Chengdu China

Chengdu City Guide

Chengdu is the capital city of Sichuan province. With a population of 10.6 million, Chengdu is the fourth largest city in China, and covers an area of 11,936 square kilometers. Chengdu is also called "The Brocade city ½õ³Ç" and "The City of Hibiscus ÈسÇ". In Western Han Dynasty (206 BC), brocade produced in Chengdu were popular among the royal and the rich; hence, it was called the Brocade City. During the period of 907 - 960, the king of the Later Shu Kingdom ordered the planting of hibiscus on the city walls, and thus chengdu was called the City of Hibiscus.

Modern Chengdu City

Today, Chengdu has become an exciting and vibrant metropolis. The city is filled with shopping malls, arts and entertainment centers, and aside from all the authentic Sichuan cuisine restaurants, you will find a variety of western stores and restaurants.

Photo of a Pizza Hut restaurant in Chengdu, on the 2nd floor of a commercial building. In China, the Pizza Hut chain name is translated as "Bi Shen Ke", or meaning "A customer that wins for sure.".

Within the city, everywhere you go, you will see sky scrappers or tall residential buildings. Being the capital city of Sichuan, Chengdu is quite clean and well organized. You'll often see city workers cleaning the streets, picking up trash, and cleaning trucks driving by washing the roads. You'll even see workers sweeping the highway with a bamboo broom - no i'm not kidding!

A photo taken at Chengdu's most famous shopping district: "Chun Xi Lu".

Another photo of Chun Xi Lu at night time.

Chengdu Weather

Chengdu is located in southern China, and has a typical sub-tropical humid climate. The annual average temperature in Chengdu is 15.5 degrees and receives about 100cm of rain. The sky in Chengdu is almost always cloudy and smoggy. It's especially noticeable to foreigners that first step off the air plane. I remember the first time I walked off the plane at the Chengdu International Airport, the smoggy air left me with the deepest impression. Even on sunny days, you'd be lucky if you could see a clear blue sky. But, it's not so bad once you stay there for a day or two.

The summers are hot and humid, while the winters and cold and dry. It doesn't get too cold in Chengdu in winter, except that because the city is located in southern China where it doesn't get too cold, most homes don't have heating systems - unlike North America.

Chengdu Tourism

There's plenty to do and see in Chengdu and nearby area. One of the most famous tourist destination in Chengdu is the Du Fu Thatched Village. The Wolong Panda Nature Reserve is also another popular tourist destination. Around Chengdu, you will find popular tourism spots such as Mount Emei, Leshan Giant Buddha, and JiuZhaiGou. Chengdu is a popular tourist city offering all sorts of attractions and entertainment - you won't be disappointed.