Climate & Weather Report

Introduction

Sichuan was called Liangzhou in ancient time. Ba and Shu people lived here and established their own countries, during the period of Xia, Shang and Zhou. Shu’s center was on Chengdu Plain and Ba based on East Sichuan. Sichuan has mixed itself into the Chinese multinational family since Qin annexed Ba and Shu, but people still call Sichuan as Bashu now.  

Centrally located in the western Sichuan Plain, Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, is renowned for its fertile land and agricultural wealth which have earned the city the nickname "Storehouse of Heaven". It covers an area of 3,861 sq. km., of which only 50 sq. km. is in the city proper with a population of 4 million, of whom 1.23 million are urban inhabitants. Chengdu (Rong for Short), capital of Sichuan Province, is China's important industrial base, covering an area of 12,390 square kilometers and with a population of 9.4 million.

Chengdu is mountainous in the north-west area, with plains in the south-east area, and low hills in-between. It has a sub-tropical climate with an annual average temperature of 16.2 degree Celsius, and rainfall of 1.000 millimeters, and a frost-free period of about 300 days. Its mineral deposits include coal, iron, talcum,  serpentine, dolomite etc. It abounds in agricultural resources. Its main industries comprise machinery, chemicals, metallurgy, foodstuff, textiles, and especially measuring and cutting tools, airplanes, chemical equipment, analytical instruments, TV sets, computers, seamless-steel tubes, metal products, fertilizer, aluminum processing, electrical machines, wood-processing etc. which hold an important position in China. Chengdu is a major production base in China for commodity grains, rape seeds, and pigs, and abundant in peanuts, sesame seeds, cotton, sugar-canes etc. Famed as " Heavenly Land ", it has a rich supply of various products.

Chengdu is also a famous Chinese historical and cultural city,  endowed with unique natural conditions and beautiful environment. It has a pleasant climate, and exquisite lush mountains. Among its renowned scenic spots and historical sites are Marquis Wu Shrine, Thatched Cottage Du Fu, Dujiangyan Irrigation System. Now the city has become a cultural and economic center in southwest of China.             

Du Fu Cottage

The Du Fu Cottage was the former residence of the poet's retreat in Tang dynasty. In the winter of 759, Du Fu moved to Sichuan to take refuge and built a thatched hut at the bank of Huanhua Stream, which he praised it as cottage. He stayed there for 3 years and 9 months composing more than 240 poems, many of which were composed with the Cottage as the subject at the sight striking a chord in his heart.

The total area of the Cottage is about 200,000 square meters with a huge collection of more than 30,000 volumes of different kinds of materials and over 2000 pieces of historical relics in the Du Fu Cottage Museum.  Its structure is after the style of the Han period. In the courtyard of the cottage, Nanmu reach high up to the sky, the plum and bamboo all grow profusely, the flow of stream can be seen everywhere and small bridges link up the scenic spots. Bamboo and shady trees set each other off to advantage and flowers are in full bloom. Embellished with ponds, terrace, pavilions, the cottage looks both dignified and solemn, elegant and tranquil, beautiful and bright with a strong cultural flavor.

Leshan Giant Buddha

Leshan, located in the southwest of Sichuan Province in China, is a historical and cultural city with a history of 3,000 years. The city is well known for its beautiful Mt. Emei and Leshan Giant Buddha, a UNESCO –named world cultural and natural heritage. There are 11 districts and counties under its jurisdiction. Occupying an area of 12,826 square kilometers, Leshan has a population of 3.42 million, enjoys warm climate, abundant rainfall, fertile land and rich resources.

As one of the first group of tourist cities open to the outside world, Leshan attracts people with its unique tourist resources. Mt. Emei, the Giant Buddha and tens of satellite-like national and provincial scenic spots are gathered here. Situated at the conjunction of the Mingjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers, facing the world’s largest Buddha, Leshan was praised by the UN Environment and Development Conference as an ecological city with its characteristics that “the city is surrounded by forest and picturesque water.”

Leshan is convenient in transportation. Chengdu-Kunming railway runs through its five counties. Passenger ships and 300-ton cargo ships can get to any of the harbors along the Yangtze River from Leshan. A top-grade highway makes it easy to reach Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. Chengdu-Leshan Expressway was completed in 1999 and it takes only one and a half hour to go from Leshan to Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province. A tourist airport is planned.

The city infrastructure construction is going on well. Electricity is sufficient with the southwest electric network covering the whole city. For its communication, the city has modern networks of the 90’s with optical fiber, microwave and digit-control facilities. The city has developed friendship and economic cooperation with over 50 countries and districts including Japan and America. In 2000, the UN Urban Management Program selected Leshan as its first partner city in China. Overseas financial groups, companies and consortia have invested in Leshan and achieved great success.

This gigantic stone sculpture of Maitreya sitting against the Jifeng Peak of Lingyun Mountain faces west above the rushing rivers and looks at Mount Emei. The huge statue not only represents the brilliant civilization of ancient China but also is the largest ancient sculptures in the world.

Lingyun Mountain sees the waters of three rivers join—the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi. The Dadu rushes headlong against it. In older times, the roaring waves often capsized passing boats and took the lives of many. Taking pity on these people, Master Haitong, the Buddhist abbot of the Lingyun Monastery, raised funds to carve a stone Buddha out of Lingyun Mountain in an attempt to subdue the waters and save lives. However, a vicious official had his eye on the money and tried to blackmail the abbot. Master Haitong defied him and said:” You could gouge out my eyes but not touch the money donated to build the Buddha.” The official flew into a rage and dared him to do it. Master Haitong gouged out his own eyes and presented them in a tray to the official. The man fled in awe and terror.  Master Haitong then lived in a cave to the right of the Giant Buddha, so he could still listen to the work carried out on the site. 

