Chengdu[a] is thecapital city of the Chinese province ofSichuan. With a population of 20,937,757 at the2020 census,[5] it is the fourth most populous city inChina, and it is the only city with a population of over 20 million apart from provincial-levelmunicipalities. It is traditionally the hub ofWestern China.
Chengdu is in central Sichuan. The surroundingChengdu Plain is known as the "Country of Heaven"[b] and the "Land of Abundance". Its prehistoric settlers included theSanxingdui culture. The site ofDujiangyan, an ancient irrigation system, is designated as aWorld Heritage Site.[6] TheJin River flows through the city. Chengdu's culture reflects that of its province, Sichuan; in 2011, it was recognized byUNESCO as a city of gastronomy.[7] It is associated with thegiant panda, a Chinese national symbol that inhabits the area of Sichuan; the city is home to theChengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Founded by theKingdom of Shu in the 4th century BC, Chengdu is unique as the only Chinese settlement that has maintained its name unchanged throughout theimperial,republican, andcommunist eras for more than two thousand years. It was the capital ofLiu Bei'sShu Han Empire during theThree Kingdoms Era, as well as several other local kingdoms during the Middle Ages.[8] DuringWorld War II, refugees from eastern China fleeing from the Japanese settled in Chengdu. After the war, Chengdu was briefly the capital of theNationalist republican government until it withdrew toTaipei on the island ofTaiwan. Under the PRC, Chengdu's importance as a link between Eastern China and Western China expanded, with railways built toChongqing in 1952, andKunming and Tibet afterward.[8] In the 1960s, Chengdu became an important defense industry hub.
The name Chengdu is attested in sources dating back to theWarring States period. It has been called the only major city in China to have remained at an unchanged location with an unchanged name throughout theimperial,republican, andcommunist eras.[20] However, it also had other names; for example, it was briefly known as "Xijing" (Western Capital) in the 17th century.[21] The etymology of the name is unclear. The earliest and most widely known explanation, although not generally accepted by modern scholars,[22] is provided in the 10th-century geographical workUniversal Geography of the Taiping Era, which states that the ninth king ofShu'sKaiming dynasty named his new capital Chengdu after a statement byKing Tai of Zhou that a settlement needed "one year to become a town, two to become a city, and three to become a metropolis."[c][23] (The character forchengChinese:成 may mean "turned into" whileduChinese:都 can mean either ametropolis or a capital).
Although the official name of the city has remained (almost) constant, the surrounding area has sometimes taken other names, including "Yizhou". Chinese nicknames for the city include the"Turtle City", variously derived from the oldcity walls' shape on a map or a legend thatZhang Yi had planned their course by following a turtle's tracks; the"Brocade City" (seeSichuan brocade), a contraction of the earlier "City of the Brocade Official", after an imperial office established under theWestern Han; the"Hibiscus City" (Rongcheng,蓉城), from thehibiscus which KingMeng Chang of theLater Shu ordered planted upon thecity wall during the10th century.[27][28][29]
Archaeological discoveries at theSanxingdui andJinsha Site have established that the area surrounding Chengdu was inhabited over four thousand years ago, in the 18th–10th centuryBC. At the time of China'sXia,Shang, andZhoudynasties, it represented a separate ancientbronze-wielding culture that, following its partialsinification, became known to the Chinese asShu.[32][33] Shu was conquered byQin in 316BC, and the settlement was re-founded by Qin generalZhang Yi.
In the early stage of theXia dynasty or even earlier, the ancient Shu Kingdom located on the Chengdu Plain has formed a relatively developed bronze civilization, becoming an important source of Chinese civilization and one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation. According to records, there were five dynasties in the ancient Shu Kingdom, and their capitals were Qushang (now Wenjiang District, Chengdu), Piyi (now Pidu District), Xindu, and Guangdu. At the end of the Spring and Autumn period (around the 4th century BC), the fifth King Kaiming moved the capital to Chengdu. According to "Taiping Huanyu Ji", the name of the city is borrowed from the history of the establishment of the capital in the Western Zhou dynasty. The allusions of Zhou Wang Qianqi's "one year, he lived in a cluster, two years became a city, and three years Chengdu," because of the name Chengdu, it has been used to this day. Therefore, Chengdu has become a rare city in China and the world that has not changed its name since its establishment. Some people think that Chengdu is a transliteration of ancient Shu place names. There is a saying that "Guangdu, Xindu and Chengdu" are collectively referred to as the "Three Capitals of Ancient Shu". Nowadays, there are many cultural relics of ancient Shu Kingdom in Chengdu Plain, such as Sanxingdui Ruins, Jinsha Ruins, Yufu Ancient City Ruins, Wangcong Temple, etc. Jinsha Ruins located in the urban area of Chengdu is a peak of the development of ancient Shu culture.[34][35][36][37]
The Golden Mask of the Shang and Zhou dynasties at the Jinsha Site.
The ancient state of Shu was the first target to be conquered by the Qin state in the process of unifying the world. King Huiwen of Qin had prepared for this for many years, and opened up the Shiniu Road (that is, the Jinniu Road) from Qin to Shu. In 316 BC, King Huiwen of Qin took advantage of the mutual attack between Ba and Shu and sent Sima Cuo to lead his army into Shu along the Shiniu Road, capturing the land in a few months. After that, the king of Qin established three abolitions of Shu Hou, and finally established Shu County, and the county seat of Chengdu County was established in Chengdu, the former capital of Shu. In 311 BC, Zhang Yi of the Qin dynasty built the Chengdu city wall according to the system of the capital Xianyang, building a large city and a small city. In 256 BC, King Zhao of Qin appointed Li Bing as the governor of Shu County. During his tenure, he presided over the construction of the world-famous Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project. The Chengdu Plain has been fertile and wild for thousands of miles since then. After decades of operation, Chengdu replaced Guanzhong Plain in the late Qin dynasty and was called the "Land of Abundance", and this reputation has continued to this day.[38][39][40]
During the Han dynasty, the Chengdu economy, especially its brocade industry, prospered, becoming an important source of tribute to the court. The imperial court invested in Chengdu and specially set up Jinguan management and built "Jinguan City" in the southwest of Chengdu, "Jinguan City" and "Jincheng" becoming nicknames for Chengdu. In the second year of Emperor Ping of the Yuan dynasty, the population of Chengdu reached 76,000 households, or about 354,000 people, making it one of the most populous cities at that time. Towards the six major cities. In the third year of the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han dynasty (141 BC), the Wen Dang, the prefect of Shu County, established the world's earliest local government-run school, "Wenweng Shishi", in Chengdu. In the Han dynasty, Chengdu's literature and art also reached a high level. All the most famous literary masters in the Han dynasty were from Chengdu, including Sima Xiangru, Yang Xiong, and Wang Bao.[41][42]
In the former Han dynasty, the whole country was divided into 14 prefectural governors' departments, among which the Yizhou governor was established in Luoxian (now Guanghan City, Sichuan), and the governor later moved to Chengdu. In the first year of Emperor Guangwu's reign (25 years) in the Eastern Han dynasty, Gongsun Shu established himself as the emperor in Chengdu, and the country's name was "married family". In the twelfth year of Jianwu in the Later Han dynasty (36 years), the Great Sima Wuhan of the Eastern Han dynasty finally captured Chengdu after five years of war, and his family perished. In the fifth year of Zhongping (188), Emperor Ling of Han, the court accepted Liu Yan's suggestion and changed the provincial governors to state shepherds with actual recruitment and command power. In the fifth year of Chuping (194), it moved to Chengdu. At that time, the Yizhou Provincial Governor's Department was the place where the Hu people in the Western Regions were operating.[43][44][45]
Tomb doors fromPi County showing men inhanfu, one with a shield and the other a broom (1st or 2nd century).
