The Central Provinces
This booming capital of mountainous, distinctive Sichuan Province lies at the foot of the Tibetan plateau. Attractions include Tang Dynasty shrines, the house of the celebrated poet Du Fu, ancient parks and bamboo forests (the last stronghold of the giant panda), Buddhist temples and an ancient Buddhist monastery. Chengdu is a base for visiting Emei Shan, a famous mountain to which Buddhist pilgrims flock every year, and the holy mountains of Gongga and Siguniang. There is also the spectacular Grand Buddha of Leshan, a 70.7m- (225ft-) high coloured sculpture carved out of a cliff, so enormous that 100 people can fit on its instep, with the Grand Buddha Temple and Lingbao Pagoda beside it. In the Jiuzhaigou Ravine in northern Sichuan Province, there is a vast nature reserve where giant pandas can be seen in their natural habitat. The six official ‘scenic spots’ among the snowy peaks include Shuzheng, with waterfalls and 40 lakes of different colours where swimming and boating are allowed. Further north, the concentration of mineral salts in the water at Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) nature reserve has created beautifully coloured natural talpatate ponds and rock formations.
Located east of Dazu, Chongqing is perched magnificently above the Chang Jiang (Yangtze) River. A prosperous rather than beautiful city, it is a natural starting point for excursions to the Yangtze Gorges, whose most popular stretches are further east with poetic names like Witches Gorge and Shadowplay Gorge. These natural wonders are due to be completely submerged by 2009 after the completion of the Three Gorges Dam.
In Dazu County, the Dazu Rock Carvings represent the pinnacle of Chinese rock art.
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