Chengdu

Chengdu is the capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan. With a population of over 20 million, it is the fourth most populous city in China and the only city besides large municipalities to have such a big population. It is known as the hub of Western China and is located in the center of Sichuan, surrounded by the Chengdu Plain, often called the "Country of Heaven" and the "Land of Abundance."

The city has a rich history, founded by the Kingdom of Shu in the 4th century BC and has kept its name unchanged for more than two thousand years through many eras. During World War II, it became a refuge for people from eastern China escaping conflict. After the war, it was briefly the capital before the government moved to Taipei. Today, Chengdu is a major economic and cultural center, with important industries like machinery, automobiles, medicine, food, and information technology.

Chengdu is famous for its connection to the giant panda, a national symbol of China, and houses the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The city is also a leading financial hub and hosts many international companies. It has two international airports and is one of the busiest travel centers in the world. Chengdu is known for its universities and research institutes, making it a key spot for science and learning in Western China.

Name

Chengdu is a city whose name has been used since very old times, dating back to the Warring States period. It is special because it has stayed in the same place and kept the same name through many changes in China’s history. Sometimes, though, it had other names — for a short time in the 1600s, it was called “Xijing,” meaning “Western Capital.”

One old story says the city’s name comes from a king who decided to build his capital there after listening to advice from a leader who said a place needs one year to grow into a town, two years to become a city, and three years to become a very important city. Over time, Chengdu has had many nicknames, like “Turtle City” because of its shape on maps, “Brocade City” for its famous silk, and “Hibiscus City” because of flowers planted on its walls many years ago.

Logo

The city logo adopted in 2011 is inspired by the Golden Sun Bird, an ancient relic found in 2001 at the Jinsha Site.

History

Archaeological discoveries at the Sanxingdui and Jinsha Site show that people lived around Chengdu over four thousand years ago, between the 18th and 10th century BC. During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, the area was known as Shu. Shu was conquered by Qin in 316 BC, and the city was re-founded by Qin general Zhang Yi.

Under the Han dynasty, Chengdu’s economy grew, especially in making brocade cloth. The city became an important center for trade and culture. During the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Bei ruled from Chengdu. In later years, Chengdu continued to grow as an important city in China.

During World War II, Chengdu became an important safe place for China’s government and people as they moved away from areas attacked by Japan. The city played a key role in helping China during this difficult time.

Today, Chengdu is growing quickly. It has become one of China’s best-performing economies. The city is planning new areas like the Great City, designed to be friendly to people and the environment, with lots of parks and easy ways to get around without cars.

Geography

Chengdu is a big city in China, sitting on a wide, flat area called the Chengdu Plain. The land around Chengdu rises and falls, with tall mountains to the northwest and west, including the Longmen and Qionglai Mountains. Some of these mountains reach very high heights, like over 5,000 meters! These areas are home to special wildlife, such as the giant panda. To the east, there are lower mountains and hills, and several rivers flow through the region.

Chengdu has a warm climate with lots of rain, especially in the summer months. Winters are mild, and snow is rare. Summers can feel hot and humid, but not as extreme as in some other Chinese cities. The city gets less sunshine than many places, but springtime is usually bright and pleasant.

Administrative divisions

Chengdu is the capital city of Sichuan. It has control over 12 districts, 5 county-level cities, and 3 counties.

Some important areas in Chengdu include:

• Tianfu New Area
• Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone
• Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone
  • Chengdu Tianfu Software Park
  • Chengdu Export Processing Zone

Cityscape

Chengdu is home to the world's third-largest building by floor area, the New Century Global Center. This huge building is 100 meters tall and covers an area of 500 by 400 meters. Inside, you can find shops, movie theaters, offices, hotels, a water park, and even a special area that looks like a village in the Mediterranean.

Demographics

Chengdu is a very big city in China. In 2020, it had about 20,937,757 people living in the whole area. The city itself had about 16,045,577 people. Chengdu is the largest city in the province of Sichuan and the fourth largest in all of China.

In 2015, experts estimated that around 18.1 million people lived in the Chengdu area. The city keeps growing and has added more residents than any other city in the country.

