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Sichuan Opera

As one of the major schools of opera in China, the Sichuan Opera has a long history. It originated about 400 years ago at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, there were several different forms of popular theatre in the Sichuan area which gradually developed and blended to emerge as the present Sichuan Opera. Today’s Sichuan Opera is a modern synthesis of 5 historic melodic styles. Sichuan Opera is well-known in China, and it is characterized by solo singing, skillful acting, rich percussion and incredibly funny comedies. Performers wear brightly colored costumes and move to quick, dramatic music. They also wear vividly colored masks that they may change within a fraction of a second. The magic stunts such as quick face changes without makeup and the acrobatics such as jumping through burning hoops and hiding swords entertain and amuse audiences. The magical face changes are particularly famous.

This ancient waterworks about 60 km northwest of Chengdu transformed the region. It is an amazing feat of engineering and construction and is a wonder of the world, and is a UNESCO world heritage site. This waterworks is still used to irrigate 5,300 square kilometers of land in the region. For thousands of years, it has helped to make Sichuan a prosperous agricultural province in China. It was used to not only control flooding on the Min River, but also to irrigate an arid region on the other side of a mountain around Chengdu. Visitors to the site will gain an appreciation of the ingenuity and history of people of the Qin Dynasty over 2000 years ago .

The Wuhou Temple (The Temple of Marquis Wu) in Chengdu’s south suburb 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 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.

Sanxingdui, located in the city of Guanghan, 40 km from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, is recognized as one of the most important ancient remains in the world for its vast size, lengthy period and enriched cultural contents.
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Dufu’s Thatched Cottage is a museum and memorial for Dufu (712-770 AD). He is one of China’s most famous poets, and he lived during the Tang Dynasty. The memorial is located in a 24 acre (97,000 square meter) park by the side of a stream called the Huanhua in Chengdu’s western suburb. Dufu resided in a thatched cottage at the site where he took refuge in Chengdu during a war. The memorial originated as a temple dedicated to Dufu that was built about a thousand years ago during the Song Dynasty. The park contains a recreation of his cottage, what is suspected to be the remains of the original cottage, and ancient temples and structures. A large beautiful garden surrounds the structures. It is located by the side of the Huanhua Stream in Chengdu's western suburb. Visitors to the park learn about Dufu’s life, his poetry, and his times, and enjoy the large contemplative park.

The Giant Panda Breeding Research Base is located on Futoushan Mountain in the northern suburbs of the city of Chengdu in Sichuan province. It is about 10 km away from downtown Chengdu, and it can be reached in about 35 minutes by taxi. The Giant Panda Museum is located at the base, and it is the world’s only museum that focuses entirely on the critically endangered giant panda.  The museum’s collection includes displays of panda habitat and of pictures of pandas, and there are many scientific displays that give visitors a comprehensive education on their characteristics, habitat and distribution in the wild, and China’s conservation and breeding efforts.  The museum also exhibits books and scientific literature that authors around the world have written about giant pandas throughout history.