Cope and chasuble; Brocade of Lyon. 19th Century
Under theHan, thebrocade produced in Chengdu became fashionable and was exported throughout China. A "Brocade Official" (錦官;jǐnguān) was established to oversee its production and transaction. After the fall of the Eastern Han,Liu Bei ruledShu Han, the southwestern of theThree Kingdoms, from Chengdu. HisministerZhuge Liang called the area the "Land of Abundance".[46] Under theTang, Chengdu was considered the second most prosperous city in China afterYangzhou.[d] BothLi Bai andDu Fu lived in the city.Li Bai praised it as "lying above theempyrean." The city's present Caotang ("Grass Hall") was constructed in 1078 in honor of an earlier, more humble structure of that name erected by Du Fu in 760, the second year of his 4-year stay. TheTaoist Qingyang Gong ("Green Goat Temple") was built in the 9th century.[47][48]
TheSong conquered the city in 965, introducing the first widely usedpaper money in the world.Su Shi praised it as "the southwestern metropolis". At the fall of the Song, a rebel leader set up a short-lived kingdom known as Great Shu (Chinese:大蜀,Dàshǔ). Allegedly theMongols called for the death of a million people in the city but the city's population had less than 30,000 residents (not Chengdu prefecture). The aged males who had not fled were killed while in typical fashion, the women, children and artisans were enslaved and deported. During theYuan dynasty, most of Sichuan's residents were deported to Hunan during the insurgency of the western ethnic tribes of western Sichuan.Marco Polo visited Chengdu[24][51] and wrote about theAnshun Bridge or an earlier version of it.[e]
At the fall of theMing, the rebelZhang Xianzhong established his Great Western Kingdom (Chinese:大西) with its capital at Chengdu; it lasted only from 1643 to 1646.[21] Zhang was said to have massacred a large number of people in Chengdu and throughout Sichuan. In any case, Chengdu was said to have become a virtual ghost town frequented by tigers[52] and the depopulation of Sichuan necessitated the resettlement of millions of people from other provinces during theQing dynasty. Following theColumbian Exchange, theChengdu Plain became one of China's principal sources oftobacco.Pi County was considered to have the highest quality in Sichuan, which was the center of the country'scigar andcigarette production, the rest of the country long continuing to consumesnuff instead.[26]
DuringWorld War II, the capital city of China was forced to move inland fromNanjing toWuhan in 1937 and from Wuhan to Chengdu, then from Chengdu toChongqing in 1938, as theKuomintang (KMT) government underGeneralissimoChiang Kai-shek ultimately retreated toSichuan to escape from the invading Japanese forces. They brought with them into Sichuan business people, workers, and academics who founded many of the industries and cultural institutions which continue to make Chengdu an important cultural and commercial production center.[43]
Chengdu became a military center for the KMT to regroup in theWar of Resistance. Chengdu was beyond the reach of the Imperial Japanese ground forces and escort fighter planes. However, the Japanese frequently flew in the then-highly advanced twin-engine long-rangedG3M "Nell"medium bombers to conduct massiveaerial bombardments of both civilian and military targets inChongqing and Chengdu.[55] The massed formation of the G3M bombers provided heavy firepower againstChinese fighter planes assigned to the defense of Chongqing and Chengdu, which continued to cause problems for the Japanese attacks.[56][57]
An all-air war was fought over Chengdu between the Chinese Air Force and the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy air forces; an I-16 fighter shown here at theDatangshan Aviation Museum
Slow and vulnerable obsolescent Chinese fighter aircraft burning low-grade fuel were still sufficiently dangerous in the hands of capable pilots against the Japaneseschnellbomber-terror bombing raiders;[58] on 4 November 1939 for instance, Capt.Cen Zeliu (Wade-Giles: Shen Tse-Liu) led his17th Fighter Squadron, 5th Fighter Group of seven cannon-equippedDewoitine D.510 fighters in a level head-on attack against an incoming coming raid of 72IJANFG3M bombers (Capt. Cen chose this tactic knowing that the operation of theHispano-Suiza HS.404 20mm autocannon in his D.510 is likely to fail under theg-loads of a high-deflection diving attack), with Capt. Cen pummeling the lead G3M of the IJN's13th Kōkūtai's CO Captain Kikushi Okuda with cannon fire, sending the G3M crashing down in flames over Chengdu, along with three other G3M bombers destroyed in the Chengdu raid that day.[59] With the death of Captain Okuda in the air battle over Chengdu, theIJNKaigun-daisa (海軍大佐) became the highest-ranking IJN Air officer to bekilled-in-action in theWar of Resistance/World War II thus far.[60]
In mid- to late-1940, unknown to the Americans and European allies, the Imperial Japanese appeared in the skies over Chongqing and Chengdu with the world's most advanced fighter plane at the time: theA6M "Zero" fighter that dominated the skies over China against the increasingly obsolete Russian-madePolikarpov I-15/I-153s andI-16s that were the principal fighter planes of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force.[61] This would later prove to be arude awakening for theAllied forces in the Pacific War following theattack on Pearl Harbor.[62] One of the first American ace fighter pilots of the war and original volunteer fighter pilot for the Chinese Nationalist Air Force,Major Huang Xinrui (nicknamed "Buffalo" by his comrades) died as a result of battling the Zero fighters along with his squadronmates Cen Zeliu and Lin Heng (younger brother of renowned architectLin Huiyin) defendingChengdu on 14 March 1941.[63][64][61][65]
Following theattack on Pearl Harbor at the end of 1941, the United States began setting up stations at airbases in China. In 1944, the AmericanXX Bomber Command launchedOperation Matterhorn, an ambitious plan to baseB-29 Superfortresses in Chengdu and strategically bomb theJapanese Home Islands.[66] The operating base was located inXinjin Airport in the southwestern part of the Chengdu metropolitan area.[67][68] Because the operation required a massive airlift of fuel and supplies over the Himalayas, it was not a significant military success, but it did earn Chengdu the distinction of launching the first serious retaliation against the Japanese homeland.[69]
TheChengdu Tianfu New Area is a sustainable planned city that will be outside of Central Chengdu. The city is also planned to be self-sustaining, with every residence being a two-minute walk from a park.[72]
In 2019, Chengdu overtookShenzhen, China's technology hub, as the best-performing Chinese economy.[73] The city has surged in population in the last two decades.[74] Investments into a Europe-Chengdu Express Railway have been made, providing even more opportunity for the city to grow.[73] As a way to preserve farmland and accommodate the growing population of Chengdu, China is building a hyper-dense satellite city centered around a central mass-transit hub called the Great City where any destination within the city is within a 15-minute walk.[75][76] This proto-type city is intended to provide affordable, high-quality lifestyle, which provides people-oriented spaces thatdoes not require a car to navigate.[76]
Their current urban-planning focus in the city of Chengdu is to make the city 'a city within a park' rather than creating parks within a city.[74] The Great City falls in line with the Chengdu 'park city' initiative, prioritizing the environment, public space and quality of life. It will consist of 15% park and green space and be situated on a 1.3 km2 (0.50 sq mi) area.[76] Although 25% of the space will be dedicated to roads, one half of the roads will bepedestrian-oriented. This transit system provides direct transport to Chengdu itself.[75] It is expected that the city will consume 48% less energy than cities of similar size.[76]
The goal of the 'park city' project is to allow a city like Chengdu to compete withBeijing andShanghai without stripping the city of its character.[74] The city of Chengdu is already known for its focus on quality of life, which includes affordable housing, good public schools, trees and bike lanes.[citation needed]
Map including Chengdu (labeled as CH'ENG-TU (walled)Chinese:成都) (AMS, 1958)
The vast plain on which Chengdu is located has an elevation ranging from 450 to 720 meters (1,480 to 2,360 feet).
Northwest Chengdu is bordered by the high and steepLongmen Mountains in the north-west and in the west by theQionglai Mountains, the elevation of which exceeds 3,000 m (9,800 ft) and includes Miao Jiling (5,364 m, 17,598 ft) and Xiling Snow Mountain (5,164 m, 16,942 ft). The western mountainous area is also home to a large primitive forest with abundant biological resources and agiant panda habitat.[77] East of Chengdu stands the lowLongquan Mountains and the west bordering area of the hilly land of middle reaches ofMin River, an area noted by several converging rivers. Since ancient times, Chengdu has been known as "the Abundant Land" owing to its fertile soil, favorable climate, and novel Dujiangyan Irrigation System.[78][79][80]
Chengdu is located at the western edge of theSichuan Basin and sits on theChengdu Plain; the dominating terrain is plains. Theprefecture ranges in latitude from 30° 05' to 31° 26' N, while its longitude ranges from 102° 54' to 104° 53' E, stretching for 192 kilometers (119 mi) from east to west and 166 km (103 mi) south to north, administering 12,390 km2 (4,780 sq mi) of land. Neighboring prefectures areDeyang (NE),Ziyang (SE),Meishan (S),Ya'an (SW), and theNgawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (N). The urban area, with an elevation of 500 m (1,600 ft), features a few rivers, three of them being theJin,Fu, andSha Rivers. Outside of the immediate urban area, the topography becomes more complex: to the east lies theLongquan Mountains (龙泉山脉) and the Penzhong Hills (Chinese:盆中丘陵); to the west lie theQionglai Mountains, which rise to 5,364 m (17,598 ft) in Dayi County. The highest point in Chengdu is Daxuetang (also known as Miaojiling) in Xiling Snow Mountain in Dayi County, with an altitude of 5,364 meters. The lowest point is the river bank at the exit of Tuojiang River in Jianyang City, with an altitude of 359 meters.[81][82]
Chengdu has amonsoon-influencedhumid subtropical climate (KöppenCwa) and is largely warm with highrelative humidity all year. It has four distinct seasons, with moderate rainfall concentrated mainly in the warmer months, and relieved from both sweltering summers and freezing winters. TheQin Mountains (Qinling) to the far north help shield the city from coldSiberian winds in the winter; because of this, the short winter is milder than in the LowerYangtze. The 24-hour daily mean temperature in January is 5.9 °C (42.6 °F), and snow is rare but there are a few periods of frost each winter. The summer is hot and humid, but not to the extent of the "Three Furnaces" cities ofChongqing,Wuhan, andNanjing, all of which lie in the Yangtze basin.[83] The 24-hour daily mean temperature in July and August is around 25 °C (77 °F), with afternoon highs sometimes reaching 33 °C (91 °F); sustained heat as found in much of eastern China is rare. Rainfall occurs most frequently and is concentrated in July and August, with very little of it in the cooler months. Chengdu also has one of the lowest annual sunshine totals nationally,[84][85] with less sunshine annually than much of Northern Europe.[citation needed] With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 15 percent in December to 32 percent in August, the city receives 1006 hours of bright sunshine annually. Spring (March–April) tends to be sunnier and warmer in the day than autumn (October–November). The annual mean is 16.9 °C (62.4 °F), and extremes have ranged from −6.5 °C (20 °F) to 39.4 °C (102.9 °F).
Climate data for Chengdu (Shuangliu District), elevation 495 m (1,624 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present)
As of July 2013, the world's largest building in terms of floor area, theNew Century Global Center, is located in the city. The 100-meter-tall (330 ft) structure is 500 by 400 meters (1,600 by 1,300 ft) in size with 1,700,000 square meters (18,000,000 sq ft) of floor area, housing retail outlets, a movie theaters, offices, hotels, a water park with artificial beach and waves and a Mediterranean-style village comprising a large 5-star hotel, a skating rink and a 15,000-spot parking area.[99][100]
Population size may be affected by changes on administrative divisions. 2021 data is year end estimate. 2022/3 fromSina.
According to the2020 Chinese census, the municipality had 20,937,757 inhabitants; the metropolitan area itself was home to 16,045,577 inhabitants including those of the 12 urban districts plus Guanghan City (in Deyang). Chengdu is the largest city in Sichuan and the fourth largest in China. 21,192,000 for2021, adding more residents than any other city in the country.
As of 2015, theOECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) estimated the Chengdu metropolitan area's population to be 18.1 million.[101][102]
Some of China's most important literature comes from Chengdu. The city has been home to literary giants, such asSima Xiangru andYang Xiong, two masters ofFu, a mixture of descriptive prose and verse during the Tang dynasty;Li Bai andDu Fu, the most eminent poets of theTang andSong dynasties respectively;Yang Shen'an, a famous scholar of the Ming dynasty; andGuo Moruo andBa Jin, two well-known modern writers.Chang Qu, a historian of Chengdu during the Jin dynasty, compiled the earliest local historical records, theRecord of Hua Yang State.Zhao Chongzuo, a poet in Chengdu during the Later Shu Kingdom, editedAmong the Flowers, the first anthology ofCi in China's history.Meng Chang, the king of Later Shu, wrote the first couplet for the Spring Festival, which says, "A harvest year accepts celebrations, good festivals foreshadow long springs."[citation needed]
During the period of the Five Dynasties, Huang Quan, a painter in Chengdu, initiated the Fine-Brush Flower-and-Bird Painting School with other painters. At that time, "Hanlin Painting Academy" was the earliest royal academy in China.[105][106]
In 1890, theCanadian Methodist Mission was searching for more stations in Asia. In February 1891, Dr.Virgil Chittenden Hart [zh], who had been Superintendent of the New York Methodist Mission Society of Central China recommended that Chengtu be its first Mission sight. During the meeting, it was proposed he lead this contingency; having built western hospitals, Boy's and Girl's schools at Missions he established on the Yangtze and Gan Rivers from 1866 – 1888. On 9 May 1891 Dr. Virgil Hart arrived in Chengtu and two weeks later bought a home and had it subdivided into living quarters and a dispensary, for the later arriving Missionary staff to move into.[109]
On 24 June 1892, the doors of Chengtu's first Protestant Mission Headquarters were opened with over one thousand people of the community attending. The first Methodist religious service was held the following Sunday with only several attendants. The first western dispensary in Sichuan was opened 3 November 1892 with sixteen patients seeking care. The mission site became so popular that a larger space was secured near Chengtu's East Gate in the spring of 1893. This site is where the city's first Methodist church (Sï-Shen-Tsï Methodist Church) and hospital were built. These were later razed by rioting Chinese in 1895 and the Mission staff retreated to Chongqing and later Shanghai to escape the marauders. Dr. Virgil Hart traveled to Peking to demand redress and full payment of retribution was collected from Sichuan Viceroy Liu Ping Chang. The mission compound was quickly rebuilt only to be destroyed once more in the riots of 1901. These were rebuilt a third time and later missionaries would relocate and expand the Boys' and Girls' Schools just south of the city, dedicating the Divinity College as Hart College in 1914; a part of theWest China Union University, that is now Sichuan University and theWest China School of Medicine (Huaxiyida).[110][111][112] During the Cultural Revolution, the Sï-Shen-Tsï Methodist Church building was no longer in use and the building was entrusted to the nearby Chengdu City Second People's Hospital for management. The hospital used the chapel as a kindergarten and the office of the hospital equipment department. In 1984, the hospital returned the chapel building to the church.[113]
