No. 2041: Giant Panda Pays Homage to Water at Dujiangyan, Sunbird Seeks the Way at Mount Qingcheng

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No. 2041: Giant Panda Pays Homage to Water at Dujiangyan, Sunbird Seeks the Way at Mount Qingcheng

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Dujiangyan is a large-scale water conservancy project built in ancient China and still in use today. It is located west of Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province, 340 kilometers upstream of the Min River. The project was first constructed under the leadership of Li Bing, the Governor of Shu of the Qin State during the Warring States period, and his son, around 256–251 BC. Through successive renovations over more than two thousand years, Dujiangyan still plays a huge role. There are many historical sites around Dujiangyan, mainly including Erwang Temple, Fulong Temple, Anlan Bridge, Yulei Pass, Fengqiwo, and Douxi Terrace.

The entire Dujiangyan hub can be divided into two major systems: the headworks and the irrigation network. The headworks include the three main structures: the Fish Mouth (water-dividing project), the Flying Sand Weir (flood discharge and sand removal project), and the Bottle-Neck Channel (water diversion project), in addition to the Inner and Outer Jingang Dikes, Renzi Dike, and other auxiliary structures. The Dujiangyan project is primarily for irrigation, with comprehensive functions such as flood control, sand discharge, water transport, and urban water supply. The Chengdu Plain it irrigates is the world-famous "Land of Abundance."

On July 7, 1980, Dujiangyan was listed as one of the first batch of provincial-level cultural relics protection units re-designated by Sichuan Province. On February 24, 1982, it was announced as one of the second batch of key national cultural relics protection units. In 2000, Dujiangyan, as "a grand water conservancy project that is ancient, unique, and characterized by diversion without a dam," was inscribed on the World Heritage List together with Mount Qingcheng as a World Cultural Heritage site.

The "Fish Mouth" is the water-dividing project of Dujiangyan, named for its fish-mouth shape. It is located in the middle of the river, dividing the Min River into the Inner and Outer Rivers. The Outer River is on the west, also known as the "Jinma River," which is the main stream of the Min River, mainly used for flood discharge; the Inner River is on the east, an artificial main diversion canal mainly used for irrigation, also called the "Guanjiang River." The Fish Mouth determines the diversion ratio of the Inner and Outer Rivers and is the key to the entire Dujiangyan project.

The intake width of the Inner River is 150 meters, and the Outer River is 130 meters. The terrain and topography allow the river water to be diverted proportionally at the Fish Mouth. When the water volume is low in spring, 40% flows into the Outer River and 60% into the Inner River to ensure spring irrigation; during the spring and summer flood season, the water level rises and overflows the Fish Mouth, with 60% rushing directly into the Outer River and 40% into the Inner River, preventing the irrigation area from flooding. This is the so-called "divide into four and six, balance flood and drought."

In addition, in ancient times, zhama (wicker weirs) were used to artificially change the diversion ratio of the Inner and Outer Rivers. A zhama is a closure structure made of several logs as a frame, covered with bamboo mats, and filled with sand and stones. When needed, several zhamas could be placed on one side of the river to reduce the water volume on that side. This method was generally used in spring when the water flow was low to divert water from the Outer River and increase the water supply to the Inner River. After the spring irrigation ended and the water level rose, the zhamas were cut off to restore normal flow. After 1974, a permanent sluice gate was built at the mouth of the Outer River, replacing the zhamas for cofferdams and flood discharge.

The current Fish Mouth has a crescent-shaped plane, built with mortar stone and concrete, 80 meters long, 39.1 meters wide at its widest point, and 6.6 meters high. The Fish Mouth dike extends downstream to form the Jingang Dike, with an inner dike length of 650 meters and an outer dike length of 900 meters. Downstream of the Jingang Dike are the Flying Sand Weir and Renzi Dike.

On the east bank upstream of the Fish Mouth, there is also the Baizhang Dike, 1,950 meters long, which forces floodwater and sediment to the Outer River and serves bank protection. The Fish Mouth, Baizhang Dike, Jingang Dike, together with the Flying Sand Weir and Bottle-Neck Channel, work in coordination for flood discharge, sand removal, and water regulation. Historically, the position of the Fish Mouth has been changing. The earliest Fish Mouth was located not far downstream of the Baisha River mouth; the current Fish Mouth is 2,050 meters downstream of the Baisha River mouth, a position determined during the major renovation in 1936.

The Dujiangyan Fish Mouth was damaged in the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, with cracks appearing, but after repairs, the impact was minor.

The Bottle-Neck Channel is the water diversion project of Dujiangyan. It is an artificial gap cut into the cliff of Yulei Mountain extending toward the Min River, 120 meters downstream from the Flying Sand Weir, below the Yulei Pass at the west gate of the ancient Guan County wall. It was excavated when Dujiangyan was first built. The Bottle-Neck Channel is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, with a bottom width of 14.3 meters, a top width of 28.9 meters, an average width of 20.4 meters, a height of 18.8 meters, and a gorge length of 36 meters. Inside the mouth, the intake width of the Inner River is 70 meters, and outside the mouth, the outflow width is 40–50 meters, shaped like a "bottleneck," hence the name.

The Bottle-Neck Channel, together with the Flying Sand Weir, controls the water flow and is key to regulating the intake of the Inner River. The Inner River flows through the Bottle-Neck Channel to irrigate large areas of farmland in the Chengdu Plain; during floods, the Inner River water level rises above the Flying Sand Weir, allowing floodwater to flow into the Outer River, and together with the restriction of the Bottle-Neck Channel, flood control is achieved. After the Inner River enters the Bottle-Neck Channel, it follows the terrain of higher northwest and lower southeast, continuously branching into various main and branch canals, forming a self-flow irrigation system that irrigates over ten million mu of farmland on the Chengdu Plain.

On the left bank cliff of the Bottle-Neck Channel, there are dozens of markings spaced one chi (Chinese foot) apart, called "Water Rules," used to observe water level fluctuations, making it the earliest water level gauge in China. The number of sufficient water rules increased with the expansion of the Dujiangyan irrigation area. In the Song Dynasty, there were only ten marks, and when the water reached six marks, it was considered sufficient; higher levels would cause floods (according to Song Shi: "When the rule is one foot full, it stops at ten; when water reaches six marks, the flow is sufficient"). In the Yuan Dynasty, the sufficient number was nine marks (Yuan Shi: "Marked with a ruler, compared to eleven. When water reaches nine marks, the people are happy; if it exceeds, they worry; if it doesn't reach, they are in trouble"). In the Qing Dynasty, sixteen marks indicated a major flood. Nowadays, fourteen marks are needed to ensure spring irrigation, and the stone-carved water rules on the cliff have reached twenty-four marks.

The hill on the right side of the Bottle-Neck Channel, separated from the mountain, is called "Lidui." It houses Fulong Temple, also known as Laowang Temple, dedicated to Li Bing. The rock base of the Bottle-Neck Channel has suffered from severe erosion over two thousand years of rapid water impact, creating large cavities. Lidui was reinforced twice in 1965 and 1970.

The Flying Sand Weir serves the functions of flood discharge and sand removal. Originally called "Shilang Weir," it was built during the Longshuo period of the Tang Dynasty (661–663 AD). It is the flood discharge and sand removal channel of the Inner River, hence its name. The Flying Sand Weir is a gap at 710 meters downstream of the Jingang Dike, opposite Hutou Rock, 240 meters wide, with a crest 2 meters above the riverbed. The Flying Sand Weir automatically discharges excess water beyond the irrigation needs into the Outer River, preventing floods on the Chengdu Plain; it also uses centrifugal force to discharge the large amount of sand carried in the water to the Outer River, avoiding siltation of the Inner River, Bottle-Neck Channel, and irrigation area.

The Flying Sand Weir follows the principle of "build the weir low," meaning the crest is built low to match the standard top of the opposite bank, so that excess water from the Inner River that exceeds the capacity of the Bottle-Neck Channel overflows into the Outer River. In the event of a major flood, the weir itself will breach, allowing the water to return to the main stream of the Min River. When the Inner River water level reaches fourteen marks, the flow rate is 385 cubic meters per second, sufficient for spring irrigation. If the crest of the Flying Sand Weir is at the same level as this water level, when the Inner River exceeds fourteen marks, the excess water will overflow into the Outer River. In addition, the Bottle-Neck Channel, not far downstream of the Flying Sand Weir, provides good water control. Even if the Inner River flow reaches 3,000 cubic meters per second, the intake at the Bottle-Neck Channel is only about 700 cubic meters per second. The rapid flow along the Jingang Dike is blocked by the restriction of the Bottle-Neck Channel, forming a backwater pool outside the mouth, called Fulong Pool (Subdued Dragon Pool). Together with the guiding effect of Hutou Rock, which juts into the Inner River opposite the Flying Sand Weir, floodwater and a large amount of sand are carried over the Flying Sand Weir and discharged into the Outer River. According to modern measurements, when the Inner River flow exceeds 1,000 cubic meters per second, 40% of the floodwater and 98% of the sediment are discharged through the Flying Sand Weir. The adjustment of the Flying Sand Weir crest height, combined with the restriction of the Bottle-Neck Channel and the guidance of Hutou Rock, ensures that the diversion area has sufficient clean water and is free from flood threats.

The main functions of the Dujiangyan project are irrigation and flood control, as well as water transport and urban water supply. It divides the Min River water into two parts, channeling a portion to the east side of Yulei Mountain, so that the southern half of the Chengdu Plain is no longer troubled by floods, and the northern half is spared from drought. For thousands of years, the Min River has been turned from a hazard into a benefit here, benefiting agriculture, turning the Chengdu Plain into a "Land of Abundance" where "water and drought follow human will, no famine, and no barren years," and thus promoting the political, economic, and cultural development of the entire Sichuan region.

When Dujiangyan was first built, it was primarily for navigation, with irrigation secondary. According to Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), "Through Chengdu, two rivers were dug; all canals can navigate boats; surplus water is used for irrigation, benefiting the people." The Min River and the Yangtze River thus became navigable, and timber from the upper reaches of the Min River could be floated to Chengdu, making Chengdu a transportation hub in Shu from the Qin Dynasty onwards.

In addition to water transport benefits, the irrigation efficiency of Dujiangyan became increasingly important with the development of the irrigation canal system. After the water from the left bank of the Min River flows out of the Bottle-Neck Channel to the east side of Yulei Mountain, it follows two main canals dug by Li Bing to Chengdu. During the Western Han Dynasty, Wen Weng, the Governor of Shu, dug a new main canal to divert Min River water to the eastern part of the Chengdu Plain. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, "twenty li of rock were cut" at Wangchuan Plain, extending the irrigation canal over the highland of Mumashan in today's Shuangliu. At the same time, the diversion canal system on the right bank of the Min River, based on the Yangmo River opened in Li Bing's time, continuously extended to the southwest of the Chengdu Plain. After centuries of development, by the Han Dynasty, the Dujiangyan irrigation area had expanded from the line of Pi County to Chengdu in the Qin Dynasty to Peng County, Guanghan, Xindu, and other areas, covering an area of "over ten thousand qing" (1 qing in Han is about 70 mu today).

Book of Han (Hanshu) records that the Chengdu Plain "people eat rice and fish, with no worries of bad years, and customs are not sorrowful." By the Tang Dynasty, Gao Jian, the Grand Governor of Yizhou, built many branch canals, and the canal system was repeatedly repaired and became denser, further increasing the irrigated area. From then on, the function of Dujiangyan turned mainly to farmland irrigation.

During the Song Dynasty, the Dujiangyan irrigation area saw significant development. According to Wang Anshi's epitaph for Lu Guang, the irrigation area at that time covered at least 12 counties across one fu, two jun, and two zhou, of which Lu Guang alone was responsible for 17,000 qing (about 1,377,000 mu today). In the Qing Dynasty, the irrigation range reached 14 prefectures and counties, about 3 million mu. In the Republic of China period, the irrigated area recorded in 1937 (the 27th year of the Republic) was 2,637,100 mu; the 1938 publication "Summary of Dujiangyan Water Conservancy" stated that the land benefiting from Dujiangyan "covers 14 counties in western Sichuan... about over 5.2 million mu." After the founding of the People's Republic, the Dujiangyan irrigation system was further expanded and renovated. By the end of the 1960s, the irrigated area reached 6.78 million mu; by the early 1980s, the irrigation area extended east of Longquan Mountain with nearly 300 reservoirs built, and the area expanded to 8.58 million mu; further subsequent improvements increased the irrigated area to over 10 million mu, with a total diversion volume of 10 billion cubic meters, making it the largest irrigation project in the world in terms of irrigated area.

