Area Attractions

Tianfu Square, the symbol of Chengdu, is located in the city center. Being the largest city square in southwest China, it enjoys similar position and fame in Sichuan as Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The square is a special sight encircled by skyscrapers. It is said that one who fails to visit Tianfu Square doesn’t even visit Chengdu. Tianfu Square is the busiest area in the Commercial and Business District (CBD) of the city, and popular with both the locals and the tourists. The city metro line 1 and line 2 meet here, making the square a transfer stop and gathering place for tourists. Paved with light-colored granite and lined with trees and flowers, the square is an open leisure place for people to have a rest and appreciate the modern development of Chengdu.

Wuhou Temple, also known as Wuhou Shrine Temple of Marquis, is dedicated to Zhuge Liang, the Marquis Wu (Wuhou) of the Kingdom of Shu in the Three Kingdoms Period (220 - 280). Zhuge Liang was an excellent politician, militarist, diplomat and astronomer. In addition, the Temple of Liu Bei, the emperor of Shuhan, and his mausoleum are well-known historical sites inside this big scenic spot. Wuhou Temple is located in the southwestern part of downtown Chengdu. The date of its establishment is unclear. We know only that it was built next to the Temple of Liu Bei. Consequently, the entrance plaque reads “Zhaolie Temple of Shuhan Kingdom”. Zhaolie is the posthumous title of Liu Bei. The current Wuhou Temple was rebuilt in 1672.

Covering a total area of about 38,000 square meters (9 acres), Jinsha Site Museum mainly consists of Relics Hall, Exhibition Hall, Cultural Heritage Protection Center and Ecological Garden. It is a rare site museum among Chinese museums because of its combination of modern civilization and the civilization of ancient Shu State (Sichuan Province was called Shu State in ancient times), as well as the combination of ecological environment and culture. Jinsha Site Museum is built to protect, study and display the archaeological finds of Jinsha Site, which was discovered by archaeologists in February 2001. Covering an area of about five square kilometers (1,236 acres), Jinsha Site probably dates back to about 3,000 years ago, the time from the late Shang Dynasty (17th-11th century BC) to the early Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC). It is the core of Shang and Zhou Dynasty (17th century BC-221 BC) and the second ancient city of Shu State found only after the Three-Star Piles Museum. Altogether 63 sacrificial spots, 6,000 pieces of precious relics, over 70 building spots and 3 centralized cemeteries were unearthed here.

Dujiangyan Irrigation System is honored as the 'Treasure of Sichuan', which still plays a crucial role in draining off floodwater, irrigating farms and providing water resources for more than 50 cities in the province. In China, Chengdu is always praised as the Tian Fu Zhi Guo, which means 'Nature's Storehouse'. Over 2,200 years ago, the city was threatened by the frequent floods caused by flooding of the Minjiang River (a tributary of the Yangtze River). Li Bing, a local official of Sichuan Province at that time, together with his son, decided to construct an irrigation system on the Minjiang River to prevent flooding. After a lengthy study and a lot of hard work by the local people, the great Dujiangyan Irrigation System was completed. Since then, the Chengdu Plain has been free of flooding and the people have been living peacefully and affluently.

Wenshu Monastery (Manjushri Monastery), located at No. 66 Wenshu Yuan Street, Chengu, Sichuan Province, is the best-preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. It is the home of the Buddhist Association of Sichuan Province and Chengdu City. Initially built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Wenshu Monastery was once called Xinxiang Temple. In 1681, during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Cidu, an accomplished Buddhist monk, came to the temple. He built a simple hut between two trees and for several years lived an ascetic life there. Legend has it when Cidu was being cremated; the statue of Wensu (Bodhisattva Manjusri in Sanskrit) appeared in the flames, staying for a long time. So people regarded Cidu as the reincarnation of the Bodhisattva Manjusri. Thereafter, Xinxiang Temple became Wenshu Monastery.

