ChengduisthecapitalofSichuanProvinceandanimportantindustrial,commercialandfinancialcityinsouthwesternChina.
Locatedinoneifthecountry’srichestagriculturalplains,Chengduhas12,390sq.km.Byrail,Chengduis2,048kmfromBeijingandslightlyover2hoursbyairofBeijing.Itcanalsobereachedbyalessthan20hourstrainrideswithabout250Kmoftunnels.ChengduhasdirectdomesticandinternaflightsfromelsewhereinChina,HongKongandsomeneibouringcountries.Withanaltitudeof500meters,ithasatemperateclimateandabudantrainfallinsummer.ThepopulationofChengduisabout9.60million-dividedamong8districts,4outlyihgcitiesand8counties.About1.4millionpeopleresideinthecitycenter.
chengduhasahistoryofover2000years.centuryBC,thekingofShumovedhiscapitaltothissite.AtfirstChengduWasonlyacountycenter.Thesecondyearitturnekintoametropolis.Itdevelopedsofastthatthecityreceivedthename:Chengdu,whichliterallymeant"becomingacapital".DuringtheWesternHanDynasty(206BC~23AD),thebrocadeweavingandtradebroughtsomuchprosperitytothelocalareathatthegovernmentsetupaspecialofficeintheSouthwestofthecitytomanagebrocadeweavingandtradebusiness.ThecitybecameKnownasJincheng(theBrocadeCity)afterwards.AnothermanewasgiventoChengduduringthefiveDynastiesPeriod(907-960)whenMengChang(孟昶),emperoroftheLaterShuStatewasinpower.Theemperorlovedhibiscusverymuch,andhehadthoseflowersplantedatopthecitywall.Thehibiscusinblossommadechengducolorfulformilesaround.SoChengduhadanothernamecalledFurongCheng(theHibiscusCity).
DatedbacktotheQinandHanDynasties,Chengduwasalresdyoneofthefivetopindustrialduwasalreadyoneofthefivetopindustrialandcommercialcities.IntheTangDynastyChengduwasasprosperousasYangzhou(扬州),abigcitylocatedinthesouthofChina.IntheNouthernSongvelopedwithseveralhugemarketsinsidethecity.Chengduevenhadnightmarketsandparticularcenters,whichhadexclusivesalesofcertaincommodities.
TraditionallyChengduhaslongbeenwell-knownforitsmanycrafts:embroidery,lacquerware,silverartistry,pottery,bambooware,silkweaving,cadeareregardedasoneofthetopfourfinesilksinchina.NeartheDuFuCottageisafamousembroideryfactorywhereskilledworkersstitchoutwiththeirmeedlessilkpaintings.theelegantdesignsareperfecttoviewfrombothsidesofthefabric.Insomeotherworkshops,artisansatworkcarveintricateandelaborateobjectsofivoryandjade,designprecioussilverarticles,andweavebamboointousefulandbeautifulpieces.theseworkshopsarenowadaysapartofthetouristcircuitasChinaopensuptotheoutsideworld.
Chengduwasoneofthebirthplacesofthean-Weng(文翁),headoftheprefectureofShustartedcenturiessawtheculturaldevelopmentbycontribuXiangru(司马相如),LiBai,SuShi(苏轼)whothemandinreturntheirexcellentliteratureworksenabledthelocalculturetoadvance.
Chengduispleasantlylaidoutwithbroadstreetsandmanypublicparks.Howevey,someolderpartsofthecitystillhavemarrowstreetsandsculpturedwoodenhouses.Chengduhasmanyplacesofintereststosee.ThehighlightsforvisitorsareDuFu’sThatchedCottage,thetempleofMarquiswu,DujianglrrigationProjectandPreciousLightMonastery.Besides,localrestaurantsservesichuanc