Effective management has ensured that the Dujiangyan project has continued to play an important role for over two thousand years. During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, officials such as "Duishui Yuan" and "Duishui Zhang" were appointed to maintain the headworks. During the Shu Han period, Zhuge Liang set up weir officials and "conscripted 1,200 male workers to guard and maintain" (according to Shui Jing Zhu). In subsequent dynasties, the county magistrate of the place where the headworks were located was in charge. By the Song Dynasty, an annual maintenance system (suixiu) was established, which is still implemented today.

The ancient bamboo-cage structure of the weir was not stable under the rush of the Min River, and despite the sand removal mechanism, the Inner River channel could still silt up. Therefore, regular maintenance of Dujiangyan was necessary to keep it functioning effectively. In the Song Dynasty, a system of annual maintenance during the dry winter-spring season when farming was slack was established, called "Chuantao" (dredging and cleaning). During annual maintenance, the weir body was repaired and the channel was deeply dredged. The depth of dredging was based on digging down to the stone horse buried in the riverbed. The weir height was aligned with the water rules on the opposite rock face. Since the Ming Dynasty, wrought iron recumbents (wo tie) have been used instead of stone horses as markers for the depth of dredging. Three pieces of wrought iron each three zhang long are still existing, located on the left bank of the Bottle-Neck Channel, cast respectively in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, and 1927.

After the project was completed, predecessors summarized a scientific maintenance system, the essence of which is widely known in six characters: Deeply dredge the shoal, build the weir low. The "shoal" in "deeply dredge the shoal" refers to a section of the riverbed at Fengqiwo (the shoal silting up opposite the Flying Sand Weir). Every year after floods, sand and gravel accumulate there and must be dredged annually. "Deeply dredge the shoal" means that during annual maintenance, the riverbed must be dredged to a certain depth; if too deep, the water intake of the Bottle-Neck Channel will be too large, causing floods; if too shallow, the intake will be insufficient for irrigation. According to legend, Li Bing buried a stone horse under the riverbed as a marker for the proper dredging depth. "Build the weir low" means that the Flying Sand Weir should be built with a low crest to facilitate flood and sand discharge, fulfilling the function of "diverting water for irrigation, and reducing flood peaks to mitigate disasters."...

It is generally believed that Dujiangyan was built by Li Bing, the Governor of Shu of the Qin State, and his son leading the masses around 256 BC. The Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), "Treatise on Rivers and Canals," records: "Li Bing, the governor of Shu, cut Lidui to avoid the harm of the Mo River; dug two rivers through Chengdu." The Huayang Guozhi (Records of Huayang) also says: "Li Bing was appointed governor of Shu... then he dammed the river to form a weir, dug the Pi River and Jian River, made separate branches, passed through the county twice, to allow boat navigation." "Damming the river to form a weir" is generally believed to refer to the construction of the Fish Mouth water-dividing structure, "cutting Lidui" refers to excavating the Bottle-Neck Channel, and "digging two rivers" and "passing through the county twice" refer to Li Bing's opening of two main canals leading to Chengdu. In 1974, a stone statue from the Eastern Han Dynasty was unearthed in the Outer River, with an inscription reading "Li Fujun, named Bing," which is considered evidence that Li Bing initiated the construction of Dujiangyan.

The traditional view that Li Bing built Dujiangyan has not gone unchallenged. Critics base their doubts on textual analysis of ancient documents. They argue that the "Mo River" was the ancient name of the Dadu River, not the Min River, which was generally simply called "Jiang" (river) in ancient times. Therefore, whether the Shiji's record that Li Bing "cut Lidui to avoid the harm of the Mo River" refers to the Bottle-Neck Channel at Dujiangyan becomes a question. The Huayang Guozhi records that Kaiming, a king of the ancient Shu state, "cut through Yulei Mountain to eliminate the water harm." This, corroborated with Shui Jing Zhu's statement that "the river further east branches off as the Tuo, which was cut by Kaiming," suggests that it was Kaiming, earlier than Li Bing, who excavated the Bottle-Neck Channel, a key project of Dujiangyan. However, opponents of this view present strong counter-evidence. The mountain where the Bottle-Neck Channel is located was not called "Yulei Mountain" until the Tang Dynasty, so the Yulei Mountain mentioned in the Huayang Guozhi, compiled in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, would have referred to a different place.

