5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Chengdu

Following the 2019 World Police and Fire Games, the 2021 Summer Universiade and many other international sports events, the south-western Chinese city of Chengdu successfully won the bid to host the 2025 World Games. The World Games is usually held one year after the Olympic Games and athletes mainly compete for non-Olympic events. " I'm looking forward to coming back again to appreciate the landscape of the city as a tourist," said Max Bishop, the Vice President of the International World Games Association (IWGA) after his inspection trip to Chengdu. Chengdu may not have the gorgeous palaces like Beijing or Terracotta Warriors like Xi'an, but it is as worthy of your time as any other spot in China. In fact, there are so many reasons for you to visit this charming city.

Giant Pandas

When it comes to Chengdu, the giant panda may be the most attractive thing in the city. This lovely creature with its distinctive black and white coat is adored by the world and considered a national treasure in China. As such, its image has been widely used in international games, for example, appearing as one of the five mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Also, the logo designed for the Chengdu 2025 World Games displays the initial C of Chengdu and the figure of a panda ear.

Pandas eating bamboo in Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

In the wild, pandas live in thick bamboo forests high up in the mountains of central China. However, now you can see them up close in several well-known giant panda reserves, including Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Dujiangyan Giant Panda Base, Wolong Shenshuping Giant Panda Base and Bifengxia Giant Panda Reserve. If the weather is not too hot, pandas are allowed to stay outdoors during the day. You can see them playing, eating, climbing and sleeping. Giant pandas spend half of their day eating and most of the rest of the day is spent in their sleep. They are very flexible and can hold their chubby bodies in a variety of positions: snoozing on their side, back, or belly, either sprawled or curled up.

Sichuan Cuisine

Chengdu is a paradise for foodies, and here you can taste the authentic Sichuan cuisine, one of China's Four Great Cuisines. Sichuan cuisine is famous for its numbness and spiciness. If you like spicy food, you should try the mapo tofu (tofu fried with minced meat, chili and Sichuan peppercorns), kung pao chicken (a dish with chicken, peanuts, and hot pepper as the ingredients) and the most popular hot pot. If you don't like the very spicy flavor, you can ask the chef to cook for you with less or no chili.

Delicious Chengdu food

Also, you can sample diverse roadside snacks in the food courts of Chengdu, such as barbecue, kebabs, stinky tofu, fried potatoes, dandan noodles, pineapple rice, etc. To try these delicious foods, it's best to head to Jinli Old Street and Kuanzhai Alley which are packed with a large number of bars, restaurants, and traditional delicacies.

Jinli Old Street

Cultural Heritage

As a national historical and cultural city, Chengdu displays its traditional cultural heritage such as Sichuan opera, Buddhist culture, Shu embroidery, Bamboo-over-porcelain ware, etc.

Sichuan opera is one of the principal regional dramas in China, and its history can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618 AD-907 AD). Face-changing, one of the special effects of Sichuan opera performance, is used to reveal the changes of inner feelings and thoughts of the characters in the play, so as to achieve a strong performance effect. It is highly recommended to watch a Sichuan opera show in Chengdu.

Face-changing art of Sichuan Opera

Leshan Giant Buddha and Mt. Emei, together listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are the "Mecca for Chinese Buddhists". Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest and tallest stone Buddha sculpture in the world with a height of 71 meters. It is chiseled into the cliff and took 90 years (713 AD-803 AD) to complete.

Leshan Giant Buddha

Mt. Emei is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains in China. A massive statue of Samantabhadra sits at its summit. You will have a chance to visit many ancient Buddhist monasteries and precious cultural relics here. Its steep terrain and stunning scenery also make it become a famous scenic area, summer resort, and recuperation place.

The statue of Samantabhadra at the summit of Mt. Emei

Shu embroidery, also known as "Sichuan embroidery", is one of the four famous embroideries in China and regarded as a specialty of Chengdu. It is a traditional Chinese craft in which figures and patterns are embroidered on silk or other fabrics by using silk thread. Due to the impact of the geographical environment, local customs, culture and art, Shu embroidery has formed its own unique style with bright colors and exquisite stitching.

Slow Living

If you have to add a tag to Chengdu, it may be "slow". For locals, basking, playing mahjong, drinking tea and chatting are also their serious business. Tea houses can be found nearly everywhere. Chengdu People's Park is one of the favorite places for local people to go for leisure. Only if you have been here, have you truly tasted the local lifestyle. The park is always full of people playing chess and mahjong, drinking tea and reading under the shade of the park's shelters.

People drinking tea in Chengdu People's Park

When you come to Chengdu, just slow down your hurried pace, treat yourself as a local and integrate into the local life; find a small teahouse and order a cup of tea, then learn to play mahjong, read a book or chat with friends.

Nature's Beauty

Apart from the rich culture, leisurely life and delicious food, you will be lost in wonder at Chengdu's natural beauty. You can pay a visit to the Qingcheng Mountain nearby, also known as Green City Mountain because the towering peaks covered with a dense forest of ancient trees are thought to resemble the city battlements. Besides, Chengdu is a central city and a transfer station connecting various scenic spots all around. Many tourists head here first to have a rest and get ready for their trips to other spots in Sichuan.

A lake in Jiuzhaigou

Colorful pools in Huang Long

With convenient transportation, you can easily travel from Chengdu to see the serene and limpid lakes in Jiuzhaigou, then visit the colorful calcified pools and golden snub-nosed monkeys in Huang Long, marvel at the snow mountains and vast meadow in Daocheng Yading...

The beautiful scenery of Daocheng Yading

So, there's no reason why it shouldn't be next on your destination list. What are you waiting for? Just simply fill in the blanks on our inquiry page and let us customize a unique tour for you. See you in Chengdu!