home Equipment Chengdu city (People's Republic of China). Sights and interesting places of Chengdu: photos and descriptions What country is Chengdu located in?

Chengdu city (People's Republic of China). Sights and interesting places of Chengdu: photos and descriptions What country is Chengdu located in?

Chengdu is unreasonably little known abroad. But it is here that some features of Chinese exoticism have been preserved, which in other places have disappeared without a trace: open-air tea houses with specialists in various services: massage therapists, shoe shiners and - no joke at all! - professional ear cleaners.

Although the city is large, it is easy to navigate. From the central square of Tianfu - with the exhibition hall and the statue of Mao, the main streets diverge radially in all directions of the world. The city center is surrounded by a system of concentric ring roads. The rivers crossing the city center also help to navigate.

The main river is the Fuhe, but it is better known for flowing near the center of the city of Nanhe, especially under its poetic name “Brocade River” (Jinjiang). To a certain extent, it gives the city a picturesque appearance with its embankments and open-air teahouses, although the river itself is not very impressive. It is much more interesting to walk along the secondary streets, because away from the main transport axes and modern supermarkets you can see much of traditional life: vegetable markets, street restaurants and many small shops.

Chengdu and its surrounding areas boast a rich history. As the traditional center of the Red Basin back in the 4th century. BC e. it became the capital of the Shu Empire. During the era of the division of the empire, Chengdu again became the capital of individual kingdoms. Thanks to the diligence of its inhabitants, who knew how to weave exquisite silk fabrics, Chengdu earned the name Brocade City (Jincheng), which it bears to this day. Trade in salt and tea and paper production and printing also contributed to its prosperity. From the 10th century the city has another beautiful name: Hibiscus City (Chinese Rose). To justify this ancient name, the city administration is making efforts to grow this plant.

Arrival and departure, city transport

The main station, from where trains go to Xi'an and Beijing, is located in the north of the city. Express buses also go to Nunzio. It is best to book trips to other cities in hotels. But it's cheaper to do this at bus stations, such as Xinnanmen Keyunzhan (east of Traffic Hotel) and Ximen Qichezhan (northwest of the center); From both there are daily buses to Dujiangyan and Mount Qingchengshan. A useful bus route is number 16, which runs from the main station along the major north-south axis to the south station. In 2010, the first metro line was opened, 31.6 km long.

Giant pandas are not only a symbol and national treasure of China, but also a favorite of the public from all over the world. This clumsy, cute animal lives in China in the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gan... more

Du Fu (712770) is one of the most outstanding Chinese poets who lived during the Tang era (618-907), whose work is still considered the pinnacle of Chinese poetry. According to legend, his first poem... more

In the 3rd century AD, the territory of China was divided into three kingdoms. This period, which was called the Three Kingdoms, is covered in legends about the exploits of heroes and fateful battles and is still... more

Qingchengshan Mountain, located southwest of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, is one of the most famous Taoist mountains in China and has earned the title of the most peaceful and secluded mountain in the Celestial Empire... more

On the Chengdu Plain in Sichuan Province, the unique and oldest surviving irrigation system, Dujiangyan, built more than 2,200 years ago, still operates. This project... more

Several decades ago, in the suburbs of Chengdu, 16 km from Xindu, a sensational discovery was made that amazed the whole world, and historians had another unsolved mystery of China. Some sources... more

30 km southeast of Chengdu in Shaunliu County, among picturesque landscapes, lies the ancient village of Huanglongxi, whose history goes back more than 2000 years. The name of the ancient town is literally translated from... more

Wenshu Monastery, located at No. 15 Wenshu Yuan Jie Road （文殊院街）, is the best-preserved Buddhist complex in Chengdu. This place is the center of the Buddhist Association of Sichuan Province...

CHENGDU- a city of sub-provincial significance in southwestern China, in the valley of the Minjiang River, the administrative center of Sichuan Province.

Population - 14.0 million people (2010), the 5th most populous city in China.

The emblem of the city is the ancient golden disk “Birds of the Golden Sun”, found in 2001 during excavations of the Jinsha culture within the city.

