The Ancient City of Shu (Chengdu)

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, is the cultural, industrial, and transport hub at the heart of a massive, fertile, agricultural plain in southwestern China. The history of Chengdu spans more than 3000 years dating back to the Shu Kingdom. The Shu culture has revealed itself in the stunning and mysterious archeological discoveries of San Xing Dui www.sxd.ca and the Jin Sha Ruins, as well as the artistry of ancient Shu brocade. The copper bronze masks discovered in Guang Han, just outside Chengdu and on display at the San Xing Dui Museum, remain until this day, one of the world’s most profound mysteries.

The Teahouse Myth

Don’t let all that talk about teahouses and ma-jiang fool you. Certainly, most travel writers tend to romanticize this aspect of Sichuan life, but the teahouse myth is overblown. Teahouses still abound, however, at last count, and probably more as we speak; there are 4 Starbucks and a plethora of Coffee shops changing the leisure-time atmosphere to nouveau. There is alot of new money in Chengdu and it much prefers the modern lifestyles of SUV's, exciting nightlife and weekend escapes that discretionary spending power brings. Chengdu is an attractive and very modern city with an urban landscape that blends natural elements much better than the larger eastern centers. Its citizens are increasingly affluent and sophisticated and no longer under the shadow of Beijing or Shanghai, when it comes to variety or availability of lifestyle choices. In fact, as you'll read below; Chengdu has an unmatched natural environment within a half hour drive of its 2nd Ring Road, which those Eastern centers just don't have, elevating the desirability of residing in Chengdu.

Unmatched "Outdoors" Lifestyle www.ihotpot.com

Long known as the Gateway to t¡bet, Chengdu sits essentially at the base of the foothills of the Himalayas, and where hiking spectacular terrain is but a half an hour ride in any direction. A trip to Chengdu must include a trek up the majestic slopes of Emeishan, where visitors can stay in a monastery perched on a cliff edge at 3,100 m. From the vantage point on Emei, visitors can look across the horizon above the sea of clouds and view the snowy peaks of the Himalayas.

Hot Pot (the real deal)

Chengdu is also very well-known for all things spicy; food and night-life. Fiery Sichuan hot pot resides at the pinnacle of Sichuan cuisine. All other hot pots with the exception; maybe, and that's a big maybe; of Chongqing, are just pretenders.

For the Jet-set

Luxury accommodations are available with no fewer than six 5-star hotels including the Sheraton Lido, the Holiday Inn, the Kempinski, the Jin Jiang Hotel, the Sofitel Wanda and the sprawling California Garden Hotel complex, with 2 more 5-star luxury resorts under construction.

For the Save-the-Whalers

Budget accommodations for backpackers are readily available for the trekker-set at the popular Traffic Hotel and the new trekker haven on the Wuhou Road near the Temple of Marquis Wu.

Western Food, Bars and Nightclubs

Chengdu also has its share of burgers & beer, with popular Western restaurants like Peter’s Tex-Mex Grill and Grandma’s Kitchen. The bar scene just keeps getting better with a new and improved Carol’s, (now, not By-The-River; but on Ren Min Nan Lu) the Shamrock (a popular Irish Pub just down from Carol’s), the L&J Empty Bottle Pub at the Yulin Life Plaza on the 2nd Ring Road and a new nightclub row just down from Yulin Life Plaza with hip-to-hip action at Babi and Mix Club. Save-the-Whalers and tree-huggers can still preach the night away at Paul's New Oasis, in the heritage district just Northeast of Qintai Road.

Must-Do Day Trips and Shopping

If you are coming to Chengdu, then you must go to see the Panda Base on the city outskirts, take a day trip to Emeishan and the Leshan Giant Buddha, another day trip to Qin Qeng Mountain and Du Jiang Yan, (the 2,000 year old water diversion project) a visit to the San Xing Dui and Jinsha Museums, a stroll through the Song Xian Qiao antique market in the city’s west end near Qing Yang Gong and Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage, a night out at the Jinsha Musical, a night on the Chunxi Road (the central shopping district) and spend at least one day shopping in the wholesale market zone in the city’s north end, near the North Railway station for simply the best bargains on any consumer goods you can think of.

Great info, Matt! My last visit there was 20 years ago, it's time for a return trip!

The Endangered Giant Panda ( www.iHotPot.com )

The giant panda is a National Treasure of China and a symbol of the world's endangered wildlife. About 2,000 giant pandas survive in the wild, primarily on government-protected reserves in the mountains of central and western China. Chengdu is central to all remaining natural Panda habitat, as you can see from the Panda habitat map above.