In December 2018 the authorities attempted to close a 500-member underground church, theEarly Rain Covenant Church, led byPastor Wang Yi. Over 100 members of the church were arrested including the pastor and his wife. The church's kindergarten and theological college were raided and the church's media outlets were closed down. Before his arrest, church member Li Yingqiang declared: "Even if we are down to our last five, worship and gatherings will still go on because our faith is real. […] Persecution is a price worth paying for the Lord." Police are said to have told one member that the church had been declared an illegal organisation. Chinese media were banned from reporting the events. Video footage which found its way onto western social media showed arrests and photographs alleged to be of injuries inflicted by the police.[114][115][116] From a photo ofMs. Jiang's detention warrant it appears that the authorities have charged the church's leaders with "inciting subversion of state power," which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years.[117]
The saying "Shu opera towers above all other performances in the world" reflects the achievement ofSichuan opera andZaju (an ancient form of comedic drama involving dancing, singing, poetry, and miming). In the city, the first named opera "Bullfighting" was written in the Warring States period. The first detailed recorded opera was staged in the royal court of Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdom period. China's first clearly recorded Zaju was also performed in Chengdu. Tombs of witty Han dynasty poets were excavated in Chengdu. Andface-changing masks and fire breathing remain hallmarks of the Sichuan opera.[120][121][122][123]
The native language in Chengdu isSichuanese, otherwise referred asSichuan dialect. More precisely, "Chengdu Dialect" (成都话/成都方言) is widely used in lieu of "Sichuanese" due to the largely different accents of Sichuanese speakers residing elsewhere.[124][125][126]
The distinct characteristic of Sichuan cuisine is the use of spicy chilies and peppercorns. Famous local dishes includeMapo doufu, ChengduHot pot, andDan Dan Mien. Both Mapo Doufu and Dan Dan Mien containSichuan peppers. An article[127] by theLos Angeles Times (2006) called Chengdu "China's party city" for its carefree lifestyle. Chengdu has moretea houses and bars thanShanghai despite having less than half the population. In 2023, there were more than 30,000 teahouses in Chengdu,[128] and there were 3,566 legally registered bars, nightclubs, and dance halls in the city.[129] A statistical report in 2019 showed that Chengdu had more bars than Shanghai, becoming the city with the most bars in China.[130] Chengdu's tea culture dates back over a thousand years, including its time as the starting point of the SouthernSilk Road.[131]
Chengdu is officially recognized and named byUNESCO as the "City of Gastronomy".[132]
Tea houses are ubiquitous in the city and range from ornate traditional establishments with bamboo furniture to simple modern tea houses. Teas on offer includejasmine,longjing andbiluochun tea. Tea houses are popular venues for playingmahjong, getting a massage or one's ears clean.[133] Some larger tea houses offer live entertainment such as Sichuan opera performances.[134]
Chengdu is known for its hot pot.[135] Hot pot is a traditional Sichuanese dish, made by cooking vegetables, fish, and/or meat in boiling spicy broth. A type of food suitable for friends' gathering, hot pot attracts both local people and tourists. Hot pot restaurants can be found at many places in Chengdu.[136][137]
Mahjong originated in theMing andQing Dynasties in China. Most scholars believe that it is related to the evolution of the card "horse hanging" in the Ming Dynasty, which was gradually fixed in the late Qing Dynasty .[138] Another view is that it originated from "leaf play" or ancient divination, but the evidence is insufficient.[139] Since then, mahjong has become popular rapidly and spread overseas with immigrants, forming diversified rules and becoming a global cultural symbol .[140]
Mahjong
Mahjong has been an essential part of most local peoples' lives. After daytime work, people gather at home or in the tea houses on the street to play Mahjong. On sunny days, local people like to play Mahjong on the sidewalks to enjoy the sunshine and also the time with friends.
Mahjong is the most popular entertainment choice among locals for several reasons. Chengdu locals have simplified the rules and made it easier to play as compared to Cantonese Mahjong. Also, Mahjong in Chengdu is a way to meet old friends and to strengthen family relationships. In fact, many business people negotiate deals while playing Mahjong.[141]
Chengdu claims to have first practiced the modern business model of 'Nong Jia Le' (Happy Rural Homes). It refers to the practice of suburban and rural residents converting their houses into restaurants, hotels and entertainment spaces in order to attract city dwellers.[142]
Nong Jia Le features different styles and price levels and have been thriving around Chengdu. They provide gateways for city dwellers to escape the city, offer delicious and affordable home-made dishes, and provide mahjong facilities.[143]
The Chengdu Digital Cultural Technology Lab, a collaboration between the Chengdu Science and Technology Bureau and local universities, focuses on applying VR and AR technologies to cultural heritage preservation. The lab creates high-fidelity digital models of historical sites and artifacts, enabling virtual tours and academic research, thereby expanding public access to Chengdu's cultural resources.[144]
Mount Qingcheng is amongst the most important Taoism sites in China. It is situated in the suburbs ofDujiangyan City and connected to downtown Chengdu 70 km (43 mi) away by the Cheng-Guan Expressway.[145]
With its peak 1,600 m (5,200 ft) above sea level, Mount Qingcheng enjoys a cool climate, but remains a lush green all year round and surrounded by hills and waterways. Mount Qingcheng's Fujian Temple, Tianshi Cave, and Shizu Hall are some of the existing more well-known Taoist holy sites. Shangqing Temple is noted for an evening phosphorescent glow locally referred to as "holy lights".[145]
TheDujiangyan Irrigation System (58 km (36 mi) away from downtown Chengdu) is the oldest existing irrigation project in the world with a history of over 2000 years diverting water without a dam to distribute water and filter sand with an inflow-quantity control. The system was built by Libing and his son. The irrigation system prevents floods and droughts throughout the Plain of Chengdu.[146][147]
Covering a total of 9,245 km2 (3,570 sq mi) over 12 distinct counties and 4 cities,Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, lie on the transitional alp-canyon belt between the Sichuan Basin and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It is the largest remaining continuous habitat for giant pandas and home to more than 80 percent of the world's wild giant pandas. Globally speaking, it is also the most abundant temperate zone of greenery. The reserves of the habitat are 100–200 km (62–124 mi) away from Chengdu.[148][149]
The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries are the most well-known of their kind in the world, with Wolong Nature Reserve, generally considered as the "homeland of pandas". It is a core habitat with unique natural conditions, complicated landforms, and a temperate climate with diverse wildlife. Siguniang Mountain, sometimes called the "Oriental Alpine" is approximately 230 km (140 mi) away from downtown Chengdu, and is composed of four adjacent peaks of the Traversal Mountain Range. Among the four peaks, the fourth and highest stands 6,250 m (20,510 ft) above sea level, and is perpetually covered by snow.[150][151]
Wuhou Shrine (Temple of Marquis Wu; 武侯祠) is perhaps the most influential museum ofThree Kingdoms relics in China. It was built in theWestern Jin period (265–316) in the honor ofZhuge Liang, the famous military and political strategist who was Prime Minister of theShu Han State during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280). The Shrine highlights the Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple and the Hall ofLiu Bei (founder of theShu Han state), along with statues of other historical figures ofShu Han, as well as cultural relics like stone inscriptions and tablets. The Huiling Mausoleum ofLiu Bei represents a unique pattern of enshrining both the emperor and his subjects in the same temple, a rarity in China.[152][153][154]