Chengdu originated in the 4th century BC. e. When people came to these places during the founding of the kingdom of Shu, they were told: “In the first year, establish a region, in the second year, establish a city” (一年成邑, 二年成都); From the words “to establish a city” (成都) the name “Chengdu” appeared. In the ancient kingdom of Shu, Chengdu, Xindu and Guangdu (modern Shuangliu), together called the “three Dus” (三都), were famous, but later it was Chengdu that rose to prominence, and Xindu and Guangdu have now become its constituent parts.

At the beginning of our era, Chengdu was famous for the production of brocade and was also called Jincheng (“brocade city”). Until 316 BC. e. Chengdu was the capital of the kingdom of Shu, in the era of the Three Kingdoms from 221 to 263 - the capital of the kingdom of Shu-Han, in the first half of the 4th century - the capital of the state of Cheng, at the beginning of the 5th century - the capital of the state of Western Shu, and in the period of the five dynasties - the capital of the states of Early Shu and Later Shu. In 994, Chengdu was briefly the capital of the rebel state of Li Shu.

In 1644-46, Chengdu was occupied by the rebel army of Zhang Xianzhong, becoming the capital of the Great Western State he created. During the years of the Great Peasant War, the Manchu conquest of China and the War of the Three Tributary Princes, the city suffered greatly and was practically depopulated. After the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, the government had to take special measures to repopulate the devastated Sichuan province, and the city gradually recovered. The province of Sichuan was separated into a separate military governorship, and since 1731, Chengdu became the residence of the governor of Sichuan.

Until the 20th century, Chengdu was a county city that did not have its own government bodies. In 1928, Chengdu and Huayang counties were officially merged into the city of Chengdu, with their own governments.

On December 27, 1949, the People's Liberation Army of China entered Chengdu, and Chengdu became part of the People's Republic of China. In 1952, Sichuan Province was restored, and Chengdu became a city under direct provincial jurisdiction and housed the provincial government.

Geography and climate

The city is located at the western tip of the Sichuan Basin, on the Chengdu Plain. The urban district stretches for 192 km from west to east and 166 km from north to south with an area of 12,390 km². It borders on the urban districts of Deyang, Ziyang, Meishan and Ya'an, as well as the Ngawa Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Region. The urban area is located at an altitude of about 500 m above sea level. The lowest point in Chengdu urban area is 378 m; outside the city, the terrain is more varied.

Chengdu's climate is characterized as humid subtropical. Comfortable for both human habitation and farming. The Qinling Mountains protect the city from the penetration of northern air masses from Siberia, so winter in Chengdu is milder than in the lower part of the Yangtze. The average January temperature is 5.6 °C; snow falls extremely rarely, although short-term frosts are sometimes possible. Summer is humid and quite hot, but not as hot as in cities lower along the Yangtze. Average temperatures in July and August are around 25°C, although during the day they can reach 33°C and above. Sustained periods of heat are also quite rare. The greatest amount of precipitation falls from June to September.

Administrative-territorial division[edit | edit wiki text]
The sub-provincial city of Chengdu is divided into 9 districts, 4 city counties, 6 counties.

Economy

Chengdu is a major center of economics, trade, finance, science and technology, as well as an important center of transport and communications. According to the World Bank's 2007 report on the global investment climate, Chengdu was declared the benchmark for the investment climate in China. Also, according to a study conducted by Nobel laureate in economics Robert Mundell and famous Chinese economist Li Yining, published by the State Information Center in 2010, Chengdu has become the engine of the Western development program and the standard of China's investment climate, as well as the main center of new urbanization.

In 2010 alone, 12 Fortune 500 companies including ANZ Bank, Nippon Steel Corporation and Electricite De France opened offices, branches or operation centers in Chengdu. In total, at the end of 2010, more than 200 companies from this list had their offices in Chengdu, which is the highest figure among cities in western and central China. The city has become the largest center for attracting investment in the western part of the country.

