Chengdu: Truly the Land of Abundance

China Daily website is inviting you to share Chengdu Story with us! and here are some points that we hope will help contributors:

The city of Chengdu is a vast urban expanse containing a diverse and attractive multitude of experiences. The moniker “land of Abundance” holds true not only for the fertile agricultural region of the Sichuan basin in which the city is situated but for the absolute richness of different experiences and captivating sights one can find here.

The first thing that needs to be mentioned about Chengdu is the amazing cuisine, renowned for its spiciness worldwide the food here certainly lives up to the hype. I personally love spicy food, so my opinion may be slightly biased, however the sheer variety of different dishes and flavours available here is astounding. I remember being quite shocked the very first time I tried a dish here and unknowingly crunched on a huajiao (Sichuan numbing pepper), the entire side of my mouth went numb and it was a very unusual sensation, hardly pleasant at the time. I am now used to this aspect of the food, and it adds another enjoyable and unique flavour to the mix, which I haven’t experienced anywhere else in the world. Hot pot with friends is the essential Chengdu experience, ordering up platters of meat and vegetables to cook in a spicy cauldron along with drinks and good conversation is an incredibly satisfying way to spend the evening.

Numerous parks are scattered throughout the city where one can stroll amongst massive stands of towering bamboo or sip tea next to traditional Chinese architecture. These relaxed green spaces imbue Chengdu with an attractively laid back and at times romantic feeling. They are the perfect place to escape the concrete reality of big city life and discover some tranquility. These areas are social hubs and can erupt into activity if the sun makes a chance appearance through the clouds, creating a dynamic and entertaining spot to people watch on a sunny afternoon. For Nature lovers, Chengdu is home to one of China’s most iconic treasures, the Giant Panda. These cute monochromatic bears can be seen lumbering about and snacking on succulent bamboo shoots in a decidedly relaxed manner at the Chengdu Panda breeding centre. This centre has been a huge success in captive breeding for one of the world’s unique and critically endangered species.

Chengdu is a lively city full of entertainment options with a vibrant nightlife offering underground DJs and live music from both international and local artists on a regular basis. There always seems to be an event going on and this helps keep the city feeling fresh and stimulating. I was particularly impressed by the tradition of Sichuan opera, an art form where performers in vibrant costumes change through a series of elaborate masks so fast it’s difficult to comprehend and has to be seen in person to fully appreciate the skill involved.

Despite hosting a massive population many aspects of the city give off the warm vibe and close knit community feel of a much smaller city. This could be attributed to many factors, however I believe it is the people who live here that contribute to this the most. The local people are very welcoming and despite not being able to speak Chinese, I am constantly approached by talkative strangers who are curious and friendly and will often go to great lengths to assist me with anything from directions to suggestions about what to eat. Many of the expats I meet here have told me tales of how they came here many years ago and just decided to stay because they loved the lifestyle and the living environment so much. They settled in and opened unique businesses of their own that now contribute to the ecosystem of the city and its overall comfort for all its lucky inhabitants. I feel very fortunate to have come to this city and experienced its wonders first hand. It’s quite difficult to express everything that makes Chengdu so special, so I tell everyone I meet that they will have to go experience the land of abundance for themselves, they might just end up staying.