There are many historical sites around Dujiangyan, mainly including Erwang Temple, Fulong Temple, Anlan Bridge, Yulei Pass, Fengqiwo, and Douxi Terrace. Erwang Temple is located at the foot of Yulei Mountain, known as the "Erwang Temple of the Jade Emperor Celestial City." It is a temple dedicated to Li Bing and his son. First built during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it was originally called Chongde Temple. After several periods of disrepair and restoration, it was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty and named Erwang Temple. The temple contains many plaques, couplets, and stone tablets related to Li Bing, his son, and the Dujiangyan project. The main buildings include the Grand Hall, Second Hall, Song Sheng Hall, Shengmu Hall, Laojun Hall, and Kuixing Pavilion. They are arranged according to the mountain terrain, interspersed among the woods, offering panoramic views of Dujiangyan from various halls. The entire temple complex features magnificent pavilions and towers, standing majestically by the river. On May 12, 2008, the ancient building complex of Erwang Temple completely collapsed in the Wenchuan earthquake. It has since been restored to its original appearance according to the Qing Dynasty construction style, now looking brand new.

On the highest point of the northern end of Lidui, there is Fulong Temple. Legend has it that when Li Bing and his son were taming the river, they subdued a flood dragon in the river and locked it under Lidui in Fulong Pool (Subdued Dragon Pool), and later a temple was built to commemorate this event. The temple was first built in the Jin Dynasty and renamed Fulong Temple in the early Northern Song Dynasty. The existing three halls were all rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. The main hall houses a stone statue of Li Bing, discovered in the middle of the river in 1974, carved in the first year of the Jianning reign of the Eastern Han Dynasty (168 AD), 2.9 meters high, weighing 4.5 tons, with inscriptions and dating on the chest, making it a very precious cultural relic.

Anlan Bridge, commonly known as the cable bridge, spans the Min River at Dujiangyan. In the old days, it was made of bamboo cables supported by wooden piles, connecting bamboo cables. It was paved with wooden planks with side cables, over 500 meters long. The bridge was first built before the Song Dynasty, destroyed by war at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and rebuilt during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty...

We visited the South Bridge, then took a bus to Mount Qingcheng. This mountain is one of the birthplaces of Taoism in China and one of the famous Taoist mountains. It is located southwest of Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province. It was anciently called "Kehan Mountain" or "Zhangren Mountain." It is 68 kilometers east of Chengdu and 10 kilometers southwest of the Dujiangyan irrigation project. The main peak, Laoxiao Peak, is 1,600 meters above sea level. Among the famous mountains of Sichuan, it is comparable to the steepness of Jianmen, the beauty of Mount Emei, and the grandeur of Kuimen, earning it the reputation of "Mount Qingcheng's quietness is unmatched in the world."

Mount Qingcheng is a famous historical mountain in China and a national key scenic spot. In 2000, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List together with Dujiangyan as a World Cultural Heritage site. In the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Mount Qingcheng was relatively affected. Mount Qingcheng is divided into the Front Mountain and the Rear Mountain. The Front Mountain is the main part of the scenic area, about 15 square kilometers, with beautiful scenery and many cultural relics. The Rear Mountain, due to inconvenient transportation and steep terrain, retains well-preserved natural scenery.

Mount Qingcheng is the eastern branch of the southern section of the Qionglai Mountain range, formed about 180 million years ago during an orogeny. When the mountain uplifted, it was subjected to strong compression, causing rock fragmentation, large undulations, and obvious folds, resulting in complex mountain structures.

The name "Qingcheng" has two explanations: The mountain has 36 yin and yang peaks arranged in a ring shape, with sharp peaks and steep cliffs, "green and verdant all around, shaped like a city wall, hence the name Qingcheng." Originally it was called "Qingcheng Mountain" (clear city). According to ancient mythology, "Qingdu and Ziwei are where the Heavenly Emperor resides," so it was named "Qingcheng." During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism developed rapidly, and a territorial dispute occurred between Buddhism and Taoism on the mountain. The lawsuit went to the emperor. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, who believed in Taoism, personally issued an edict ruling that "temples belong to Taoism, and Buddhist monasteries should be outside the mountain." However, the edict mistakenly wrote "Qingcheng" (green city) instead of "Qingcheng" (clear city), so the name was changed to Qingcheng. This is not just a legend; there is still a Tang Dynasty stele on the mountain with the full text of the imperial edict to support it.