Manufacturing plays an important role in the economy. The main industries in Chengdu include the production of appliances, equipment, food, medicine and IT. The largest enterprises in these industries include Chengdu Sugar and Wine Co. Ltd., Chengdu Food Group, Sichuan Medicine Co. Ltd., Chengdu Automobile Co. Ltd. and others.

A high-tech industrial park has been deployed and is expanding in Chengdu, where one of the country's largest aerospace production facilities is located. Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation produces military and other aircraft equipment, including the modern Chengdu J-10 Swift Dragon fighter and the first copies of one of the few fifth-generation fighters in the world, the Chengdu J-20 Black Eagle.

The city is one of the country's most important automotive and auto parts production centers. The city produces several hundred thousand cars a year and plans to increase production to 1.25 million in 2020. Automakers such as Volvo, FAW Volkswagen, FAW Toyota and Sinotruk Wangpai are represented in Chengdu. There are also about 200 major manufacturers of car components from German, Japanese and other lines.

Chengdu has been developing as a national base in the field of electronics and IT for quite some time. Chengdu High-Tech Industrial Development Zone attracts at least 30 Fortune 500 companies and about 12,000 Chinese companies, including Intel, IBM, Cisco, NOKIA, Motorola, SAP, Siemens, Canon, HP, Xerox, Microsoft, Tieto, NIIT and Wipro. as well as such a local giant as Lenovo. Dell also plans to open its second major center in China in Chengdu as an expansion of the center in Xiamen. Chengdu is one of the five largest software industry bases in China.

The National Development and Reform Commission has approved a proposal to establish a national bio-industry center in Chengdu. The city government also approved a plan to develop the biopharmaceutical industry.

At the beginning of the 21st century, a large hydroelectric power station was built in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River near the city of Dujiangyan.

Transport

Chengdu Metro was officially opened in Chengdu on October 1, 2010, and includes one 18 km line running north-south from Shengxiang Lake to the city center, and one northwest-southeast line, which opened in September 2012 of the year. Construction and planning of four more lines is underway, including the ring line. There are about 400 bus routes in the city and agglomeration.

Shuangliu International Airport is located approximately 16 km from the city center. It is the 5th busiest airport in mainland China; in 2012, traffic amounted to 31.6 million passengers. Operates flights to most major cities in the country, as well as international flights to cities such as Hong Kong, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Bangkok, etc. In 2009, an agreement was signed to improve the airport infrastructure, which would allow Shuangliu to increase its traffic to 40 million passengers by 2015. The major airline Chengdu Airlines is based at the airport. There is also a long-term plan to build another airport with five runways. If the plan were implemented, the trip from the new airport to the center of Chengdu would take no more than 30 minutes.

Chengdu is a major railway junction. The Baoji-Chengdu, Chengdu-Chongqing, Chengdu-Kunming and Chengdu-Dazhou branches intersect here. Currently the city has 4 main stations. In addition, the North Marshalling Yard is the largest marshalling yard in all of China. Another station will be built in the coming years. Two high-speed railway lines operate from Chengdu (Chongqing and Dujiangyan) and three more high-speed railway lines are being completed, with the line to Chongqing being transformed into part of the main latitudinal national high-speed railway (up to speeds of 350 km/h).

Many national highways coming from the provinces of Shaanxi, Yunnan and the Tibet Autonomous Region intersect in Chengdu. The Chengdu-Chongqing highway became one of the first highways in the country and the first in its western part.

Attractions

complex of the Ukhoutsy temple (XVI-XVIII centuries)
Green Goat Temple - Taoist temple
Baoguansi Monastery
house-museum of the poet Du Fu
Sichuan Provincial Museum
China Giant Panda Nature Reserve
Tianfu Square
The 339-meter West Pearl Tower, the tallest in western China
more than 20 high-rise buildings with 30-45 floors; in 2012-2013, the construction of three 48-60-story skyscrapers will be completed; in the number of such buildings, Chengdu is second only to Chongqing in western China
Chengdu Sports Center
The world's largest building. The opening took place on July 1, 2013. 1.7 million square meters, equivalent to three Pentagon buildings or 20 Sydney Opera House buildings

The ancient city of Chengdu personally seemed to me like a giant ugly symbiosis between Guangzhou and Ryazan. It seems that the widest avenues with skyscrapers made of glass and concrete and the metro were built in 2010, in theory they are beautiful, and that’s all. But in reality it’s somehow gray and sad, and if you wander around the non-tourist streets, the sadness can be increased threefold. Wooden buses, houses in the Khrushchev style, gray gateways, such that Peter nervously smokes on the sidelines. The color of the city is such that you want to take a blade and scratch your veins, I don’t know how people live there.

Chengdu originated in the 4th century BC. e. in the valley of the Min River, in the first centuries of our era, the city was called Jincheng (City of Brocade) and was famous for the best brocade in the East. Until 316 BC. e. Chengdu was the capital of the kingdom of Shu, in the era of the Three Kingdoms from 221 to 263 - the capital of the kingdom of Shu-Han, in the first half of the 4th century - the capital of the state of Cheng, at the beginning of the 5th century - the capital of the state of Western Shu. In 994, Chengdu was briefly the capital of the rebel state of Li Shu. In 1644-46, Chengdu was occupied by the rebel army of Zhang Xianzhong, becoming the capital of the Great Western State he created.

During the Great Peasant War, the Manchu conquest of China and the War of the Three Tributary Princes, the city suffered greatly and almost died out. The Qing Dynasty government even had to take special measures to repopulate the deserted Sichuan province, and the city gradually recovered. The province of Sichuan was separated into a separate military governorship, and since 1731, Chengdu became the residence of the governor of Sichuan. Until the 20th century, Chengdu was a county city that did not have its own government bodies. In 1928, Chengdu and Huayang counties were officially merged into the city of Chengdu, with their own governments. On December 27, 1949, the People's Liberation Army of China entered Chengdu, and Chengdu became part of the People's Republic of China. In 1952, Sichuan Province was restored, and Chengdu became a city under direct provincial jurisdiction and housed the provincial government.

And back in the Song Dynasty, the world's first paper money was printed in Chengdu. Nowadays, Chengdu bears the title of the capital of Chinese traditional medicine: local healers use thousand-year-old recipes to treat hundreds of ailments.

The emblem of the city is the ancient disk “Birds of the Golden Sun,” but it would probably be more logical to make a panda as the city’s logo. Why panda? Yes, because this is where the biggest attraction of Sichuan province is located - the Giant Panda Sanctuary and almost the entire city is stuffed with images of these animals.

It is the world's largest panda research and breeding center. They are very lazy, it is difficult to be fruitful and multiply, it is difficult to make them, just as it is difficult to catch them in a waking state. The reserve is located outside the city, you can get there either by bus or on a tour. It is recommended to visit in the early hours of 8-9 am, then the bears, having eaten, hibernate en masse and there is nothing to see, as a bonus there is a million Chinese pushing their elbows, which makes the attraction extremely dubious for visiting. Well, as you understand, I didn’t waste time and didn’t go, and I’ve already seen big pandas in Singapore, they’re the same as the little ones, but bigger.

The only day in the city needed to be spent usefully, which meant visiting the sights on foot. I was handed a map of the city at the hostel, and I went to absorb the culture of the ancient city. You can navigate the city even without a navigator; the main streets radiate from the central square in all directions of the world. The city center is surrounded by a system of concentric ring roads, and the Fuhe, Nanhe, and Jinjiang Brocade Rivers serve as very good landmarks.

Attractions:

Tianfu Square (天府广场), is the main square located on the southern Renmin Nanlu Street of Chengdu, its shape and location is similar to Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Tianfu is the largest central city square in Western China and covers an area of 88 thousand square meters, has a rectangular shape, with a width to length ratio of 1: 1.5. On the square there is a monument to the leader Mao Zedong, in the center there is an open lower floor with a fountain, a shopping area and an entrance to the metro. Around the square there are many flowers, lush greenery, shopping complexes and skyscrapers, which together create a unique cityscape.

