What Chengdu Is Most Famous For

Chengdu is most famous for the following four things; the giant panda, beautiful smooth-skinned girls, delicious food, and rice wine. The weather and geography play a vital role with these great attractions. The geographical location of Chengdu near the edge of the west of the Sichuan basin has a unique and surprising effect on the atmosphere. Fairly low clouds and mist cover the sky for around three hundred days annually. This is naturally because of the high mountains, such as Qingcheng and Snowy Mountain Xiling, which can be seen just outside of the Chengdu plain.

The panda is a national treasure, and has been lovingly referred to as the hermit of the bamboo forest because in its natural habitat, it dwells alone for most of its life. One of the world’s rarest animals, the giant panda lives in the sub-alpine forests in the west central region of China. The classification of the panda has long been a matter of controversy among zoologists. Originally classified with the bears, it was later grouped with raccoons. The weight of evidence that has accumulated over the years, however, now supports the view that it is related to bears. Its closest relative is the spectacled bear of South America.

Why so many men come to Chengdu is because they also have the good luck of seeing so many beautiful women. Suzhou people once said to Chengdu people proudly, “In the avenues of our city, you may see one beautiful lady when you walk only three steps.” Chengdu people answered at once, “You could see three beauties when you walk every step in Chengdu.” The moist land and less sunlight produces smooth soft white complexions and gentle dispositions.



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Expatriate writer Warren Rodwell has been in China since 2002, and teaches university postgraduates in Chengdu. Many of his feature stories, reviews & photographs have been published online or in hardcopy media form. Warren also narrates documentaries and administers various websites as part of his efforts to promote Chengdu & Sichuan culture(s) more globally.


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