CHINA DAILY MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2012 chengduspecial 7

Left to right: Night view of the Tianfu Bridge in Chengdu, the provincial capital. Gateway to the Qingcheng Mountains, birthplace of Taoism. Renowned Sichuan hotpot is one of the city’s signature dishes. UN: Sustainable tourism in vibrant Chengdu

particularly spiciness from liberal use of gar- Home of the giant lic and chili peppers as well as the unique flavor of the Sichuan pepper. panda, ancient One dish recommended by almost all is Sichuan hotpot. As the metal pot starts to simmer, typi- wonders and cal ingredients including thinly sliced meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, and seafood renowned cuisine, are added. The result is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. Visitors to Chengdu can enjoy the dish Li Fusheng reports. at countless hotpot restaurants operating throughout the city. he UN World Tourism Organiza- in the world. Another signature dish of Sichuan cuisine tion unveiled an agency to observe The Dujiangyan system, which has stood is mapo tofu — soft bean curd served up with tourism development on Oct 12 in for nearly 2,300 years, silently diverts water a fiery meat sauce. Chengdu, the capital city of South- to irrigate nearly 70,000 hectares of farmland In addition, Zongfu Road, Chunxi Road Twest China’s Sichuan province, as part of its that produce almost a third of the province’s and Jinli Street are places to taste delicious Global Observatory on Sustainable Tourism grain. It survived the disastrous Wenchuan local snacks in Chengdu. The 5-square-kilometer Jinsha site in the city’s western suburbs has been hailed as one of program. Earthquake almost unscathed in 2008. Due to the sophistication of its cooking, the major archeological discoveries in China. The Chengdu observatory, the organiza- Together with Chengdu’s Qingcheng UNESCO declared Chengdu to be a city of tion’s fifth in China, will collect data for sci- Mountains, the Dujiangyan system was gastronomy in 2010, the first in Asia. entific studies on sustainable tourism devel- included on the list of UNESCO world heri- Local bar streets, including Jinli Street and opment by monitoring local tourism and tage sites in 2000. Lan Kwai Fong, offer the chance to sample environmental protection as well as social, Offering unique attractions on its 36 peaks, authentic nightlife. cultural and economic developments. the Qingcheng Mountains have long been Visitors can talk or play mahjong at local The UNWTO also plans to hold a summit recognized as the birthplace of Taoism, Chi- teahouses to help immerse themselves in the on world sustainable tourism development in na’s ancient indigenous religion. city’s famous pastimes. Chengdu early next year. Chengdu is also home to 3,000-year-old The moves are expected to help enhance remains of the Jinsha settlement, which is Intangible culture heritage the city’s reputation as major tourism city in widely believed to have been the capital of Chengdu is also renowned across China China, said local tourism officials. the ancient Shu state. for its intangible cultural heritage. Chengdu has abundant tourism attractions Located in the city’s western suburbs, With 17 items listed as national heritage including the nation’s giant panda breeding the 5-square-kilometer Jinsha site has been — including Shu embroidery and Chengdu research center. hailed as one of the major archeological dis- lacquer painting — Chengdu is the desig- Ten kilometers from downtown Chengdu, coveries in China in 21 century, according to nated host city of the biennial International the center is home to about 70 of the highly local historians. Intangible Cultural Heritage Festival, a cul- endangered species, which number fewer About 50 kilometers from the famed Sanx- tural gala co-sponsored by UNESCO and the than 2,000 worldwide. About 75 percent are ingdui remains in Sichuan province, Jinsha Chinese government. found in Sichuan. rose to prominence around 1000 BC and Not only a tourist destination, Chengdu The nation’s giant panda breeding research center is home to about 20 of the highly The facility has been created to resemble shares similar origins with Sanxingdui, as can is also an ideal starting point to tour other endangered species, which number fewer than 2,000 worldwide. the natural habitat of the giant panda, with be seen from similar burial objects, historians cities in southwestern China, said local tour- large open spaces for them to roam free and said, although Jinsha had no city wall. ism officials. providing the best venue to see the iconic More than 800 tombs have been excavated “Go southward and you can visit the Emei animals up close. in the Jinsha ruins dating from the middle of Mountain and the Leshan Giant Buddha, go The center also breeds other endangered the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century northward you can visit Jiuzhaigou, and go species such as the red panda and the black- - 771 BC) to the early Spring and Autumn westward you can reach Tibet,” one official necked crane. Period (770 - 476 BC). Artifacts made from said. ivory, jade, bronze, gold and stone have been It is also convenient for visitors to begin Places of interest found at the site. their travels outside China from Chengdu, While the panda center tends to attract he added. kids and animal lovers, what impresses many Delicious cuisine As the country’s fourth largest airport other visitors to Chengdu is the ancient Duji- In addition to places of historical and natu- hub, Chengdu has flights to 49 countries and angyan irrigation system. ral interest, Sichuan’s noted cuisine is a big regions worldwide. Built in 256 BC by local official Li Bing to part of the city’s charm. It is also home to consulates from nine tame frequent flooding of the Minjiang River, As the provincial capital, Chengdu is an countries including the United States, Ger- it is probably the oldest function- obvious choice to try out authentic Sichuan many, France, Singapore and Sri Lanka, mak- ing water-control cooking, one of eight major regional cuisines ing it more convenient for local people to project in China. get visas. With a range spanning some 6,000 dishes, Sichuan cuisine features bold flavors, Contact the writer at [email protected]. cn Scenic rural areas add to the allure of Chengdu.

The vast ancient Dujiangyan irrigation system was included on the list of UNESCO world heritage sites in 2000. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY