As the capital city of Sichuan, Chengdu is a city with many faces. On the one
hand this is an incredibly modern and vibrant place. Beijing has a relatively
relaxed attitude towards this city and as such, Chengdu has blossomed in terms
of affluence and investment. The traditional industries of gold, silver,
silk and laquerware have helped to make this city
one of the most important centers of commerce in the country. Today, skyscrapers
dominate the skyline and Japanese cars and western goods are hugely popular
and widely available. This modernization has no doubt been helped by the important role that Chengdu
plays in terms of education and culture in China. Once one of the most important
printing centers in the country, Chengdu has a long history as a destination
for learned poets and artists to gather and seek inspiration. The great poet
Du Fu, made his home here and today there are 14 colleges and an impressive
university situated in the city. Nestled amongst this affluence and development is another side to Chengdu. Traditional
wooden Chinese architecture that once dominated this city can still be found in the
outskirts although it is fast disappearing. What does still exist here however in
abundance, is a great street life. Markets and street hawkers fill the streets
dealing in everything you could possibly imagine, from snakes and snails to fortunes and
foot scrubs. Many travelers here are simply killing time or passing through en route to
Tibet. This is however, a very pleasant city to do just this: feast on some
great food and soak up some of the mellow atmosphere in one of the thousands
of tea houses dotted about the city. Chinese Net Friends" Suggestions: Generally Chengdu is only the transfer station to Jiuzhai
Valley, Tibet and E"mei Mountain, but in fact you should spend 3 or 4 days to really
know here. There are many scenic spots worth visiting such as the Panda Research
Base, the typical folk house street of western Sichuan-Jinli Hostel (where there
are handicrafts and special bars all over) and Wenshuyuan Monastery to taste the
native"s leisurely life. Bazi Hotpot Restaurant in Chengdu is great! The meal
here is very spicy! The snack in Chengdu which is very famous and most tasty
is at He"s Cool Pot Fish Restaurant which is located at Hongxing Road, and Zhong"s
Dumpling Restaurant at Chunxi Road is also good. If you want to find the authentic
and cheap Sichuan-food restaurants, we recommend "Nongjiale" refectory
at Golden Cattle (Jinniu) Area to you.
Recommending 2 hotels in Chengdu: one is Binjiang Hotel
at No.16 Binjiang Mid Road that is very clean and was decorated last year. It
would cost you RMB135 to reserve the standard room with Ctrip, which is lower than the market
value; and the other is the Nuclear Industry Hostel beside Binjiang Hotel (a
little way to People"s Road from Binjiang Mid Road), where the guest rooms are
large and clean with 24-hour hot water and air-con. It wiould cost you RMB120 for
the standard room for one night and I think it is very substantial. Moreover, these
2 hotels are very close to Xinnanmen Bus Station - only a 10- minute walk.
If you want to go to the downtown area or Chunxi Road, you had better spend 4
yuan renting a tricycle or take the bus a little way. |