Making a name across the world with tourism

With giant pandas, spicy Sichuan cuisine and a unique history and culture, Chengdu has gained popularity among tourists around the world. As the city deepens its opening-up, more overseas visitors have marked it a must-see destination.

Chengdu was named one of the top eight coolest cities in 2018 by US media Elite Daily. Before that, National Geographic Traveler added Chengdu into its 21 must-see places for 2017. Payment giant Mastercard released a top 20 list of the most dynamic tourism destinations in 2017. It was evaluated by the growth in the number of inbound visitors and Chengdu ranked second.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, one of the most popular attractions in the city, has the largest artificial breeding panda group in the world. Besides about 200 giant pandas, there are red pandas, white swans and peacocks.

Jinsha Site Museum in western Chengdu has more than 5,000 historic relics with a history dating back 3,000 years. The site is among the most important archaeological discoveries in the early 21st century.

Collections in the museum include utensils made of gold, jade and ivory. The most famous artifact is a goldleaf ornament carved with birds and the sun. It has been designated as a symbol of China's cultural heritage by the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

Qingcheng Mountain, 70 kilometers away from the central area of Chengdu, is famed for Taoism. The Dujiangyan Irrigation System, built about 2,200 years ago, is the oldest of its kind still working in modern times. The two were enlisted as World Cultural Heritage sites in 2000.

Chengdu Wuhou Shrine Museum memorizes Liu Bei, the king of ancient state Shu, and his prime minister Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). The latter is also a symbolic figure for loyalty and wisdom in traditional Chinese culture.

At Jinli, a street beside the museum, there are buildings with ancient architecture where tourists buy local food, souvenirs, watch Sichuan opera and other folk performances.

Also in the city center, Kuanzhai Alleys features Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) buildings. Tourists go to experience the relaxed local life there.

The status of Chunxi Road in Chengdu is equivalent to that of Wangfujing Street in Beijing. In the commercial cluster of the southwestern city, global shopping malls and fashion brands have made their presence. The road is near the new financial center, Chengdu IFS, and shopping mall, Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu.