The Chinese mania for taming rivers goes way back, preceding today's controversial Three Gorges and proposed Tiger Leaping Gorge projects by well over two thousand years. Sichuan's Dujiangyan Irrigation Project (Dujiangyan Shuili Gongcheng), for example, dates back to the 3rd century BC, when official and engineer Li Bing devised a scheme to both control the flood-prone Min River (Min He) and to use its waters to irrigate surrounding farmland. The project has continued and expanded in the centuries since, with today's network of dams, pumping stations, canals and bridges covering some three million hectares. Fulong Temple (Fulong Guan, or "Dragon-Taming Hall") was erected in 168 AD to honor Li Bing and commemorate the taming of the river. Fulong Temple sits in Lidui Park overlooking a manmade fork in the Min. Li Bing is further celebrated at the Two Kings Temple (Erwang ... more »

Qingcheng Shan (Azure City Mountain) is one of the ancient cradles of Taoism. Numerous Taoist temples dot the mountain's slopes along paths that connect to lead to the peak. The mountain is relatively low, at 1,600 m (6,250 ft.) above sea level, and remains pleasantly green year round. Well-maintained trails offer numerous spots for relaxing and enjoying the view. Jianfu Temple (Jianfu Gong), a large, well-preserved Daoist temple from the Tang Dynasty, sits at the base of the mountain. About halfway up, Tianshi Cave (Tianshi Dong, or "Taoist Master Cave") holds a temple and monastic school dedicated to Zhang Daoling, a famous Taoist who taught locally and helped spread Daoism throughout China in the 2nd century AD. The present Tianshi Cave complex was built at the end of the Qing Dynasty. Near the peak stands Shangqing Temple, originally established in the Jin Dynasty ... more »

Renmin Park (Renmin Gongyuan) is a charming and very typical Chinese park. Situated in the southwest of the city, this is a great place to relax and soak up some atmosphere while watching the taiji or wushu enthusiasts work out. The park consists of a bonsai garden, a playground, the Monument to the Martyrs of the Railway Protection Movement, a carnivalesque funhouse and a teahouse (one of Chengdu's best), all pleasantly arranged around an attractive lake. It's a great spot to simply hang out and people-watch. Martial arts practitioners are in the park as soon as the gates open at 6:30 a.m., and in the evenings dances are often held.   more »

River View Pavilion Park (Wangjianglou Gongyuan) overlooks the Jin River (Jin Jiang, or "Brocade River"), with the four-story Qing-era pavilion extending 30 meters above a pleasant landscape featuring numerous thick stands of bamboo. It's an exceedingly pleasant spot. When the wind rustles the bamboo, it creates an eerily beautiful music of rasping leaves and clacking, groaning stalks that sway and strain against one another. At such times, it's easy to imagine the Tang poet Xue Tao, in whose memory the pavilion was built, composing her verses in the shade of her beloved bamboo. Today, there are over 150 varieties of the poet's favorite plant scattered around the park, from potted delicate miniatures to massive, tree-like giants. more »

Siguniangshan (Four Maidens Mountain) features a quartet of snow-capped peaks and three major gorges, prompting at least one person to refer to the Swiss Alps as "the European Siguniangshan." According to local legend, the peaks are the incarnations of four virginal girls dressed in pure white and following Tibetan lore, the area is home to a divine mountain queen. The highest peak, known as the fourth girl (Siguniang) reaches 6,250 m (20,505 ft), making it the second highest in Sichuan. The rugged approaches to the four summits take hikers through dense forests, alpine grasslands and mountain creeks, featuring beautiful views. Popular with climbers, three of the peaks have been conquered, while the precipitous and unstable fourth has yet to be summitted. Most visitors spend their time in the three deep valleys. Changpin Valley is home to a large Tibetan and a gorgeou... more »

The Temple of the Marquis of Wu (Wuhou Ci) is located in the outskirts of Chengdu, at the edge of Nanjiao Park. The site consists of a restored Tang dynasty temple, dedicated to the Shu dynasty prime minister and war strategist Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD) lived during the Three Kingdoms period (220-80 AD) and his fictionalized person plays a major role in the famous late Ming Dynasty novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Today, there is a large temple here containing a statue of Zhuge Liang and an impressive Three Wonders Tablet, so called because it contains exquisite examples of calligraphy, carving and poetry. The tomb of the founder of the Shu dynasty, Liu Bei, is also here. A fascinating site for those knowledgeable in Chinese history and legend. more »

Xiling Mountain—also referred to as "Xiling Snow Mountain," "Xiling Snowcapped Mountain" or just "Xiling Xueshan"—is a pleasant get-away just about two hours by car from downtown Chengdu.  In spring, summer and fall, it offers hikers alpine wildflowers, waterfalls and colorful autumn foliage. By mid-November, the upper slopes see substantial snowfall and, aided by snow machines, by December they're ready to ski, with the season lasting through February.  The ski area—not quite a "resort" in an Alps or Rockies sense of the word—is served by three nearby hotels, chairlifts and a decent ski rental service. At present, snowboards are not available for rental, and the ski experience isn't likely to wow serious skiers, though it's perfectly fine for beginners or just a day or two of laid-back fun.   more »