Jinli Street is one of the oldest and most crowded streets in the city. Jinli Street is 350 meters long, and the entrance is decorated with an arch with the name “锦里古街” carved on it. The history of this street dates back to before our era, and historical documents mention that during the reign of the Qin dynasty 221 - 206 BC. here it was already in full swing. During the Shu period, the street developed into one of the main shopping spots, earning the title of "the first street of the Kingdom of Shu." Nowadays, not a single stone remains of the old street; the Chinese demolished everything and built an exact copy in 2004 with traditional Chinese houses, shops, restaurants, hotels and tea houses. All buildings are designed in the style of ancient cities in the western part of Sichuan province during the Qing period (1644-1911). Wooden columns and brick details in the decor give the street an antique charm. As in all of China, the task of this street is one, to sell as many souvenirs, paintings, calligraphy and other nonsense to tourists as possible.

The Wenshu Monastery, the best-preserved Buddhist complex in Chengdu, is also located here. This place is the center of the Sichuan Provincial Buddhist Association. The first buildings of the monastery were built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). At that time, the complex was called Xinxiang. In 1681, during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a monk named Cidu came to the monastery and built himself a small hut, where he lived for several years in the most ascetic conditions. Legend says that when the monk died, the body was cremated, and the face of Wenshu, Manjurshi Bodhisattva, personifying wisdom, appeared in the flames of the fire. People decided that Monk Qidu was none other than the reincarnation of Wenshu. Ten years after this, in 1691, the complex was rebuilt and renamed the Wenshu Monastery and has not changed its appearance since then. The main cultural value of the monastery is the collection of paintings and calligraphy of the Tang and Song eras, numbering about 500 paintings. In the sutra pavilion you can see many autographs of famous personalities, paintings and manuscripts. Another treasure of the monastery is the elegant statue of the White Buddha, brought from Burma to China in 1922. Currently the complex consists of five buildings. There are Prayer Halls, the Thousand Buddha Pagoda, the Institute of Calligraphy and a dining hall for the monks. There are many ponds around the monastery with turtles, carps and large frogs. The garden there is truly exquisite - the monks made it a wonderful landmark of Chengdu. There is also a large tea house where you can hear folk music, and a vegetarian restaurant.

The largest museum of this profile in Southeast Asia. Located 9 kilometers from the town of Zigong (Sichuan), in the Dashanpu area. This is one of the world's largest dinosaur fossil sites.

Today the museum, opened in 1987, is a large 3-story building with a bizarre shape. The total area of museum exhibitions exceeds 65 thousand square meters.

The museum presents three large thematic exhibitions. The first tells about the history of the evolution of dinosaurs and gives a general idea of the life and development of giants on our planet.

The second part is the restored dinosaur skeletons found in Dashanpu. Some of them are very well preserved. The most interesting exhibit is the fully preserved skeleton of a dinosaur that lived approximately 175 million years ago. His height exceeded 10 meters and his weight was 4 tons.

The third exhibition is located directly at the site where dinosaur bones were found. Here you can see how search work is being carried out and even touch the remains of ancient lizards.

Big Buddha

The main attraction of Leshan is the world's largest Buddha statue, carved into a rock. The Big Buddha is located in the Lingyunshan Mountains. The height of the statue is 71 meters - only the index finger is 8 meters long. Its construction began in 713 and work lasted 90 years.

The seated Buddha's head is at the level of the mountain top, and his feet touch the river. All the proportions of the human body were skillfully conveyed, and even the face of Buddha was able to give an expression of calm and kindness. Next to the statue - on the southern and northern walls - more than 90 stone images of bodhisattvas are carved out.

In 1996, the Leshan Big Buddha was included in the UNESCO Catalog of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

What sights of Sichuan did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Turquoise Lake

Jiuzhaigou National Park is located in eastern China in Sichuan Province. Its name translates as “valley of nine villages.” This park is famous for the fact that it has more than a hundred lakes and the water in them is crystal clear green, blue and turquoise colors, since all these lakes were formed as a result of melting glaciers. In 1992, the park was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and since 1997 it has been declared a biosphere reserve.