Du Fu was one of the most noted Tang dynasty poets; during theLushan-Shi Siming Rebellion, he leftXi'an (then Chang'an) to take refuge in Chengdu. With the help from his friends, the thatched cottage was built along the Huanhua Stream in the west suburbs of Chengdu, where Du Fu spent four years of his life and produced more than 240 now-famous poems. During theSong dynasty, people started to construct gardens and halls on the site of his thatched cottage to honor his life and memory. Currently, a series of memorial buildings representing Du Fu's humble life stand on the river bank, along with a large collection of relics and various editions of his poems.[155][156]
TheJinsha Site are the first significant archeological discovery in China of the 21st century and were selected in 2006 as a "key conservation unit" of the nation. The Jinsha Relics Museum is located in the northwest of Chengdu, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from downtown. As a theme-park-style museum, it is for the protection, research, and display of Jinsha archaeological relics and findings. The museum covers 300,000 m2 (3,200,000 sq ft), and houses relics, exhibitions, and a conservation center.[157]
TheGolden Sun Bird was excavated by archaeologists from the Jinsha Ruins on 25 February 2001. In 2005, it was designated as the official logo of Chinese cultural heritage by the China National Relic Bureau.[158][159]
The round, foil plaque dates back to the ancient Shu area in 210 BC and is 94.2 percent pure gold and extremely thin. It contains four birds flying around the perimeter, representing the four seasons and directions. The sun-shaped cutout in the center contains 12 sunlight beams, representing the 12 months of a year. The exquisite design is remarkable for a 2,200-year-old piece.[160][161]
Situated in the northeast of the state-protectedSanxingdui Site, The original complex ofSanxingdui Museum was founded in August 1992 and opened in 1997. It is the representative work of the master architect Zheng Guoying. The original museum covers an area of 1,000 acres and was rated as the first batch of national first-class museums.[162]
The new complex of Sanxingdui Museum was founded in March 2022. It covers an area of 54,400 square meters, which is about 5 times the size of the old museum. It was built for new cultural relics after major archaeological excavations. It displays more than 2,000 precious cultural relics such as bronze, jade, gold, pottery, and bone, and comprehensively and systematically displays the archaeological excavations and latest research results of Sanxingdui.[162]
Sanxingdui bronze head
The main collection highlights the Ancient City of Chengdu,Shu State & its culture, while displaying thousands of valuable relics including earthenware, jade wares, bone objects, gold wares, and bronzes that have been unearthed fromShang dynasty sacrificial sites.[163]
TheDaci Temple (大慈寺), a temple in downtown Chengdu was first built during the Wei and Jin dynasties, with its cultural height during the Tang and Song dynasties.Xuanzang, a Tang dynasty monk, was initiated into monkhood and studied for several years here; during this time, he gave frequent sermons in Daci Monastery.[164]
Also named Xinxiang Monastery, Wenshu Monastery (文殊院) is the best preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. Initially built during the Tang dynasty, it has a history dating back 1,300 years. Parts ofXuanzang's skull are held in consecration here (as arelic). The traditional home of scholar Li Wenjing is on the outskirts of the complex.[165][166]
Located in Xindu District, Baoguang Buddhist Temple (宝光寺) enjoys a long history and a rich collection of relics. It is believed that it was constructed during theEast Han period and has appeared in written records since the Tang dynasty. It was destroyed during the Ming dynasty in the early 16th century. In 1607, the ninth year of the reign of theKangxi Emperor of theQing dynasty, it was rebuilt.[167][168]
Located in the western part of Chengdu, Qingyang Palace (青羊宫) is not only the largest and oldest Taoist temple in the city, but also the largest Taoist temple in Southwestern China. The only existing copy of theDaozang Jiyao (a collection of classic Taoist scriptures) is preserved in the temple.[169][170]
According to history, Qingyang Temple was the place whereLao Tzu preached his famousDao De Jing to his disciple, Ying Xi.[169]
Kuanzhaixiangzi Alleys (宽窄巷子) were first built during theQing dynasty forManchu soldiers. The lanes remained residential until 2003 when the local government turned the area into a mixed-use strip of restaurants, teahouses, bars, avant-garde galleries, and residential houses. Historic architecture has been well preserved in the Wide and Narrow lanes.[171][172][173]
Nearby Wuhou Shrine,Jinli is a popular commercial and dining area resembling the style of traditional architecture of westernSichuan. "Jinli" (锦里) is the name of an old street in Chengdu dating from the Han dynasty and means "making perfection more perfect."[174][175]
The ancient Jinli Street was one of the oldest and the most commercialized streets in the history of the Shu state and was well known throughout the country during the Qin, Han and Three Kingdoms periods. Many aspects of the urban life of Chengdu are present in the current-day Jinli area: teahouses, restaurants, bars, theaters, handicraft stores, local snack vendors, and specialty shops.[175][176]
Facing theJinjiang River to the east and leaning against Muma Mountain to the north, the ancient town ofHuanglongxi is approximately 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Chengdu. It was a large military stronghold for the ancient Shu Kingdom. The head of the Shu Han State in the Three Kingdoms period was seated in Huanglongxi, and for some time, the general government offices for Renshou, Pengshan, and Huayang counties were also located here. The ancient town has preserved theQing dynasty architectural style, as seen in the design of its streets, shops, and buildings.[177]
Located in the center of downtown Chengdu,Chunxi Road (Chinese:春熙路) is a trendy and bustling commercial strip with a long history. It was built in 1924 and was named after a part of theTao Te Ching. Today, it is one of the most well-known and popular fashion and shopping centers of Chengdu, lined with shopping malls, luxury brand stores, and boutique shops.[178][179]
Anren Historic Town is located 39 km (24 mi) west of Chengdu. It was the hometown ofLiu Wencai, a Qing dynasty warlord, landowner and millionaire. His 27 historic mansions have been well preserved and turned into museums. Three old streets built during theRepublic of China period are still being used today by residents. Museums in Anren have a rich collection of more of than 8 million pieces of relics and artifacts. A museum dedicated to the memorial of the2008 Sichuan earthquake was built in 2010.[180][181][182]
Luodai was built, like many historic structures in the area, during the period of the Three Kingdoms. According to legend, theShu Han emperorLiu Shan dropped his jade belt into a well when he passed through this small town. Thus, the town was named 'lost belt' (Chinese:落带). It later evolved into its current nameChinese:洛带 with the same pronunciation, but a different first character.[183]
Luodai Historic Town is one of the five major Hakka settlements in China. Three or four hundred years ago, a group of Hakka people moved to Luodai from coastal cities. It has since grown into the largest community forHakka people.[184]
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(September 2024)
Map of Chengdu showing infrastructures and land use, made by theCIA in 1989. Note that city mostly ends at what is today's second ring road.Chunxi Road
China's state council has designated Chengdu as the country's western center of logistics, commerce, finance, science and technology, as well as a hub of transportation and communication. It is also an important base for manufacturing and agriculture.
