Chengdu (成都)

Attractions in Chengdu

Giant Panda Base, Wuhou Shrine, Jinli Ancient Street, Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Kuanzhai Alley, Tianfu Square, Chunxi Road, Sichuan Opera.

Popular Routes

Day 1: Giant Panda Base → Wuhou Shrine → Jinli Street; Day 2: Dujiangyan → Qingcheng Mountain; Day 3: Kuanzhai Alley → Sichuan Opera → Chunxi Road.

Food & Dining

Hotpot, Mapo tofu, Kung pao chicken, Dan dan noodles, Rabbit heads, Chuan Chuan Xiang skewers, Zhong dumplings, Long Chao Shou wontons.

Shopping

Chunxi Road, Taikoo Li, IFS Chengdu, Kuanzhai Alley, Jinli Ancient Street, Tianfu Square, Wuhou Shrine souvenir shops.

Local Vibe & Fun Facts

Local Vibe: Chengdu is relaxed, funny, and proud. The city has more teahouses, bars, and pandas than almost anywhere else. People work hard but never miss a meal or a card game.

Fun Facts:

• Chengdu is the only city in the world with a giant panda breeding base inside the city.

• The city has been continuously inhabited for over 4,500 years, with the Jinsha and Sanxingdui civilizations nearby.

• Chengdu has more UNESCO-listed 'City of Gastronomy' recognition and is obsessed with hot pot, rabbit heads, and street snacks.

Speak Like a Local

Chengdu locals speak Sichuan dialect (Southwest Mandarin). It's playful and drawling. Try these:

巴适 (bā shì) — 'Great / comfortable.'

雄起 (xióng qǐ) — 'Go for it!' / 'Cheer!'

瓜娃子 (guā wá zi) — 'Silly person' — often used affectionately.

Famous People

• Du Fu — The great Tang dynasty poet lived in a thatched cottage in Chengdu and wrote some of his most famous poems here.

• Li Bing — The ancient engineer who built the Dujiangyan irrigation system near Chengdu, making Sichuan China's 'Heavenly Kingdom.'

• Sichuan opera masters perfected face-changing (bianlian) in Chengdu, a magical art of instant mask changes.