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You will be picked up from your Chengdu hotel by your
English-speaking guide and driver between 7-7:30AM. From
there we will drive to Kuan-zhai Lane. China's Lane
(also called Kuan-zhai Lane, which literally means wide
and narrow lanes), is a conservation of old
architectural structures that have been implanted with
modern decoration.
Kuan-zhai is
one of the three key preservation areas in Chengdu. It
consists of Kuan Lane (Wide Lane), Zhai Lane (Narrow
Lane) and Jing Lane of which there are three paralleled
arranged traditional streets and Siheyuan (courtyard
houses). Meanwhile, it is the only area with recorded
rich architectural residential buildings from the Qing
Dynasty (1644-1911) till now. However, those three
parallel lanes have different styles. At Kuan Lane, you
will immerse in the leisurely life of Chengdu. Killing
time in open-air teahouse and tasting Sichuan dishes and
snacks is an unforgettable experience. If you are
history or architecture buff, Zhai Lane is the ideal
place for you to explore, because that the
well-preserved traditional buildings could be seen here.
In a courtyard there are gardens, in which there are
houses; while in a house there are courtyards, in which
there are trees; above a tree there is the sky, where
there is the moon... This is what is expected from a
Chinese-style courtyard, as well as what a Zhai Lane
life requires. Jing Lane is the most modernized lane in
these three lanes, which combines Chinese culture with
Western shopping.
Our next stop will be at the Qingyang Palace. It was
first built during the Tang Dynasty over 1000 years ago
but the original buildings were ruined and destroyed
over years and the currently palace was constructed
during the Qing Dynasty. One of the grandest buildings
on the Qingyang Palace ground is the Sanqing Hall. Built
during the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the 8th year of
Tongzhi's reign during the Qing Dynasty, the wooden and
brick structure covers an area of over 1,600 square
kilometers. Walls, windows and pillars of the building
are colorfully and exquisitely decorated with carvings
of flowers, two lions playing silk balls.
The name of the palace "Qingyang Palace" or Black Goat
Palace is derived from one pair of black bronze goat
sculptures placed in Sanqing Hall. The single-horned
goat on the left is in unique shape, which looks like a
sheep at a glance, but it is actually a mythical looking
creature which combines features of the 12 animal signs
in Chinese Shenxiao. It has a mouse's ears, an ox's
nose, a tiger's claws, a rabbit's mouth, a dragon's
horn, a snake's tail, a horse's face, a goat's beard, a
chicken's eyes, a dog's belly and a pig's thighs.
Legends go that the two goats were incarnates of two boy
servants of the Pure Emperor, and they could cure all
diseases. A slight touch on certain part of the goat
body will release pain and eliminate disease in the
equivalent part of human body.
We�ll then head over to the
Dufu Cottage. Du Fu, a very
famous poet, lived in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Just
as its name implies, the Thatched Cottage of Du Fu was
his home more than a thousand years ago. Du Fu was born
in Gongyi City, Henan Province in 712. In 746, he took
the official examination in Chang'an (now known as Xian)
and continued to live there for more than ten years
after the failure. But, in order to get away from the
An-Shi Rebellion breaking out in 758, Du Fu fled to
Chengdu in 759. With the help of friends, the thatched
cottage was built in 760 beside the Flower Bathing Brook
on the western outskirts of Chengdu. During his four
years there, Du Fu composed more than 240 poems that are
considered to be precious national treasures.
After Du Fu's departure from Chengdu, the cottage was
abandoned for a long time and became dilapidated.
Hundreds of years later in the Northern Song Dynasty
(960-1127) a new temple was built on the original site
of the thatched cottage to commemorate this outstanding
person in Chinese literature. From then on, it was
renovated and enlarged repeatedly. There were two very
important reconstructions in 1500 and 1811 respectively,
both of which set the scale and structure of the present
thatched cottage. Today, it is a shrine to Chinese
literature and a commemorative museum in the form of a
traditional garden.
Following our visit o Du Fu cottage we�ll have a
delicious lunch of Sichuan cuisine at a local
restaurant. Also known as Chuan cuisine, the dishes of
Sichuan Cuisine are famous for their spicy-hot flavors,
a spicy-hotness that Sichuaners call "dry hot",
insisting that it differs from the "wet hot" spiciness
of other cuisines. The difference, say, Sichuaners, is
that the spices used to achieve "dry hot" spiciness
consists of a mixture of dry ingredients such as crushed
peppercorns (black, red and white) and dried, crushed
chili, as well as Sichuan Province's own native pepper,
huajiao ("flower pepper" from the prickly ash tree,
Zanthoxylum bungeanum) that is of course first dried,
then crushed. After lunch you�ll be taken to the Sichuan
Specialty Shopping Center, which happens to be Chengdu�s
most popular shopping mall. Here you�ll have ample
opportunity to stock up on souvenirs and trinkets for
your friends back home.
Next it is off for some more history and culture at
Wuhou Temple. Located in the southern suburbs, it is the
most famous and influential of the temples dedicated to Zhuge Liang who lived from 181 until 234 AD. He is one
of China�s most famous historic figures, and he was a
renowned minister and military strategist for Emperor
Liu Bei (161-223) of the Shu Kingdom during the Three
Kingdoms period in China. The temple is also dedicated
to Emperor Liu Bei. It was built during the Qing dynasty
in 1672. Because Zhuge Liang was granted the title of �Wuxiang
Hou� (Marquis Wuxiang) in his lifetime, this temple is
known as the Wuhou Memorial Temple. The temple is one of
Chengdu�s major attractions and contains numerous
statues to Emperor Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang and other
officials of the Shu Kingdom, and there are ancient
inscriptions and tablets that are famous in China.
We�ll conclude your tour with a visit to the ancient
street of Jinli. Jinli Old Street is one of the oldest
and busiest streets in the history of China. As early as
the Qin, Han and Three Kingdoms periods, it was known
throughout the country. This street, which is only 350
meters long, is a stage for life in Chengdu and
showcases its features. You can taste the flavor of old
Chengdu by seeing the age-old street, official
residences, folk residences, teahouses, inns, wine bars,
stages and handiwork; you can get a taste of authentic
Chengdu flavor by trying local snacks and specialties.
Expect to be fully enthralled by the glamour of the folk
customs in Sichuan Province. Green tiles are placed in
order and bluestone ways twist forward, making people
feel as if time was turned back and they are in the past
again. Tea, dishes, wine, play and brocades with local
features appear before your eyes one after another,
creating quite a feast for the eyes.
You will then be dropped off at your hotel no later than
5PM, ending your tour with us.
Included in tour price:
1. Hotel pick-up & drop-off service,
2. English-speaking tour guide.
3. Air-conditioned tour van or bus.
4. Entrance tickets to the attractions as listed in the
itinerary.
Not included in tour price:
1. All additional expenses not listed as included in the
itinerary.
2. Tips/gratuities to the guide and driver for a
well-done job.
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