Mount Qingcheng is a famous Taoist mountain in China and one of the birthplaces of Taoism. According to legend, the Taoist Celestial Master Zhang Daoling manifested his teachings on Mount Qingcheng in his later years and attained immortality there. Since then, Mount Qingcheng has become the ancestral mountain of the Celestial Masters school, and celestial masters from all over China have come to Mount Qingcheng to pay homage.

According to legend, the mountain god of this mountain is the ancient hermit "Kehan Zhangren," revered in Taoism as Zhu Ling Tianzun, who can inspect all mountain gods in the world. The main Taoist buildings on Mount Qingcheng include Jianfu Palace, Laojun Pavilion, Yuanming Palace, Shangqing Palace, and Tianshi Cave.

Tai'an Ancient Town. Tai'an Temple is located in the center of the town. The ancient town has many restaurants and inns for tourists to rest.

The Rear Mountain of Mount Qingcheng has Tai'an Ancient Town and Wulong Gully. Formerly called Mang He Gou (Barbarian River Gully), it is about 8 kilometers long, named after the legend that five divine dragons hid in the gully. The scenery includes Jinwawa Tuo (Golden Baby Pool), the stunning Longyin Gorge Plank Road, Shisun Rock, Echo Wall, etc.

Another Village (Youyi Village). Located on Taohua Stream above Wulong Gully, it gets its name from the verse by the Southern Song poet Lu You: "After endless mountains and rivers that leaves doubt whether there is a way out, a village appears in the shade of willows and bright flowers." The village has more than twenty farm households mainly engaged in tourism, and it is another good place to rest while climbing. Taohua Stream Resort Park is also located in Another Village.

I climbed to Shangqing Palace for a visit. Finally, when I reached Qizhen Hall, I was already sweating profusely. I passed through Yuxian Pavilion and continued climbing up the mountain. After descending, I returned to the city, passing by Jinsha Hotel, and visited Jinli again. It is an antique-style street full of Chengdu snacks...

The next day, I had the opportunity to visit the Chengdu Giant Panda Base and saw giant pandas in person. The giant panda, also known as the giant cat bear, generally called "panda" or "cat bear," is a mammal of the bear family (Ursidae) in the order Carnivora, with black and white body coloration. The panda is endemic to China, and its existing main habitats are the mountainous areas around the Sichuan Basin in central and western China and the Qinling Mountains in southern Shaanxi.

There are approximately 2,060 wild giant pandas in the world (as of 2016 data). At the end of 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) downgraded the giant panda's threat level from "endangered" to "vulnerable." Due to low fertility rates, the giant panda is rated as an endangered species on China's Red List of endangered animals and is considered a national treasure. The giant panda is hailed as a living fossil in the biological world.

The giant panda's distinctive black-and-white fur and adorable appearance make it deeply loved by people, with a large fan base worldwide. When the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) was founded in 1961, it adopted the giant panda as its logo, and the giant panda has become the most important symbol of endangered species protection. The giant panda is also an important representative of China's friendly diplomatic activities. American international political scholar Joseph Nye even stated that the giant panda is regarded as a vital pillar of China's cultural soft power, similar to the British royal family.

Together with four beautiful ladies, I visited the panda breeding area. I was very satisfied with the free visit service provided by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The base was established in 1987, located on the low hills at the foot of Futou Mountain in the northern suburbs of Chengdu, Sichuan Province. It is a world-renowned research institution and tourist destination integrating giant panda scientific research, breeding, public education, and educational tourism, as well as a non-profit organization dedicated to the research, breeding, conservation education, and educational tourism of endangered wildlife. The base currently covers a total area of 1,530 mu. Starting from six giant pandas rescued from the wild at its establishment, as of 2015, the base has successfully increased the captive population to 152, becoming the world's largest captive giant panda breeding population. The base also houses red pandas, golden monkeys, and other endangered wildlife.

After returning to Chengdu, I visited the Jinsha Site. It is a Bronze Age site located in Jinsha Village, Supo Township, west of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, along the Modi River, covering an area of over 5 square kilometers. It is one of the key national cultural relics protection units, 50 kilometers from the Sanxingdui site. The culture dates from about 1250 to 650 BC, with a peak around 1000 BC. The Jinsha culture and Sanxingdui culture share similarities in artifacts, but there is no city wall, approximately corresponding to the last phase of the Sanxingdui culture, representing a political center shift of ancient Shu. On December 27, 2002, it was announced as the sixth batch of provincial-level cultural relics protection units in Sichuan. On May 25, 2006, it was listed as the sixth batch of key national cultural relics protection units. The Jinsha Site was first discovered in February 2001 during the excavation of Shufeng Huayuan Street. The Jinsha Site Museum was built on the original site in 2007, displaying the sacrificial area on site and artifacts.