Jiuzhaigou is located in the highlands, and due to the abundance of water and highlands, many lakes and waterfalls are formed on its territory, which amaze tourists with their appearance.

More than a hundred species of animals live on the shores of these lakes and throughout the park. The forests here are mostly of mixed type, they are especially beautiful in autumn, when they turn yellow, orange and red. Among the plants here you can find numerous bamboos, rhododendrons and others.

Mount Emeishan is considered the eternal residence of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. This mountain, along with the other three, is a sacred mountain for Chinese Buddhists.

The first Buddhist temple on the mountain was built in the 1st century. It was called "Temple of Ten Thousand Years". The most valuable monument of the temple is the statue of the sacred Bodhisattva Samantabhadra on an elephant, made in the 9th-10th centuries. By the twentieth century, there were already more than 100 temples on the mountain, but most of them were damaged during the Cultural Revolution. To this day, about 20 temples have survived, which can be reached by cable car and two trails. The hike to the top will take 2-3 days.

Now Mount Emeishan is very popular among Chinese pilgrims. Their number is so large that special rooms in temples are allocated and rented out for tourists to spend the night.

Near the mountain is the tallest statue in the world - the Big Buddha of Leshan, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Jiuzhaigou Valley

The Jiuzhaigou Valley is known for its mesmerizing mountain scenery and flowering meadows. In addition to natural beauty, the valley contains several clean mountain lakes and ancient villages that have become popular tourist destinations.

The valley is located in the north of Sichuan province on the territory of an amazingly beautiful national park-reserve. The length of the valley is fifteen kilometers.

Since ancient times, there have been nine villages in the valley, and the most touristy of them are Heie, Shuzheng and Dzechawa.

Local residents of these villages offer to see how various handicrafts, dishes and much more are made. You can buy your favorite decorative items in souvenir shops, and in small cafes you will be offered to try traditional Chinese dishes.

Jiuzhaigou National Park

Not far from the Chinese province of Sichuan there is one place of indescribable beauty. Such colors, such paintings, such views can only be seen in well-processed photographs. But Jiuzhaigou National Park is a very real place where people from all over the world come to see with their own eyes the incredible wonders of Asian nature.

This place is called the Valley of Nine Villages, because there are nine Tibetan settlements here. The park is famous for its multi-level waterfalls, valleys and lakes. The most popular places here are Panda Falls, Swan and Grass Lakes, as well as the Ancient Forest.

This national park looks most amazing in the fall, because the local forests take on a yellow-red color, which, together with the bright blue and green waters of the local lakes, creates a stunning picture. Here it is - a corner of harmony with nature and with yourself.

Panda Breeding Research Center

You can watch leisurely panda bears by visiting the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Center. Pandas live in spacious enclosures, where natural conditions are recreated for them, and there are rooms for feeding, sleeping, and treatment. Grown-up bears are released into the wild.

Due to the fact that these animals reproduce slowly, they are in danger of extinction - which is why Chinese scientists have taken them under their protection. It is believed that no more than 1000 individuals live in natural conditions. A large panda reserve is located 150 km from Chengdu.

Are you interested in knowing how well you know the sights of Sichuan? .

Baogo Monastery

Bauguo Si Temple is located in the sacred Eme Mountains. Despite the fact that there are other Buddhist temples in these mountains, Baogo is considered the most striking example of local Emei architecture.

Baoguo was founded during the Ming Dynasty. It began to be built in 1573, but construction was delayed - the gates of the monastery opened only in 1620. In the mid-eighteenth century it underwent reconstruction, the result of which has survived to this day.

Baoguo Temple boasts attractions rich in history. One of them is a statue of a seated porcelain Buddha, whose age is over 600 years. Another attraction is the seven-meter bronze tower, on which thousands of Buddha images and ancient sutras are engraved.

The most popular attractions in Sichuan with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Sichuan on our website.