According to the World Bank's 2007 survey report on global investment environments, Chengdu was declared "a benchmark city for investment environment in inland China."[185]
Also based on a research report undertaken by the Nobel economics laureate, Dr.Robert Mundell and the celebrated Chinese economist,Li Yining, published by the State Information Center in 2010, Chengdu has become an "engine" of the Western Development Program, a benchmark city for investment environment in inland China, and a major leader in new urbanization.[186]
In 2010, 12 of the Fortune 500 companies, including ANZ Bank, Nippon Steel Corporation, and Electricité de France, have opened offices, branches, or operation centers in Chengdu, the largest number in recent years. Meanwhile, the Fortune 500 companies that have opened offices in Chengdu, including JP Morgan Chase,[187] Henkel,[188] and GE,[189] increased their investment and upgraded the involvement of their branches in Chengdu. By the end of 2010, over 200 Fortune 500 companies had set up branches in Chengdu, ranking it first in terms of the number of Fortune 500 companies in Central and Western China. Of these, 149 are foreign enterprises and 40 are domestic companies.[190][188]
According to the 2010AmCham China White Paper on the State of American Business in China, Chengdu has become a top investment destination in China.[191]
The main industries in Chengdu—including machinery, automobile, medicine, food, and information technology—are supported by numerous large-scale enterprises. In addition, an increasing number of high-tech enterprises from outside Chengdu have also settled down there.[192][193]
Taikoo Li and IFS, downtown Chengdu
Chengdu is becoming one of the favorite cities for investment in Central and Western China.[194] Among the world's 500 largest companies, 133 multinational enterprises have had subsidiaries or branch offices in Chengdu by October 2009.[194] These MNEs include Intel, Cisco, Sony and Toyota that have assembly and manufacturing bases, as well as Motorola, Ericsson, and Microsoft that have R&D centers in Chengdu.[194] TheNational Development and Reform Commission has formally approved Chengdu's proposed establishment of a national bio-industry base there.[195] The government of Chengdu had unveiled a plan to create a 90-billion-CNY bio pharmaceutical sector by 2012.[196] China's aviation industries have begun construction of a high-tech industrial park in the city that will feature space and aviation technology.[197] The local government plans to attract overseas and domestic companies for service outsourcing and become a well-known service outsourcing base in China and worldwide.[198]
In the middle of the 2000s, the city expanded urban infrastructure and services to nearby rural communities in an effort to improve rural living conditions.[199]: 167
Chengdu has long been an established national electronics and IT industry hub. Chengdu's growth accelerated alongside the growth of China's domestic telecom services sector, which along with India's together account for over 70 percent of the world telecommunications market. Several key national electronics R&D institutes are located in Chengdu. Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone has attracted a variety of multinationals, at least 30Fortune 500 companies and 12,000 domestic companies, includingIntel,IBM,Cisco,Nokia,Motorola,SAP,Siemens,Canon,HP,Xerox,Microsoft,Tieto,NIIT,MediaTek, andWipro, as well as domestic powerhouses such asLenovo.[200]Dell opened its second major China operations center in 2011[201] in Chengdu as its center inXiamen expands in 2010.[202]
Intel Capital acquired a strategic stake in Primetel, Chengdu's first foreign technology company in 2001.[203][204] Intel's Chengdu factory, set up in 2005 is its second in China, after its Shanghai factory, and the first such large-scale foreign investment in the electronics industry in interior mainland China.[205] Intel, the world's largest chipmaker, has invested US$600 million in two assembly and testing facilities in Chengdu.[205] Following the footsteps of Intel, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), the world's third largestfoundry, set up an assembly and testing plant in Chengdu in 2006.[206]AMD, Intel's rival, had set up an R&D center in this city in 2008.[207][208]
In November 2006, IBM signed an agreement with the Chengdu High-Tech Zone to establish a Global Delivery Center, its fourth in China afterDalian,Shanghai andShenzhen, within theChengdu Tianfu Software Park. Scheduled to be operational by February 2007, this new center will provide multilingual application development and maintenance services to clients globally in English, Japanese and Chinese, and to the IBM Global Procurement Center, recently located to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.[209] On 23 March 2008, IBM announced at the "West China Excellent Enterprises CEO Forum" that the southwest working team ofIBM Global Business Services is now formally stationed in Chengdu. On 28 May 2008, Zhou Weikun, president of IBM China disclosed that IBM Chengdu would increase its staff number from the present 600 to nearly 1,000 by the end of the year.[210][211]
In July 2019,Amazon Web Services, the cloud computing company, signed a deal with the Chengdu High-Tech Zone to establish an innovation center. This project was intended to attract international business and enterprise into the area, promote cloud computing in China, and develop artificial intelligence technologies.[212][213]
Chengdu is a major base for communication infrastructure, with one of China's nine top level postal centers and one of six national telecom exchanges hub.[citation needed]
In 2009, Chengdu hosted theWorld Cyber Games Grand Finals (11–15 November). It was the first time China hosted the world's largest computer and video game tournament.[214]
ANZ's data services center, established in 2011 in Chengdu, employs over 800 people, and in March 2019 the bank recruited further staff to support its data analytics andbig data efforts.[216] In 2020, ANZ temporarily repurposed its Chengdu data center to an IT helpdesk, as part of the bank's pandemic response.[217]
Historically, Chengdu has marked its name in the history of financial innovation. The world's first papercurrency 'Jiao Zi' was seen in Chengdu in the year 1023, during theSong dynasty.[218]
Now, Chengdu is not only the gateway of Western China for foreign financial institutions, but also a booming town for Chinese domestic financial firms. The Chinese monetary authority,People's Bank of China (China's central bank), set its southwestern China headquarters in Chengdu City.[219] In addition, almost all domestic banks and securities brokerage firms located their regional headquarters or branches in Chengdu. At the same time, the local financial firms of Chengdu are strengthening their presences nationally, notably, Huaxi Securities, Sinolink Securities, and Bank of Chengdu. Moreover, on top of banks and brokerage firms, the flourish of local economy lured more and more financial service firms to the city to capitalise on the economic growth. Grant Thornton, KPMG, PWC and Ernst & Young are the four global accountants and business advisers with Western China head offices in the city.[220][221]
It is expected that by 2012, value-added financial services will make up 14 percent of the added-value service industry and 7 percent of the regional GDP. By 2015, those figures are expected to grow to 18 percent and 9 percent respectively.[222]
Because of its logistic infrastructure, professional network, and resources in science, technology, and communication, Chengdu has become home to 43 foreign-funded logistic enterprises, including UPS, TNT, DHL, and Maersk, as well as a number of well-known domestic logistic enterprises including COSCO, CSCL, SINOTRANS, CRE, Transfar Group, South Logistic Group, YCH, and STO. By 2012, the logistic industry in Chengdu will realize a value added of RMB 50 billion, with an average annual growth exceeding 18 percent. Ten new international direct flights will be in service; five railways for five-scheduled block container trains will be put into operation; and 50 large logistic enterprises are expected to have annual operation revenue exceeding RMB 100 million.[223][224]
Chengdu is the largest trade center in western China with a market covering all of Sichuan province, exerting influence on six provinces, cities, and districts in western China. Chengdu ranks first among cities in western China in terms of the scale of foreign investment in commerce and trade.[225][226] By 2012, total retail sales of consumer goods in Chengdu reached RMB 331.77 billion, up 16 percent annually on average.[227]
Boasting the claim as "China's Famous Exhibition City" and "China's Most Competitive Convention and Exhibition City", Chengdu takes the lead in central and western China for its scale of convention economy.[228][229] It has been recognized as one of the three largest convention and exhibition cities in China.[228] In 2010, direct revenue from the convention and exhibition industry was RMB 3.21 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 27.8 percent.[230] The growth reached a historical high.
In 2006, Chengdu was listed as one of the first service outsourcing base cities in China by theMinistry of Science and Technology.[231] Among the Top 10 service outsourcing enterprises in the world, Accenture, IBM, and Wipro are based in Chengdu.[232][233] In addition, 20 international enterprises including Motorola, Ubi Soft Entertainment, and Agilent, have set up internal shared service centers or R&D centers in Chengdu.[234] Maersk Global Document Processing Center and Logistic Processing Sub-center, DHL Chengdu Service Center, Financial Accounting Center for DHL China, and Siemens Global IT Operation Center will be put into operation.[235] In 2010, offshore service outsourcing in Chengdu realized a registered contract value of US$336 million, 99 percent higher than the previous year.[236][235]
Chengdu was granted the title "National High-Tech Industry Base for New Energy Industry" (新能源产业国家高技术产业基地) by theNational Development and Reform Commission.[237] Chengdu ranked first again in the list of China's 15 "Cities with Highest Investment Value for New Energies" released at the beginning of 2011, and Shuangliu County under its jurisdiction entered "2010 China's Top 100 Counties of New Energies".[238] In 2012, Chengdu's new energy industry reached an investment over 20 billion RMB and sales revenue of 50 billion RMB.[239][240]
Chengdu is home to the most competitive IT industry cluster in western China, an important integrated circuit industry base in China, and one of the five major national software industry bases.[241][242]
Manufacturing chains are already formed in integrated circuits, optoelectronics displays, digital video & audio, optical communication products, and original-equipment products of electronic terminals,[243][244] including companies as IBM, Intel, Texas Instruments, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson, Dell, Lenovo, Foxconn, Compal, and Wistron.[245][246]
Chengdu has built a comprehensive automobile industry system, and preliminarily formed a system integrated with trade, exhibitions, entertainment, R&D, and manufacturing of spare parts and whole vehicles (e.g., sedans, coaches, sport utility vehicles, trucks, special vehicles). There are whole vehicle makers, such as Dongfeng-PSA (Peugeot-Citroën), Volvo, FAW-Volkswagen, FAW-Toyota, Yema, and Sinotruk Wangpai, as well as nearly 200 core parts makers covering German, Japanese, and other lines of vehicles.
