Say Hello to Cute Panda and Travel Around Chengdu

Cute Pandas in Chengdu, Photo Shared by Marcin

It's time to sample famous Sichuan cuisine, visit Pandas and says hello to 2nd biggest Buddha statue in China. Last Visit this year to PRC ( People's Republic of China ) – let's enjoy every minute of it.

In antiquity, Sichuan was the home of the ancient states of Ba and Shu. Their conquest by Qin strengthened it and paved the way for the Qin Shi Huang's unification of China under the Qin dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms era, Liu Bei's Shu was based in Sichuan. The area was devastated in the 17th century by Zhang Xianzhong's rebellion and the area's subsequent Manchu conquest, but recovered to become one of China's most productive areas by the 19th century. During the World War II, Chongqing served as the temporary capital of the Republic of China, making it the focus of Japanese bombing. It was one of the last mainland areas to fall to the Communists during the Chinese Civil War.

Highlights of My Tour

Leshan Giant Buddha, Photo Shared by Marcin

Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-metre (233 ft) tall stone statue, built between 713 and 803 (during the Tang dynasty), depicting Maitreya. It is carved out of a cliff face of Cretaceous red bed sandstones that lies at the confluence of the Min River and Dadu River in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below its feet. It is the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world and it is by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world.

Sea of Clouds at Mount Emei, Photo Shared by Marcin

Mount Emei

Mount Emei is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China, and is traditionally regarded as the bodhimaṇḍa, or place of enlightenment, of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra. Samantabhadra is known in Mandarin as Pǔxián Púsà. Sources of the 16th and 17th centuries allude to the practice of martial arts in the monasteries of Mount Emei.

Baby Pandas at Chengdu Panda Base, Photo Shared by Marcin

Chengdu Panda Base

Chengdu Panda Base, is a non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas and other rare animals. It is located in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Chengdu Panda Base was founded in 1987. It started with 6 giant pandas that were rescued from the wild. By 2008, it had 124 panda births, and the captive panda population has grown to 83.

Wenshu Monastery, Photo Shared by Marcin

Wuhou Temple

Wuhou Temple, a shrine integrated with tombs of Liubei and Zhuge Liang. Surrounded by old cypresses and classical red walls, the temple creates an atmosphere of nostalgia. When stepping into the temple, you get the chance to immerse yourself into a sea of ancient profound culture and history.

Statue of Zhuge Liang, Photo Shared by Marcin

Pearson in history Zhuge Liang 181–234, was a Chinese politician, military strategist, writer, engineer and inventor. He served as the chancellor and regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. He is recognised as the most accomplished strategist of his era, and has been compared to Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War. His reputation as an intelligent and learned scholar grew even while he was living in relative seclusion, earning him the nickname "Wolong" or "Fulong", meaning "Crouching Dragon" or "Sleeping Dragon". Zhuge Liang is often depicted wearing a Taoist robe and holding a hand fan made of crane feathers.

The Three Kingdoms (220–280 AD) was the tripartite division of China among the states of Wei, Shu, and Wu. It started with the end of the Han dynasty and was followed by the Jin dynasty. the period of the Three Kingdoms refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 AD and the conquest of the state of Wu by the Jin dynasty in 280. The Three Kingdoms period is one of the bloodiest in Chinese history. Technology advanced significantly during this period. Shu chancellor Zhuge Liang invented the wooden ox, suggested to be an early form of the wheelbarrow and improved on the repeating crossbow.

Mount Qingcheng, Photo Shared by Marcin

Mount Qingcheng

Mount Qingcheng is a mountain in Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China. It is considered one of the birthplaces of Taoism (Daoism) and one of the most important Taoist centres in China. In Taoist mythology, it was the site of the Yellow Emperor's studies with Ning Fengzi. As a centre of the Taoistreligion it became host to many temples. The mountain has 36 peaks. It is home to Dujiangyan Giant Panda Center and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mount Qingcheng was affected by the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008.

Taoist at Qingcheng Mountain, Photo Shared by Marcin

Taoism or Daoism is a philosophical or religious tradition of Chinese origin which emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao. The Tao is a fundamental idea in most Chinese philosophical schools; in Taoism, however, it denotes the principle that is the source, pattern and substance of everything that exists. Taoism differs from Confucianism by not emphasizing rigid rituals and social order, but is similar in the sense that it is a teaching about the various disciplines for achieving "perfection" by becoming one with the unplanned rhythms of the universe called "the way" or "dao". Taoist ethics vary depending on the particular school, but in general tend to emphasize wu wei (action without intention), "naturalness", simplicity, spontaneity, and the Three Treasures: "compassion", "frugality", and "humility".

The Entrance to the Park of Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Photo Shared by Marcin

Dujiangyan Irrigation System

Dujiangyan Irrigation System, an ancient irrigation system in Dujiangyan City, Sichuan, China. Originally constructed around 256 BC by the State of Qin as an irrigation and flood control project, it is still in use today. The system's infrastructure develops on the Min River (Minjiang), the longest tributary of the Yangtze.

Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Photo Shared by Marcin

The area is in the west part of the Chengdu Plain, between the Sichuan basin and the Tibetan plateau. Originally, the Min would rush down from the Min Mountains and slow down abruptly after reaching the Chengdu Plain, filling the watercourse with silt, thus making the nearby areas extremely prone to floods. Li Bing, then governor of Shu for the state of Qin, and his son headed the construction of the Dujiangyan, which harnessed the river using a new method of channeling and dividing the water rather than simply damming it. The water management scheme is still in use today to irrigate over 5,300 square kilometers.

Changping Valley, Photo Shared by Marcin

Changping Valley

I had a fantastic short trek along Changping Valley.

Haizi Valley, Photo Shared by Marcin

Haizi Valley

Haizi Valley, feels like Switzerland. Very pleasant hike and great worm up for next month Houte Route in Switzerland.

Bronze Human-head with Gold Mask at Sanxingdui Site Museum, Photo Shared by Marcin

Sanxingdui Site Museum

Sanxingdui - The Best - For Last - archaeological site and a major Bronze Age culture in modern Guanghan, Sichuan, China. Largely discovered in 1986, following a preliminary finding in 1929, archaeologists excavated remarkable artifacts that radiocarbon dating placed in the 12th–11th centuries BCE. The discovery at Sanxingdui, as well as other discoveries such as the Xingan tombs in Jiangxi, challenges the traditional narrative of Chinese civilization spreading from the central plain of the Yellow River, and Chinese archaeologists have begun to speak of "multiple centers of innovation jointly ancestral to Chinese civilization."

Special Thanks goes to people's of People Republic of China for these amazing 2 weeks.