Thousands of precious artifacts have been unearthed from the site, including over 30 gold items, over 400 jade and bronze items each, 170 stone items, over 40 ivory items, with a total weight of nearly one ton of ivory, and a large number of pottery items. Based on the artifact dates, most are from the late Shang Dynasty (about late 18th to late 12th century BC) and early Western Zhou Dynasty (about 1046–771 BC), with a small number from the Spring and Autumn Period (722–481 BC). Moreover, as excavation progresses, major discoveries are still possible. Among the unearthed gold items, there are over 30 pieces, including a gold mask, a fish-patterned gold belt, a Sunbird gold foil, a frog-shaped gold foil, a trumpet-shaped gold vessel, and a box-shaped gold vessel. The gold mask is basically consistent in style with the bronze masks from Sanxingdui in Guanghan. The gold mask, Sunbird gold ornament, and ten-section jade cong are known as the treasures of the Jinsha Site Museum.

The Sunbird gold ornament is a circular gold foil with a diameter of 125 mm and a thickness of 0.2 mm. It consists of two layers: the inner layer has 12 curved radial rays cut out in a clockwise direction, 52.9 mm in length, symbolizing the sun; the outer layer has four cut-out bird-shaped patterns, symbolizing the "Golden Crow carrying the sun." The gold belt features a pattern of an arrow piercing fish and birds, very similar to the pattern on the gold scepter unearthed at Sanxingdui. Some scholars believe this represents the legendary king of the ancient Shu state, "Yufu."

The unearthed jade artifacts are various and very fine, with the largest being a ten-section jade cong about 22 cm high, emerald green in color, extremely finely carved, with micro-engraved patterns as fine as hair and a human figure pattern, making it a national treasure. Its style is completely consistent with that of the Liangzhu culture. Experts have confirmed that its history is over a thousand years older than the Jinsha site itself.

The more than 400 bronze artifacts unearthed are mainly small items, including a bronze standing figure, bronze tiger, bronze bell, bronze bi (disc), and bronze standing bird. The bronze standing figure is very similar to the bronze standing figure unearthed at Sanxingdui.

The 170 stone artifacts include stone human figures, stone tigers, stone snakes, stone turtles, etc., which are the earliest and finest stone artifacts ever found in Sichuan. Among them, the kneeling human figure is lifelike. Experts believe it likely represents a slave or war prisoner of the nobility at that time, indicating that the Shu state was relatively powerful. The stone tiger is simple and vivid in shape.

Other unearthed artifacts include a large amount of ivory, wild boar tusks, deer antlers, pottery, and wooden artifacts. The excavation of the Jinsha site is of great significance for the study of ancient Shu and can rewrite the history of Chengdu and ancient Sichuan. Previously, the earliest written record of Chengdu's history as a city could be traced back to the late Warring States period when Zhang Yi built the city wall of Chengdu. Analysis of the artifacts from the Jinsha site shows that many are ritual vessels with special uses, likely belonging to the highest ruling class of the Chengdu Plain at that time. These artifacts are similar in style to those from Sanxingdui but also have some differences, indicating a close relationship between the two sites.

Regarding the nature of the Jinsha site, it is currently speculated to be a sacrificial site, but since a large number of jade and stone semi-finished products and raw materials have been unearthed, the possibility of a workshop site cannot be ruled out. However, given the large number of precious artifacts and the surrounding large buildings and important remains, the area of Shufeng Huayuan was likely the political and cultural center of the Chengdu region. The unearthed jade ge (dagger-axe) and jade yuan (disc with hole) suggest that the Jinsha culture had connections with the Yellow River Valley culture and the Liangzhu culture in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

The Sunbird gold ornament unearthed from the Jinsha site has now been adopted as the "China Cultural Heritage Emblem," and it is also part of the unofficial city emblem of Chengdu and the emblem of Jincheng College of Sichuan University.

The Sanxingdui site is located on the banks of the Duck River (Ya Zi He), 7 km west of Guanghan City, Sichuan Province, 4 km from Nanxing Town, about 40 km north of Chengdu and 26 km south of Deyang. It is a Bronze Age cultural site. It is named after three connected loess mounds in the ancient city area, with the beautiful name "Three Stars Accompanying the Moon." The site dates from 2800 to 1100 BC, divided into four phases: Phase I is Baodun Culture (pre-Shu); Phases II and III are Sanxingdui Culture (ancient Shu, 2000–1400 BC); Phase IV is Shierqiao Culture (ancient Shu, mainly preserved at the Jinsha site), roughly corresponding to the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties in the Central Plains. On January 16, 1987, it was announced as the second batch of provincial cultural relics protection units in Sichuan. On January 13, 1988, it was listed as the third batch of key national cultural relics protection units.

The Sunbird gold ornament (also known as "Four Birds Around the Sun" gold ornament) is a gold foil unearthed in 2001 at the Jinsha site in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, dating from the late Shang Dynasty. It is a national first-class cultural relic and one of the third batch of artifacts prohibited from being exported. The entire ornament is in a circular shape, with an outer diameter of 12.5 cm, an inner diameter of 5.29 cm, a thickness of 0.02 cm, and a weight of 20 grams. The ornament has complex cut-out patterns, divided into two layers: the inner layer consists of twelve rotating tooth-shaped rays equally spaced around the circle; the outer layer surrounds the inner layer and consists of four identical birds flying counterclockwise. The four birds are connected head to tail in sequence, flying in the same direction, opposite to the direction of the inner vortex. The pattern is usually interpreted as: the four birds represent the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the twelve rays in the inner layer represent the twelve months of the year. It may also be related to the legend of "Golden Crow Carrying the Sun." Composition analysis shows its gold content is as high as 94.2%. This ornament may have been a ritual object used by the ancient Shu people for sacrifices. It is now housed in the Chengdu Jinsha Site Museum and is the museum's most treasured artifact.

After visiting, I walked to the museum square and saw several beautiful female teachers leading a group of children taking photos on the square. I also went over to join in the fun. Leaving the Jinsha Museum, I headed straight to the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE). SWUFE, abbreviated as Southwest Finance or Xicai, is a higher education institution directly under the Ministry of Education of China, a member of the "211 Project" and "985 Innovation Platform for Advantageous Disciplines," and a national "Double First-Class" plan first-class discipline construction university. It is also a pilot university for national education system reform and a member of EQUIS. The university consists of two campuses: Guanghua Campus in Guanghua Village, Qingyang District, Chengdu, and Liulin Campus in Wenjiang District, Chengdu.

SWUFE is a finance and economics university with economics and management as its main disciplines, finance as its key focus, and also includes law, liberal arts, science, engineering, and other disciplines. As of April 2015, the university has 27 colleges (centers, departments) and other teaching units, 33 undergraduate majors, 11 first-level master's degree authorization disciplines, 108 master's degree training programs (including 18 professional master's degrees), 5 first-level doctoral degree authorization disciplines, 57 doctoral degree training programs, and 4 postdoctoral research stations; 4 national key disciplines (Finance, Political Economy, Accounting, and Statistics), 5 provincial-level key first-level disciplines, and 4 provincial-level key second-level disciplines. It is known as the "China Financial Talent Pool."

I passed by a park and saw a large number of middle-aged and elderly people dancing square dances in the park. It was around 2 PM on a weekday. So many able-bodied people were not at work but dancing in the park. I have to say that Chengdu people are too lazy.

Jumbo Huang citation resources: The Dujiangyan is an ancient irrigation system in Dujiangyan City, Sichuan, China. Originally constructed around 256 BC by the State of Qin as an irrigation and flood control project, it is still in use today. The system's infrastructure develops on the Min River (Minjiang), the longest tributary of the Yangtze. The area is in the west part of the Chengdu Plain, between the Sichuan basin and the Tibetan plateau. Originally, the Min would rush down from the Min Mountains and slow down abruptly after reaching the Chengdu Plain, filling the watercourse with silt, thus making the nearby areas extremely prone to floods. Li Bing, then governor of Shu for the state of Qin, and his son headed the construction of the Dujiangyan, which harnessed the river using a new method of channeling and dividing the water rather than simply damming it. The water management scheme is still in use today to irrigate over 5,300 square kilometres (2,000 sq mi) of land in the region. The Dujiangyan, the Zhengguo Canal in Shaanxi and the Lingqu Canal in Guangxi are collectively known as the "three great hydraulic engineering projects of the Qin."

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