Pandas have the most specialized diet of all bears; they rely almost completely on two species of bamboo that grow in the mixed forests of certain regions. Tens of thousands of years ago, giant pandas are believed to have ranged over much of China, south of the Yellow River, feeding on their staple diet of arrow and umbrella bamboo. In the last several centuries, environmental changes and expanding human populations have seriously reduced the area in which these two bamboo species -- and therefore pandas -- can live. Construction and deforestation has led to bamboo trees being cut down.

Another problem is hunting and poaching. Although the panda is labeled near extinction and is protected by stringent China law, that doesn't prevent hunters from coming to poach for panda. Hunters and poachers put cruel traps in the forests that can seriously injure and/or kill pandas.

To add to the problems, not many pandas are born in the wild since the female panda only comes into mating season for a couple of days per year. When the female does have babies, if she has more than one, she will abandon all but one. Panda cub survival rates are extremely low in the wild.

Panda research in Chengdu and Wolong Panda research facilities:

Pandas are solitary animals, shunning the company of other pandas except during the mating season. Studies over the past few decades have dramatically increased the knowledge of giant pandas.

To help the panda overcome its perilous situation, a process known as captive breeding was introduced. Captive breeding is the process by which the pandas are brought to centers, adapted to their habitat, and then allowed to breed with other pandas. This is done in the hope that the pandas would be safer in captivity, and that it would give them a better chance to raise the numbers of their species.
Chinese researchers have gone to great lengths to study the panda’s migratory routes to be able to better assess the need for protection. There have been many detailed studies performed by scientific researchers from China and abroad on topics such as the study of digestion and malnutrition of captive pandas and the project to establish the permanent panda gene and genome bank. In addition, researchers have been working on vaccines to prevent pandas from catching avoidable diseases.

What is particularly note-worthy is the great achievement in the theory and practice regarding artificial reproduction and manual breeding of the giant panda. Through domestic and international communication and cooperation, a number of key problems have been successfully tackled, such as the difficulty of mating during the giant panda's heat period, the difficulty of delivery in pregnancy, and low survival rate of panda cubs.

Researchers of the China Wolong Panda Protection Research Center published the findings on panda reproduction activities, which were acknowledged by experts at the highest levels regarding findings on improving the survival rate of baby pandas.

The study of artificial insemination technology for captive pandas made by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding represents the highest level panda reproduction technology in the world. The panda feed study that passed an international verification check has attracted experts’ attention, as the effort has resulted in the mechanical production of bamboo-like feed cakes, which provide adequate nutrition for the captive animals.

Chengdu Weekly news report - Matt Vegh ( www.sxd.ca )

Very interestign...

I will be there in 2 weeks for the week-end on my own (after a business trip).
Would like to spend
1 evening in town partying a little bit (friday night).
1 day tour outside the city to see the scenario. Not too much interested in temples/masks and stuffs... More on lakes/mountains... Wouldn't be afraid by 3-4 hours of hiking (Saturday)
1/2 day tour of the city (Sunday morn) before flying back to Shanghai Sunday eve


Any recommendations / Adress of tour operators (more interested by Backpacker style tour operators) / Adress of bars....

Any one in the region who would like to show me around or have a beer ???

Cheers

I will go there in Oct. holidays. But wanna find a partner. Anyone wanna go?

Pierrro wrote:Very interestign...

I will be there in 2 weeks for the week-end on my own (after a business trip).
Would like to spend
1 evening in town partying a little bit (friday night).
1 day tour outside the city to see the scenario. Not too much interested in temples/masks and stuffs... More on lakes/mountains... Wouldn't be afraid by 3-4 hours of hiking (Saturday)
1/2 day tour of the city (Sunday morn) before flying back to Shanghai Sunday eve


Any recommendations / Adress of tour operators (more interested by Backpacker style tour operators) / Adress of bars....

Any one in the region who would like to show me around or have a beer ???

Cheers

One night in Chengdu? Hands down; it's Shamrock and Carol's Too on Ren Min Nan Lu near the US Consulate Road, which is just North of the 2nd Ring Road. These two bars will give you more than you bargained for!

For the day trip, do Emeishan and the Leshan Giant Buddha. You can hike, sample the local food and you don't have to set foot in any of the temples, should you choose not to. The scenery is enough.

The tour of Chengdu; just stick with the Chunxi Road. I say this because you seem not to be into the historical stuff too much. If you were; go take a few snapshots of Qintai Road or spend some time in Song Xian Qiao (antique and flea market) just outside the 1st Ring Road west of and near Qing Yang Gong Park.

You can find a partner-guide, local touring partner or info at Shamrock or Carol's on Friday night; just ask around or check the Shamrock bulletin board.

SXD www.ihotpot.com