Directed by Master Haitong, the work of hewing the giant statue began in 713. Tolls were simple and primitive. Master Haitong died when the work was only half done. Chang Chou and Wei Gao, two local prefecture magistrates, continued the work, paying for it out of their own pockets. They also sought the court’s help in granting the use of money collected from the tax on salt. The statue was finally finished in 803. It took a total of 90 years.

Well proportioned and truly majestic, the 71-meter Great Buddha is 18 meters higher than the big Buddha in Afghanistan. One hundred people can assemble on one of its feet, and a dinner table can be set up on the nail of its big toe.

One of the best views of the Buddha is from Qiluan Peak to his right. A narrow plank pathway built following the making of the Buddha zigzags along the mountainside from the foot. At its narrowest, the path admits only one person at a time. Along the way are caves full of exquisite sculptures of Buddha and niches. These are also Tang Dynasty works. A small patch of flatland in front of the Giant Buddha’s feet is where Buddhists pay homage to him.

To the left of the Giant Buddha is a 400-meter board pathway built in modern times, leading up to the Bijin (Green Water) Tower on and winds along the cliffs, sometimes going through caves. In some places it becomes a suspension bridge. This path commands the finest view of the scenery. Visitors can rest in several small pavilions or enjoy the inscriptions on stone tablets along the way.             

Giant Panda

The giant panda is China's national treasure. It is a legacy offered to mankind by nature. Its lovely image has been regarded as the symbol of peace and friendship. When the World Wildlife Fund was set up in 1961, the giant panda was adopted as the fund's logo. The giant panda has lived on earth for a very, very long time. Now, it is mainly  distributed in China's Sichuan, Gansu and Sha'anxi Province, living a quiet life. There are only about 1,000 giant pandas in the world. More than 80 per cent of them live in mountains in the western part of Sichuan Province. The giant panda has been found in Dujiangyan, Chongzhou, Qionglai and Dayi - all of them under the jurisdiction of Chengdu.

The giant panda is beloved by people from all over the world. It is a symbol of world biodiversity conservation, peace and friendship. The giant panda is also nature’s gift to Chengdu City, the capital of Sichuan Province. Now, eighty five percent (85%) of the wild panda population resides in Sichuan. So, please don’t miss this step – Sichuan - giant panda’s hometown.                               

Chengdu Research Base Of Giant Panda Breeding

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is one of the most important centers in China for the captive conservation of giant pandas. Giant pandas at the Chengdu Research Base live in large naturalistic habitats, which help the visitor to understand how these animals live in the wild. Also located at the Research Base is the Giant Panda Museum, which provides interesting educational information about a variety of species native to China. It is an excellent recreational area to know of the cute and lovely giant panda in China.

Woolong Giant Panda Nature Reserves

Woolong is the biggest giant panda nature reserves of China with an area of 2000 square kilometers. Here, you can observe giant panda, golden monkey and other valuable wild animals.   

Dujiangyan Irrigation System

Located in the suburb of Guanxian County, 57 km. southwest of Chengdu, the Dujiang Dam, an irrigation project was built by the locals in the 3rd Century A.D. It has been working now for 1,700 years and doing well. It is the reason that Sichuan is so productive in agriculture.  The headwork of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System consists mainly of three projects: Yu Zui, which is a fish-mouth-like water-dividing dyke; Feishayan, which is a spillway for discharging flood and silt; and Baopingkou, which is a channel cut through Mt. Yulei as a water inlet. The three projects have composed a complete and scientific irrigation and drainage network, which works automatically to a remarkable degree, thus guaranteeing the water for irrigation in the irrigated areas.            

Sichuan Opera

Sichuan opera is noted for its pitched tune accompanied only by percussion and chorus without any wind or string instruments. It also built a system of stylized movements and its acting is both exquisite and vivid. In order to portray special characters, it creates a series of stunts including the face-changing the performer changing it suddenly on the stage. Most of the programmers in the wide repertoire of the Sichuan opera are adapted from the Chinese classical novel, mythology, legend and folk tale. Besides, the performance is always full of wit, humor, lively dialogue and pronounced local flavor. The Sichuan opera has also built a system of stylized movements and its acting is both exquisite and vivid. In order to portray special characters, it creates a series of stunts including the "face-changing." In Chinese opera, facial makeup is usually painted, but in Sichuan opera, the performer can change it suddenly on the stage. Therefore, it makes the audience exclaim with admiration.

The performer has to make many special masks in advance, which are made of gauzy and elastic material, such as the membrane of the sheep's embryo, the rubber similar to that of a balloon. After being painted with different patterns of the face and covered with a kind of transparent and hardly visible thread, the special masks will be pasted onto the face of the performer, who is ready to perform on the stage. The performer needs to be insulated for makeup before every performance and it merely takes fifteen minutes for the makeup to be applied. The special masks for the 'Face off' must be made in accordance with the face of the performer to ensure the effect of being pasted closely on the face of the performer. Previously, the special masks were abandoned after the performance, but now they can be recycled after being meliorated.