Culture

Chengdu has a rich culture and many important writers and artists have lived there. Famous writers from Chengdu include Sima Xiangru, Yang Xiong, Li Bai, and Du Fu. The city also hosted the 81st World Science Fiction Convention in 2023.

Chengdu is known for its art, especially painting. During the Five Dynasties, Huang Quan started a school of painting flowers and birds. The city also has a long history of different religions, including Christian groups, both official and underground.

Sichuan opera is very popular in Chengdu, with famous parts like face-changing and fire breathing. The city's language, the Chengdu dialect, is part of Sichuanese and influences comedy and music.

Chengdu is famous for its spicy food, like Mapo doufu and Hot pot. The city has many tea houses where people relax, play mahjong, or enjoy performances. Mahjong is a common social activity in Chengdu, often played after work or on sunny days.

The city also supports rural tourism with "Nong Jia Le," where farmers open their homes to city visitors. There is also a Digital Cultural Technology Lab in Chengdu that uses virtual reality to preserve and share the city's cultural heritage.

Main sights

See also: Tourism in Chengdu

World natural and cultural heritage sites

Mount Qingcheng

Mount Qingcheng is one of the most important places for Taoism in China. It is found in the suburbs of Dujiangyan City, about 70 kilometers from Chengdu.

At the top of the mountain, 1,600 meters above sea level, Mount Qingcheng has a cool climate but stays green all year. It is surrounded by hills and water. Important Taoist places there include the Fujian Temple, Tianshi Cave, and Shizu Hall. Shangqing Temple is known for a special evening glow called "holy lights."

Dujiangyan Irrigation System

The Dujiangyan Irrigation System is the oldest water system still working in the world. It is about 58 kilometers from Chengdu and is over 2,000 years old. It diverts water without a dam to control floods and droughts in the Chengdu Plain.

Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries

The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries cover 9,245 square kilometers over 12 counties and 4 cities. They are home to most of the world’s wild giant pandas and are the largest area with many green trees. The sanctuaries are about 100 to 200 kilometers from Chengdu.

Wolong Nature Reserve is famous as the “home of pandas.” It has unique nature, different land shapes, and a temperate climate, helping many animals live there. Siguniang Mountain, sometimes called the “Oriental Alpine,” is about 230 kilometers from Chengdu. Its highest peak is 6,250 meters above sea level and is always covered in snow.

Culture of poetry and the Three Kingdoms

Wuhou Shrine

Wuhou Shrine is an important museum for relics from the Three Kingdoms in China. It was built during the Western Jin period to honor Zhuge Liang, a famous leader from the Shu Han state. The shrine has memorials and statues of important people from that time, along with old stones with writing on them.

Du Fu thatched cottage

Main article: Du Fu Thatched Cottage

Du Fu was a famous poet from the Tang dynasty. He lived in Chengdu for four years and wrote over 240 poems there. A thatched cottage was built to remember him, and today there are buildings and many of his poems to see.

Ancient Shu civilization

Jinsha Site

The Jinsha Site is an important place for learning about China’s past. It was found in the 21st century and chosen as a key place to protect. The Jinsha Museum is near Chengdu and shows old objects from that time.

Golden Sun Bird

In 2001, workers found the Golden Sun Bird. In 2005, it became an official symbol of China’s old culture. This round gold piece is very old, from 210 BC. It has birds around the edge for the seasons and a sun in the middle with lines for the months.

Sanxingdui Museum

The Sanxingdui Museum was started in 1992 and opened in 1997. A new, bigger museum was built in 2022. It shows over 2,000 old objects like bronze, jade, gold, and pottery from excavations at Sanxingdui.

The museum’s main displays are about the old city of Chengdu and the Shu state. It has many valuable objects from sacrifices from the Shang dynasty.

Buddhist and Taoist culture

Daci Temple

The Daci Temple in Chengdu was first built a long time ago. It was very important during the Tang and Song dynasties. A famous monk named Xuanzang became a monk and studied there.

Wenshu Monastery

Wenshu Monastery is one of the best-preserved Buddhist temples in Chengdu. It was built during the Tang dynasty and is over 1,300 years old. Part of Xuanzang’s skull is kept there as a special object. The home of a scholar named Li Wenjing is nearby.