In 2011, Volvo announced that its first manufacturing base in China with an investment of RMB 5.4 billion was to be built in Chengdu. By 2015, the automobile production capacity of Chengdu's Comprehensive Function Zone of Automobile Industry is expected to reach 700,000 vehicles and 1.25 million in 2020.[247]
Chengdu enjoys favorable agricultural conditions and rich natural resources. It is an important base for high-quality agricultural products. A national commercial grain and edible oil production base, the vegetable and food supply base as well as the key agricultural products processing center and the logistics distribution center of western China are located in Chengdu.[248][249]
Chengdu is home to many defense companies such as theChengdu Aircraft Company, which produces the recently declassifiedJ-10 Vigorous Dragon combat aircraft as well as theJF-17 Thunder, in a joint collaborative effort withPakistan Air Force. Chengdu Aircraft Company has also developed theJ-20 Mighty Dragon stealth fighter. The company is one of the major manufacturers of Chinese Military aviation technology.[250][251]
Chengdu Hi-tech Comprehensive Free Trade Zone was established with the approval of theState Council on 18 October 2010 and passed the national acceptance on 25 February 2011.[252] It was officially operated in May 2011. Chengdu High-tech Comprehensive Free Trade Zone is integrated and expanded from the former Chengdu Export Processing Zone and Chengdu Bonded Logistics Center. it is located in the Chengdu West High-tech Industrial Development Zone, with an area of 4.68 square kilometers and divided into three areas A, B and C. The industries focus on notebook computer manufacturing, tablet computer manufacturing, wafer manufacturing and chip packaging testing, electronic components, precision machining, and biopharmaceutical industry.[253] Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Free Trade Zone has attracted top 500 and multinational enterprises including as Intel, Foxconn, Texas Instruments, Dell, and Morse.[254]
In 2020, the Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Free Trade Zone achieved a total import and export volume of 549.1 billion yuan (including Shuangliu Sub-zone), accounting for 68% of the province's total foreign trade import and export volume, ranking No.1 in the national comprehensive free trade zones for three consecutive years.[255]
Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone
In 1988, The Implementation Plan for a Gradual Housing System Reform in Cities and Towns marked the beginning of overall housing reform in urban areas of China.[257] More than 20 real estate companies set up in Chengdu, which was the first step for Chengdu's real estate development.
Chengdu started the Five Main Roads & One Bridge project in 1997. Three of the roads supported the east part of the city, the other two led to the south. It established the foundation of the Eastern and Southern sub-centers of Chengdu. The two major sub-centers determined people's eastward and southward living trends. Large numbers of buildings appeared around the east and south of the 2nd Ring Road. The Shahe River renovation project together with Jin River project also set off a fashion for people living by the two rivers. It was said that the map of Chengdu should update every three months.[263]
A speculative housing boom occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s.[199]: 167 In 2000, dozens of commercial real estate projects also appeared.[264] While promoting the real estate market, the Chinese government encouraged citizens to buy their own houses by providing considerable subsidies at a certain period. Houses were included in commodities.
Chengdu airports (including Shuangliu International Airport and Tianfu International Airport) is also a240-hour visa-free transit port for foreigners from 53 countries[266] Besides, Chengdu airports also offer 24-hourvisa-free transit for most nationals when having a stopover in Chengdu.
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport has two runways and is capable of operating theAirbus A380, currently the largest passenger aircraft in operation. Chengdu is the fourth city in China with two commercial-use runways, after Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. On 26 May 2009,Air China, Chengdu City Government and Sichuan Airport Group signed an agreement to improve the infrastructure of the airport and increase the number of direct international flights to and from Chengdu. The objective is to increase passenger traffic to more than 40 million by 2015, making Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport the fourth-largest international hub in China, after Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, top 30 largest airports in the world.[267][268] Chengdu Shuangliu Airport ranked the No.1 and No.2 busiest airport in China in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The airport is current operating only domestically.
A second international airport, theChengdu Tianfu International Airport (IATA: TFU, ICAO: ZUTF) currently with two main terminals and three runways, opened in June 2021. The new airport is 51 kilometers (32 mi) southeast of the city and will have a capacity to handle between 80 and 90 million passengers per year.
Since 2023, all the international flights are transferred to Tianfu International Airport.
Terminal 2 of Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
Chengdu is the primary railway hub city and rail administrative center in southwestern China. TheChina Railway Chengdu Group manages the railway system of Sichuan Province, Chongqing City, and Guizhou Province. Chengdu has four main freight railway stations. Among them, the Chengdu North Marshalling Station is one of the largest marshalling stations in Asia.[269] Since April 2013, companies are able to ship goods three times a week (initially only once a week)[270] to Europe on trains originating from Chengdu Qingbaijiang Station bound forŁódź, Poland. It is the first express cargo train linking China and Europe, taking 12 days to complete the full journey.
The Chengdu–Dujiangyan intercity railway is a high-speed rail line connecting Chengdu with the satellite city ofDujiangyan and theMountain Qingcheng World Heritage Site. The line is 65 km (40 mi) in length with 15 stations.CRH1 train sets on the line reach a maximum speed of 220 km/h (140 mph) and complete the full trip in 30 minutes. The line was built in 18 months and entered operation on 12 May 2010.[272]
Chengdu's transport network is well developed, and Chengdu serves as the starting point for many national highways, with major routes going from Sichuan–Shanxi, Sichuan–Tibet, and Sichuan–Yunnan.
Several major road projects have been constructed: a 15 km (9.3 mi) tunnel from Shuangliu Taiping to Jianyang Sancha Lake; alteration of the National Expressway 321, fromJiangyang toLongquanyi. There will also be a road that connects Longquan Town to Longquan Lake; it is connected to the Chengdu–Jianyang Expressway and hence shorten the journey by 10 km (6.2 mi). By the end of 2008, there are ten expressways, connecting downtown Chengdu to its suburbs. The expressways are Chenglin Expressway, extensions of Guanghua Avenue, Shawan Line, and an expressway from Chengdu toHeilongtan.
Thetoll-free Chengjin Expressway in the east of Chengdu is 38.7 km (24.0 mi) long. It takes about half an hour to drive from central Chengdu toJintang.
The expressway between Chengdu to Heilongtan (Chengdu section), going to the south of the city, is 42 km (26 mi) long. It is also toll-free and a journey from downtown Chengdu toHeilongtan will only take half an hour.
The extension of Guanghua Avenue, going towards the west of the city. It make the journey time fromChongzhou City to Sanhuan Road to less than half an hour.
The extension of Shawan Road going north is designed for travel at 60 km/h (37 mph). After it is connected to the expressways Pixian–Dujiangyan and Pixian–Pengzhou, it will take only 30 minutes to go from Chengdu toPengzhou.
The Chengdu Metro officially opened on 1 October 2010.[273] Line 1 runs from Shengxian Lake to Guangdu (south-north). Line 2 opened in September 2012. Line 3 opened in July 2016. Line 4 opened in December 2015. Line 10 connects to city center and Shuangliu International Airport.[274] Future plans call for more than thirty lines. As of the end of June 2024, Chengdu has 558 km of metro lines in operation.[275]
This is an old style traditional tram in Anren ancient town which tourists use to tour the town on September 29, 2018 in Chengdu.[276][277]
Chengdu Tram Line 2
Chengdu Tram Line, located in the capital Chengdu City of Sichuan Province, is the first tram line to be operational in the city since 2018. The overall line is Y-shaped, with a total length of 39,3 km and 47 stations. It is also the first line in China to be equipped with the new generation.[278]
Bus transit is an important method of public transit in Chengdu. There are more than 400 bus lines in Chengdu with nearly 12,000 buses in total. In addition, theChengdu BRT offers services on the Second Ring Road Elevated Road. Bus cards are available that permit free bus transfers for three hours.