Thatched Cottage of Du Fu is about 5km (3 miles) west of Tianfu Square. Just as the name implies, it was the home of a famous poet, Du Fu, in Tang Dynasty (618-907). Du Fu was born in Gongyi City, Henan Province in 712. In 746, he took the official examination in Chang'an (now known as Xi'an) and continued to live there for more than ten years after the failure. But, in order to get away from the An-Shi Rebellion breaking out in 758, he fled to Chengdu in 759. With the help of friends, the thatched cottage was built in 760 beside the Flower Bathing Brook on the western outskirts of Chengdu. During the four years stay there, he composed more than 240 poems that are considered to be precious national treasures.

If one travels to Chengdu for the first time, Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street is a place that should not be missed. Located in Jinjiang District, this road in a broad sense covers an area of about 200,000 square meters (2,150,000 square feet). It stretches to the east of Beixin Street, the west of Hongxing Road, the south of Zongfu Road, and the north of East Street. The street was originally built in 1924 to connect two commercial centers, the East Street and Mercantile Corporation. After nearly 100 years of evolution, it is now not only the center of fashion in Chengdu, but also a place that brings together delicious snacks from all over the country.

Chicony Square is where people gather. The building's main body is designed by the world-renowned Goettsch Partners. Covering an area of 10,964 square meters, the total construction area is 187,000 square meters. The building is 166 meters high, 37 floors above ground, 5 floors underground, 700 parking spaces. Each floor is planned to have 78 two-way escalators and 10 passenger lifts. The scale of Chicony Square has been refreshed in Chengdu's department store industry and has become a new landmark in the city. Whether day or night, it is the focus of the city's attention, echoing the market positioning of the top fashion style.

Adjacent to the ancient Daci Temple and Chunxi Road commercial area, Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu represents an open-plan low-rise shopping mall, which takes on a traditional architecture style accomplished by a pioneering modern approach. Six traditional courtyards and building lie within, adding to its historical image. Wide international perspective with innovating design philosophy reinterprets this traditional shopping area as a new dynamic cultural and commercial landmark, and reinvigorates the townscape of Chengdu. A premium mix of global retail outlets, eateries and cultural brands deliver a premium, vibrant and fun leisure experience.The architectural design of Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu embraces the traditional Sichuan style with a creative modern approach, making it a perfect integration of classic and original ingredients. Within the mall, vast plazas, cultural artworks and renewed historical buildings complement each other, showcasing its plenty of cultural charm and modern flavour.Beautiful red walls with bamboo screens surround the ancient Daci Temple creating a contemplative and restorative environment for our customers. Within the lanes, a wide range of international cuisine awaits.

Chengdu IFS is built on the model of Hong Kong Harbour City. With the design concept of “City in the City”, the highest-end commercial complex built in the most prosperous business district in Chengdu has become a “new landmark in the city”. Many international brand cross-layer flagship stores stand next to Hongxing Road, forming a 530-meter “International Famous Street”, which is not only an important symbol of the core business circle of Hongxing Road, but also brings unprecedented international fashion landscape to Chengdu.

As the world’s famous giant panda ex situ conservation base, scientific research and breeding base, public education base and educational tourism base, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (hereinafter referred as the Base), located at No. 1375 Outer North Panda Avenue, Chenghua District of Chengdu, Sichuan Province and covering an area of about 247 acres, is 10 kilometers from downtown Chengdu and about 30 kilometers from Shuangliu International Airport. The Base, as the “giant panda ex situ conservation ecological demonstration project”, is famous for the protection and breeding of endangered wild animals that are unique to China, including giant pandas and red pandas. It is honored as “the national treasure’s natural paradise and the people’s land of idyllic beauty” for its beautiful environment of overlapping mountains, clean water, lush trees, and chirping birds. The Base equally emphasizes scientific research and tourism and forms a sustainable development model integrating “industry, education, research and tourism”. Applying landscaping to imitate natural conditions, the Base has set up many well-distributed buildings and areas for giant pandas, including the delivery room, feeding area, scientific research center, hospital, and giant panda “luxury” houses that are scattered among the mountain forests. Giant pandas at different ages, young and old, breed and grow here in bliss. In 1998, the World Tourism Organization evaluated the Base and rated it as a wonderful place, which enjoyed a reputation equal with the world natural heritage site Jiuzhaigou, and in 2006 it was awarded “Class 4A National Tourist Attraction”.