Baoguang Buddhist Temple

Baoguang Buddhist Temple is in Xindu District and has a long history. It was built a long time ago and was destroyed in the 16th century, but rebuilt in 1607.

Qingyang Palace

Qingyang Palace is the largest and oldest Taoist temple in Chengdu and in Southwestern China. It holds a very old set of Taoist writings called the Daozang Jiyao. According to stories, the famous teacher Lao Tzu taught his important book, the Dao De Jing, there.

Featured streets and historic towns

Kuanzhaixiangzi Alleys

Kuanzhaixiangzi Alleys were built during the Qing dynasty for soldiers. In 2003, they became a place with restaurants, teahouses, bars, art galleries, and homes. The old buildings are still there.

Jinli

Nearby Wuhou Shrine, Jinli is a popular area with shops and food. It shows the old style of western Sichuan. Jinli Street is very old, from the Han dynasty, and was busy and well-known long ago.

The current Jinli area has teahouses, restaurants, bars, theaters, craft shops, food sellers, and special stores.

Huanglongxi Historic Town

Huanglongxi is about 40 kilometers southeast of Chengdu. It used to be an important place for the Shu Kingdom. The town keeps its old Qing dynasty style in its streets, shops, and buildings.

Chunxi Road

Chunxi Road is a busy shopping area in Chengdu. It was built in 1924 and named after a phrase from an old book. Today, it is famous for fashion and shopping, with many malls and stores.

Anren Historic Town

Anren Historic Town is 39 kilometers west of Chengdu. It was home to Liu Wencai, an important person from the Qing dynasty. His old houses are now museums. The town has old streets and many valuable objects from the past. A museum about the 2008 Sichuan earthquake was built there in 2010.

Luodai Historic Town

Luodai was built during the Three Kingdoms period. It is said that an emperor lost his belt there, which is how the town got its name. Luodai is one of the biggest homes for Hakka people in China. Many Hakka people moved there from coastal cities hundreds of years ago.

Economy

China's government has chosen Chengdu as an important center for trade, technology, and transportation in western China. It is also a key place for making things and growing food.

Chengdu is a popular city for businesses to invest in. Many big companies from around the world have offices or factories there. The city has grown quickly with many new technology companies, especially in computers and internet services.

Chengdu is also a important place for money and banking. It has many banks and financial companies from both China and other countries. The city has a long history in finance, dating back to ancient times.

The city has strong industries in making cars, growing food, and creating new energy. Chengdu is known for its modern agriculture and high-quality food products. The city also has many companies that make tools for the military.

Chengdu has several special areas for businesses, including technology zones and free trade areas that attract companies from around the world. The city has built many new roads and improved its rivers to help people live better.

Transport

Air

Chengdu is an important city for travel in China, with two big airports: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport. Shuangliu Airport is very busy, handling many passengers each year. It has special rules that let people from many countries pass through without a visa for a short time when they are just stopping over.

Shuangliu Airport can handle large airplanes and has two runways for planes to take off and land. A newer airport, Tianfu International Airport, opened in 2021 and is bigger, able to welcome even more travelers.

Railway

Chengdu is a key place for trains in southwest China. Many important train lines start or end here, connecting the city to places far away, like Europe. There are several big train stations in Chengdu, making it easy to travel by rail.

The city also has a special fast train line to a nearby town and a famous mountain spot, making trips quick and fun.

Metropolitan expressways

Chengdu has many big roads and expressways that help people get around the city and to nearby areas quickly. These roads connect Chengdu to other places and make travel easier for everyone.

Coach

Chengdu has several big bus stations that help people travel to many different towns and cities around the region.

Highways

• National Highway G5 Beijing–Kunming
• National Highway G42 Shanghai–Chengdu
• National Highway G76 Xiamen–Chengdu
• National Highway G93 Chengdu–Chongqing Ring
• National Highway G4202 Chengdu Ring

Chengdu Metro

The Chengdu Metro, the city's subway system, started in 2010 and has grown to have many lines. By the end of 2025, it had over 700 kilometers of tracks with 18 lines in use.

Tram

Main article: Line 2 (Chengdu Tram)

A tram line started in 2018 in Chengdu, helping tourists and locals move around one of the city's older towns.

Bus

Buses are a common way to get around Chengdu, with many lines and special cards that make traveling easier.

River transport

In the past, boats traveled on the Jinjiang River to move goods in and out of Chengdu. Today, nearby cities on the Yangtze River are building big ports to help move goods more easily.

Education and research

Chengdu has a long history of learning. A wise leader from ancient times built the first public school there, and that place is still used today as Shishi High School. Other well-known schools in Chengdu include No. 7 High School and Shude High School.

Chengdu is also a top city for science and learning. It is one of the main places in Western China for research and has many universities. Two of the most famous are Sichuan University and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.

• Sichuan University (SCU) (Founded in 1896), including the West China Medical Center of Sichuan University (Founded in 1910)
• Southwest Jiaotong University (Founded in 1896)
• Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (Founded in 1925)
• University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (Founded in 1956)
• Chengdu University of Technology (Founded in 1956)
• Sichuan Normal University (Founded in 1946)
• Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Founded in 1956)
• Chengdu Kinesiology University (Founded in 1942)
• Southwest University for Nationalities (Founded in 1951)
• Sichuan Conservatory of Music (Founded in 1939)
• Xihua University (Founded in 1960)
• Southwest Petroleum University (Founded in 1958)
• Chengdu University of Information Technology (Founded in 1951)
• Chengdu University (Founded in 1978)
• Chengdu Medical College (Founded in 1947)

Note: Private institutions or institutions without full-time bachelor's programs are not listed.

Consulates

The United States Consulate General at Chengdu opened on October 16, 1985. It was the first foreign consulate in west-central China since 1949. However, it closed on July 27, 2020. The Sri Lankan consulate in Chengdu opened in 2009 but was temporarily closed in 2016. Today, 17 countries have consulates in Chengdu. The Philippines, India, Greece, Brazil, and Argentina have been approved to open consulates there.

Sports

Soccer is very popular in Chengdu. The city's soccer team, Chengdu Rongcheng F.C., plays in the top league of China. Chengdu has also hosted big international soccer events, like the 2004 AFC Asian Cup and the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Chengdu is proud to call famous tennis champions like Zheng Jie, Yan Zi, and Li Na its own. The city has built many tennis courts and now holds important tennis tournaments, such as the Chengdu Open.

Chengdu has teams in popular video games, including the Chengdu Hunters in the Overwatch League. The city also hosted big gaming events, like the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational for League of Legends.

Chengdu has hosted big sports events, including the 2021 Summer World University Games, which were held in 2023, and will host the 2025 World Games.

The city has many large sports venues. The Chengdu Sports Center is a major stadium with space for 42,000 people. The Sichuan International Tennis Center is the largest tennis center in southwest China, with many courts and seats for thousands of fans.

Twin towns and sister cities

Notable people

Main page: Category: People from Chengdu

Chengdu is a city with many talented people. Some well-known individuals from Chengdu include:

• Tang Danhong, a filmmaker and poet
• Jing Gao, an entrepreneur
• Yang Hongying, a best-selling children’s book author born in 1962
• Tao Jiali, a fighter pilot in the People's Liberation Army Air Force born in 1987
• Muni He or Lily He, a golfer born in 1999
• Shen Xiaoting, a singer born in 1999 and part of the group Kep1er
• Li Yifeng, an actor born in 1987
• Jason Zhang, a pop singer born in 1982
• Li Yuchun, a singer and actress born in 1984
• Jane Zhang, a singer and songwriter born in 1984
• Gong Jun, an actor born in 1992
• Zhao Lusi, an actress and singer born in 1998
• Guo Feng, a songwriter and singer born in 1962
• Xu Deqing, a general in the People's Liberation Army since January 2022, serving as political commissar of the Central Theater Command
• Zhi-Ming Ma, a mathematics professor born in 1948 and former Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee for the International Mathematical Union
• Huajian Gao, a Chinese-American expert in solid mechanics born in 1963
• Zhang Zhengkai, a Chinese rapper born in 2002, known for his work in the underground rap scene and signed to the net label Surf Gang