Historically, Jinjiang River (also known as Nanhe River) was used for boat traffic in and out of Chengdu.[279] To ensure that Chengdu's goods have access to Yangtze River efficiently,inland port cities ofYibin andLuzhou—both of which are reachable from Chengdu within hours by expressways—on theYangtze have commenced large-scale port infrastructure development.[280][281] As materials and equipment for the rebuilding of northern Sichuan are sent in from the East Coast to Sichuan, these ports will see significant increases in throughput.[282]
Wen Weng, administer of Chengdu in theHan dynasty, established the first local public school now named Shishi (literally a stone house) in the world. The school site has not changed for more than 2,000 years, which remains the site of today'sShishi High School.[283]No. 7 High School andShude High School are also two famous local public schools in Chengdu.
TheUnited States Consulate General at Chengdu opened on 16 October 1985. It was the first foreign consulate in west-central China since 1949. The United States Consulate General at Chengdu was closed on 27 July 2020, corresponding to the closure ofChinese Consulate-General, Houston.[289] The Sri Lankan consulate in Chengdu opened in 2009, and was temporarily closed in 2016. Currently, 17 countries have consulates in Chengdu.The Philippines,India,Greece,Brazil andArgentina have been approved to open consulates in Chengdu.[290][291]
Soccer is a popular sport in Chengdu.Chengdu Tiancheng, Chengdu's soccer team, played in the 42,000-seat Chengdu Sports Stadium in theChinese League One. The club was founded on 26 February 1996 and was formerly known as Chengdu Five Bulls named after their first sponsor, the Five Bulls Cigarette Company. English professional soccer club Sheffield United F.C., took over the club on 11 December 2005.[292] The club was later promoted into theChina Super League until they were embroiled in a match-fixing scandal in 2009. Punished with relegation the owners eventually sold their majority on 9 December 2010 to Hung Fu Enterprise Co., Ltd and Scarborough Development (China) Co., Ltd.[293][294] On 23 May 2013 the Tiancheng Investment Group announced the acquisition of the club.[295]
Chengdu is the hometown of Grand Slam championsZheng Jie andYan Zi, who won the women's double championships at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006, andLi Na who won the2011 French Open and2014 Australian Open, has led to increased interest in tennis in Chengdu. Over 700 standard tennis courts have been built in the city in the past 10 years (2006–2016), and the registered membership for the Chengdu Tennis Association have grown to over 10,000 from the original 2,000 in the 1980s.[296]
Chengdu is now part of an elite group of cities to host an ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Champions Tour tournament, along with London, Zürich, São Paulo and Delray Beach. Chengdu Open, an ATP Championships Tour starting in 2009, have successfully invited star players includingPete Sampras, Marat Safin, Carlos Moya, Tomas Enqvist, and Mark Philippoussis.[297]
Chengdu was represented in theOverwatch League by theChengdu Hunters, the first majoresports team to represent Chengdu. They played as part of the League's Pacific Division from 2019 until 2022.
Chengdu hosted the2021 Summer World University Games, originally scheduled to take place from 8–19 August 2021, but the delayed Summer Olympics in Tokyo from 2020 to 2021 caused the proposed dates to be moved due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The games would eventually be delayed to 28 July – 8 August 2023 due to COVID-19 concerns. The city will also host the2025 World Games.
TheChengdu Sports Center is located in downtown Chengdu, covering 140 acres (57 ha) and has 42,000 seats. As one of the landmarks of Chengdu, it is the first large multipurpose venue in Chengdu that can accommodate sports competitions, trainings, social activities, and performances. It is the home stadium of the Chengdu Blades, Chengdu's soccer team. The stadium hosted the2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.The Sichuan International Tennis Center, located 16 km (10 mi) away from Chengdu's Shuangliu International Airport, covers an area of 250,000 m2 (2,700,000 sq ft). It is the largest tennis center in southwest China and the fourth tennis center in China meeting ATP competition standards, after Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing. This center is equipped with 36 standard tennis courts and 11,000 seats. Since 2016, theChengdu Open, an ATP Championship Tour tournament, is held here annually.
^"Let us now speak of a great Bridge which crosses this River within the city. This bridge is of stone; it is seven paces in width and half a mile in length (the river being that much in width as I told you); and all along its length on either side there are columns of marble to bear the roof, for the bridge is roofed over from end to end with timber, and that all richly painted. And on this bridge there were houses in which a great deal of trade and industry is carried on. But these houses were all of wood merely, and they are put up in the morning and taken down in the evening. Also there stands upon the bridge the Great Kaan's _Comercque_, that is to say, his custom-house, where his toll and tax were levied."[25]
^ab Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878)."China".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (9th ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 638.OCLC1387837.***Please note that a wikilink to the article on [China] in [EB9] is not available***
^龟城刘备审阿斗_中华文本库.Chinadmd.com (in Chinese). 29 June 2015. Archived fromthe original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved31 December 2015.
^Mayhew, Bradley; Miller, Korina; English, Alex (2002).South-West China (2nd ed.). Lonely Planet. p. 19.ISBN978-1-86450-370-8.Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved6 November 2015.
^Cheung, 2015, p. 72. Imperial Japanese Navy's new supercharged and high-octane fueled engines had almost put the Mitsubishi G3M bombers out of reach of obsolescent Chinese fighter attacks
^Gustavsson, Hakan."Chinese biplane fighter aces – Shen Tse-Liu".Biplane Fighter Aces of China – Cen Ziliu.Archived from the original on 30 January 2005. Retrieved15 November 2020.Captain Shen and his squadron from past experience had known that when firing in a dive, the spring tension of the drum magazine in the Hispano HS-404 cannon was insufficient to feed the gun causing stoppages
^Chen, C. Peter."Cen Zeliu – Fighter Pilot".WW2DB.Archived from the original on 25 November 2021. Retrieved15 November 2020.On 4 Nov 1939, Chinese Air Force Captain shot down the G3M bomber carrying the commanding officer of Imperial Japanese Navy's 13th Air Group commanding officer Captain Kikushi Okuda, who became the highest ranking Japanese Navy air officer to be killed in the war thus far
^为什么重庆、武汉、南京有"三大火炉"之称？ (in Chinese (China)). Guangzhou Popular Science News Net (广州科普资讯网). 12 September 2007. Archived fromthe original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved29 November 2010.
^腾讯网 (16 January 2024)."确认了，成都人都是属向日葵的！_腾讯新闻".news.qq.com (in Chinese (China)).Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved7 September 2024.
^"Worldcon 2023 Selection Results"(PDF). DisCon 3: The 79th World Science Fiction Convention. December 2021. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 11 September 2022. Retrieved10 September 2022.
^"我国首个空天高技术产业基地在成都高新区开园".Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.Archived from the original on 23 August 2007. Retrieved7 September 2024.
^abAbramson, Daniel Benjamin (2020). "Eco-Developmentalism in China's Chengdu Plain". In Esarey, Ashley; Haddad, Mary Alice; Lewis, Joanna I.; Harrell, Stevan (eds.).Greening East Asia: The Rise of the Eco-Developmental State. Seattle:University of Washington Press.ISBN978-0-295-74791-0.JSTORj.ctv19rs1b2.
^"Hongkong 2008/09". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 24 September 2009.Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved31 December 2015.
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