Du Fu Thatched Cottage Park
Du Fu, one of the greatest Tang Dynasty poets, was a famous figure in China’s history. In his life time he wrote hundreds of poems that have lasted for several centuries. Even now his poems are still well recited by people. The Du Fu Thatched Cottage Park was built in 752 when Du Fu went to Chengdu from Gansu The original one no longer exist, but during the seventh century the cottage was rebuilt to commemorate him. In the course of the following years, this area became a large garden covering about twenty hectares, with many towering old trees, green bamboo and quiet, beautiful surroundings. Now people like to visit this place and commemorate the great poet in Chinese history.
Jiuzhaigou
Jiuzhaigou(Nine Stockade Gully), in the northern Sichuan, is close to the Gansu border. It is so named because there are nine Tibetan villages in Jiuzhaigou. Jiuzhaigou covers an area of 600 square kilometers, by now 50 square kilometers of which has been opened to tourists, comprising six scenic spots. In this area you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of lakes, waterfalls, snowy mountains and forests. The place is well preserved as its original natural state.
In December,1992 The Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area was listed in the “Chronology of Recognition of World Heritages” in China.
Emeishan (Mount Emei)
Emeishan (Mount Emei), located in a medieval time warp, receives a steady stream of pilgrims with their straw hats, makeshift baggage, walking canes and fans. It is one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains in China. On the mountain there are many sites of ancient Buddhist activities. Ever since the introduction of Buddhism into China, Buddhist building have been built on the mountain. There are more than one hundred temples and monasteries. Now the main attraction spots include the Baoguo Temple, Fuhu Temple, Leiyin Temple and many other spots. In 1996, Emeishan and the Grand Buddha in Leshan were classified as the world Famous Cultural Relics.
Baoguo Monastery
This monastery was built in the 16th century, enlarged in the 17th century by Emperor Kangxi, and rebuilt in recent years. Its 3.5 meter porcelain Buddha, made in 1415, is housed near the Sutra Library. To the left of the gate is a rockery for potted miniature trees and rare plants.
Wannian Monastery
The temple, built in the 4th century,was1,043 meters above sea level. It was burned several times in the following centuries. The present brick building was reconstructed in the Ming Dynasty. The rest existing buildings were built after liberation. The Brick Hall, a domed building with small stupas on it, was built of brick. In the hall is a statue of the bodhisattva Puxian on a white elephant, 8.5 meters high, cast in copper and bronze. It weighs about 62,000 kilograms.
Golden Summit
At 3077 meters, the magnificent Golden Summit Temple is as far as most hikers make it. Covered with glazed tile and surrounded by white marble balustrades, it now occupies an area of 1,695 square meters. The original temple had a bronze-coated roof, which is how it got the name Jinding “Golden Top” as well as “Golden Summit”.