13 May 2014
At the start of May, British Airways increased the number of flights from Heathrow to Chengdu to five per week, and is now also deploying its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, so it's never been easier, quicker or more comfortable to get to see this city famous for its pandas, cuisine and teahouses.
Fertile farmland gave rise to Chengdu and Sichuan's world-famous cuisine, a laid back lifestyle and the foundation of the Chinese teahouse culture. The province produces many unique herbs and spices, which has resulted in a vast range of tastes in its dishes and a flamboyant food scene that include hundreds of street food outlets, 'private kitchens' and outstanding restaurants.
New Hotels: This year there are 20 new five star hotels in planning stages for the city this year. The Fairmont hotel will be open between September to December this year, while Mandarin Oriental will open in 2015. The brand new Jade Gallery Boutique Hotel in the Gaoxin area of Chengdu joined Small Luxury Hotels of the World this year. (http://www.slh.com/hotels/jade-gallery-boutique-hotel/)
Don't miss:
Jinli Street and the Kuan and Zhai Xiangzi. These pedestrianised areas, originally date back to the Qing Dynasty era and are lined with art galleries, shops, bars, restaurants and food stalls.
The People's Park is an important entertainment space for residents. Mahjong, tai chi and tea drinking is offered in the many teahouses amid the Zen-style gardens, while singing, dancing, and calligraphy practice are all popular activities. Check out the 100-year-old lakeside Heming teahouse, where itinerant "doctors" inspect customers over a cup of bamboo tea.
Jinsha Relics archeological museum. In 2001, after nearly 3,000 years of being buried, the ancient city of Jinsha and capital of the Shu Kingdom was unearthed in the northwest of urban Chengdu. The discoveries were the first significant archeological discovery in China of the millennium and led to a complete revision of the ancient history of Chengdu and Sichuan. The museum is housed in two main buildings, with one constructed over the excavation site and the other exhibiting 10,000 items, which include jade tools, delicate masks, pottery, blades, building foundations and various exquisite golden art pieces including the gold foil "sunbird disc" that is now the city's emblem jinshasite museum.com
Wu-Hou Shrine Museum. Located in the south suburb of Chengdu, the museum and temple covers 37,000 square metres and is surrounded by old cypress trees and classical red walls. It is renowned for its unique architecture and beautiful garden. Originally built as a memorial in the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316 AD) to honor the military strategist Zhuge Liang, it was rebuilt in 1672. Zhuge Liang is greatly revered in Chinese culture as he displayed outstanding intelligence, while dedicating his life to others. The shrine exhibits literary works, calligraphy and carvings.
Dujiangyan. It doesn't take long to leave the bustling city and experience dramatic scenery. In just 45 minutes by train, you can see how ancient Chinese technology still works perfectly today. The 2000-year-old Dujiangyan Irrigation System not only provides water for crops across the Chengdu plains, but also prevents floods and inspired the foundation of the religion of Taosim - a visit to the ancient serene temples on the mountain of Qingcheng is essential!
Wendy Wu Tours (www.wendywutours.co.uk) offers a 13 day 'Sichuan Explorer' itinerary including the most breathtaking natural wonders of China, from the stunning Nine Villages Valley, to magnificent Mt Emei and the striking Huanglong Pools. The highlight however is a visit to Chengdu's famous Panda Conservation Centre, offering the chance to see these beautiful and symbolic creatures being reared in wooded surroundings. The tour is fully-inclusive and is priced from £2490 per person including international flights to Chengdu with British Airways, domestic transportation, touring with guides, accommodation, entrance fees, meals and visas for EU passport holders.
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For further information contact 020 79537470: Frances Tuke frances@lotus-uk.co.uk or Sarah Johnson sarah@lotus-uk.co.uk.
Notes to Editors: Following a jump in visitors to Chengdu from the UK, a high-level delegation of officials and businessmen from the Chengdu are in London for Chengdu 72 – a series of high-profile events during the week of May 19 to promote the city.
Chengdu 72 will comprise a VIP event in the Magazine Restaurant, Sackler Serpentine Gallery; a rebranding of the Heathrow Express into the Chengdu 72 Express, an exclusive photo exhibition at Terminal 5, while a Chengdu teahouse will pop up in Covent Garden between 23-25 May where free 72-hour trips to Chengdu will be available to win. Throughout the week a social media campaign #Chengdu72 will encourage people to take pictures of Chengdu Pandas dotted around London during the week and the best tweet will also win a trip to Chengdu.
