Orchid: Chongqing, Chengdu, Shunan Zhuhai and Chishui, Guizhou---March 27-April 5, 2009

7th Visit to China

Jialing River (嘉陵江)

The history of Sichuan can be traced back to Zhou (周) Dynasty (1122-221 BC).

Then, the Kingdom of Shu (蜀) and Ba (巴) were established in the present Chengdu (成都) and Chongqing (重庆) respectively during the Chunqiu Warring States (春秋战国) periods.

Shu and Ba were destroyed by Qin (秦) and later incorporated into the Qin Empire.

It was at this time that the Dujiangyan (都江堰) Irrigation System was built along Min River (岷江) in Chengdu Plain. Li Bing (李冰), a governor of Shu, was in charge of the project.

Dujianyan effectively controls the floods and provides a method of irrigation in Chengdu Plain. It was a historical wonder of science and technology.

A few independent regimes had since been founded in Sichuan region. The most famous one was Shu Han (蜀汉) of the Three Kingdoms (三国). Shu Han, with Chengdu as its capital, was founded by Liu Bei (刘备).

仙寓洞栈道

蜀道难，难于上青天

丽娥终于完成走完川南地区一段栈道的壮举。今生无再悔矣！

Located in the Upper Yangtze Valley in south-western China, Sichuan is one of the most inaccessible and populous provinces in China. The provincial capital, Chengdu (成都), is located in the centre of Chengdu Plain (成都平原).

The eastern region of Sichuan is known as Sichuan Basin (四川盆地).

Sichuan's mild and humid climate, fertile soil and abundant minerals and forest resources make it one of the most agriculturally-advanced and economically self-sufficient regions of China. The Chinese call the basin Tian Fu Zhi Guo (天府之国), means 'Land of Abundance'.

Chengdu Plain is the only tract of relatively flat land in Sichuan Basin.

The western region is part of the edge of Plateau of Tibet (青藏高原). It is scarcely inhabited. Mt Gongga (贡嘎山) in the Daxue Range (大雪山) is the highest peak in the province, rising to a height of 7556 m.

The lofty mountains that border Sichuan province on all sides acted as a natural fortress against intruders.

Moreover, Yangtze River runs swiftly along the Three Gorges. The perilous entrance of the Qutang Gorge (瞿塘峡), located in Chongqing, is only over 100 m wide.

The foggy climate also hindered the accuracy of Japanese bombings of Sichuan Basin. Hence, the Japanese were never able to penetrate Sichuan.

During the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), the Nationalist government moved to Chongqing.

Sichuan has one of the most diversified ranges of ethnic groups in China. These include the Han (汉), Yi (彝), Tibetan (藏), Tujia(土家), Miao(苗), Hui (回) and Qiang (羌).

Some of the ethnic minorities still maintain their traditional ways of life on the highland. They make their livings by raising cattle, farming and hunting.

Diaoyucheng (钓鱼城)

Diaoyucheng (钓鱼城)

In 1259, Mengge Khan (蒙哥汗) led his troops to invade Diaoyucheng (钓鱼城)---a Southern Song (南宋) fortress on Mt Diaoyu (钓鱼山) in Hezhou (合州), the present Hechuan (合川).

As Mt Diaoyu was located in a peninsula, surrounded by Jialing (嘉陵江) and Qu River (渠江), it would be very difficult for the Mongol's cavalry to capture the fortress.

The terrain is precipitous yet beautiful.

Wang Jian (王坚), a general of Diaoyucheng, stubbornly held out against the Mongols for six months.

Mengge Khan died while besieging Diaoyucheng.

The death of Mengge Khan ended the Battle of Hezhou (合州之战) and also forced the immediate withdrawal of Mongol troops from Syria and East Asia. This prevented the Mongol Empire from expanding towards Africa.

This event began a new chapter of history for the Mongols.

The ruins of the battlefield are still well-preserved in Diaoyucheng.

Chongqing (重庆---山城，雾都，火炉)

Chongqing (重庆解放碑商业街)

Chongqing, is variously known as the hilly city, foggy city and furnace of the Yangtze.

Located at the confluence of Yangtze and Jialing River,

Chongqing, was the largest city in Sichuan before it was carved out as a municipality in 1997.

重庆南山植物园

重庆若瑟堂

重庆飞阁

飞阁是抗战期间蒋介石的重庆别墅。当时许多国共合作会议都在此举行。

老舍旧居

老舍是中国现代著名作家。他的代表作品是小说《骆驼祥子》和话剧《茶馆》。

1929年，老舍在新加坡华侨中学任教半年，写了以新加坡为背景的小说《小坡的生日》。

狮子峰

重庆偏岩古镇

重庆洪崖洞大酒店

Dazu Rock Carvings (大足石刻)

Dazu Rock Carvings (大足石刻)

Dazu Rock Carvings is a piece of great work of China's grotto art in Dazu (大足), dating back to Tang (唐) Dynasty.

They are series of over 50 000 religious sculptures. Most of them are Buddhist sculptures, depicting Buddhist teachings and daily activities of people's life at the time.

They also include Taoist and Confucian sculptures.

Their works show that Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are not only practised but also harmoniously coexist in Chinese society.

The sculptures found in Baoding Hill (宝顶山) and Bei Hill (北山) are the most magnificent.

During Song (宋) Dynasty, a Buddhist monk, named Zhao Zhifeng (赵智风) began his work on elaborate sculptures and carvings in Baoding Hill, dedicating 70 years of his life to the work.

Chengdu (成都 ---芙蓉城)

The city was named Chengdu when it was founded more than 2000 years ago and the name has remained the same till the present day.

市民在公园打麻将

导游说成都有八成人在打麻将，一成人在跳舞，只剩下一成人在干活。

成都宽巷子

成都窄巷子

Du Fu's Thatched Cottage (杜甫草堂)

Du Fu's Thatched Cottage is an idyllic park and museum, in honour of the Tang dynasty poet Du Fu (杜甫), at the western outskirt of Chengdu.

Du Fu's Thatched Cottage (杜甫草堂)

a sculpture of Du Fu(杜甫雕像)

Lin Ze Xu Statue (林则徐雕像)

Lin Ze Xu (林则徐) was a Chinese scholar and official of the Qing (清) dynasty, known for his role in the events leading up to the first Opium War (1839-42) between Britain and China.

savouring Chengdu Hotpot

来到北京不上长城非好汉

来到成都不尝火锅是遗憾

Shunan Zhuhai (蜀南竹海）

竹子都长的一样高, 随风飘摇如波浪。从上面看下去，

一大片竹林就像一望无际的大海，所以叫竹海。

海中海

Located in Yibing, southern Sichuan, Shunan Zhuhai is a huge bamboo forest, the size of which is 120 square kilometres. Visitors come to admire the natural beauty of the bamboo forest.