Land of Abundance, City of Gastronomy - A Travelogue of Chengdu

Chengdu, a place you won't want to leave once you arrive.

A land of abundance that you'll never want to part with — Chengdu, an ancient capital of Shu with a glorious 3,000-year history, is not only surrounded by numerous attractions but also recognized as the world's food capital. It is absolutely a must-visit destination for you.

Here lies the highland of Chengdu's cultural and creative industries. Many people say it's very much like Beijing's 798 Art District, but to me, it seems to possess an even stronger sense of historical contrast than 798.

Once a red-brick factory, now a cutting-edge art exhibition space; once a boiler room, now a music bar; once a Soviet-aided office building, now a coffee shop and hotel. Everywhere here reflects the changes of the times, forming a stark contrast. It feels as if time and space have split, yet everything coexists harmoniously.

Eastern Suburb Memory, originally named Chengdu Eastern Music Park, is a new-style modern cultural industry zone renovated on the former site of the State-owned Hongguang Electronic Tube Factory. It officially opened on September 29, 2011, and was renamed Eastern Suburb Memory on November 1, 2012.

Initially a music-themed park, it features a large number of sculptures related to music and artistic elements. As the remains of an old industrial site, the leftover factory buildings, discarded pipes, tanks, and machine tools have been fully utilized by designers, many of which have become artworks.

First of all, it carries the memory of old industrial elements: red bricks, factory buildings, pipelines, tall chimneys, machine tools, and other industrial tools and elements. After a series of renovations, these have been turned into a park area for leisure and fun.

Of course, what remains are not just these elements, but also the heritage of industrial civilization. Besides the memory of old industry, there are also memories of life in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s: bicycles, letters, red-lacquered wooden furniture, supply and marketing cooperatives — all brimming with a nostalgic feel of old times.

It is a music hub where musical instruments are casually placed around. In this park, many musicians or music students carry a guitar or other instruments, drag a speaker, and perform live, attracting many people to stop and listen.

Even the bar owners play and sing themselves. The park is filled with coffee shops, dessert shops, and bars. When I passed by a bar, the owner was playing and singing, so I chose that place without hesitation. The weather was just right, and at that moment I truly enjoyed the time, loving the atmosphere with live music performances.

At Eastern Suburb Memory, there are cafes and drink shops, but don't forget there is also a cozy, wonderful place — the bookstore. For those who love a slow life and savor refined living, books are indispensable.

The most pleasant time is sipping an afternoon tea or coffee while reading a favorite book, or watching a stage play in a theater, experiencing a sense of an online movie. Perhaps in such an environment, you'll find that life can be so comfortable, and that you can enjoy the tranquility that time brings.

It is precisely the industrial-style photography, musical enjoyment, and slow pace of life that perfectly match my favorite lifestyle and state. So for me, Eastern Suburb Memory Music Park is the best place for leisure.

Jinli Ancient Street is located in Chengdu, the Land of Abundance in Sichuan. Stepping into Jinli Ancient Street in Wuhou District feels like traveling back in time. China has countless ancient streets, but this one is unforgettable.

Jinli Ancient Street is close to Wuhou Temple. It is neither wide nor narrow; on the surface, it looks no different from an ordinary alley, but once inside, you realize it's quite distinct. Red lanterns hang at the entrance, and inside as well, with long vertical lanterns hanging in strings all along the way, giving a sense of an ancient marketplace.

Going deeper in, a small ditch by the roadside caught my attention. The water was full of aquatic plants, crystal clear, with lovely little goldfish swimming around. When tourists feed them, the goldfish rush over to grab the food, their joyful movements causing ripples on the water. Where there is river water, the air is naturally good, and these cute little creatures bring new vitality here. This is an ancient street full of life at every moment.

Where there is beautiful scenery, there is naturally delicious food. Jinli Ancient Street boasts a wide variety of foods. Each shop has a large plaque, offering everything to eat and drink.

The shop names are quite literary and artistic, easily making one feel transported to the past. Street-side shops also sell spicy skewers, a treat for tourists who love spicy food.

Cold noodles, glutinous rice cakes, ice jelly, grilled meat skewers, steamed sweet cakes, and many other delicacies whose names I don't know.

Some sell candied hawthorns, others sell sugar figurines, antiques, paper fans — they are everywhere.

There is also an indispensable flavor of ancient lanes: the candy seller. Those white hard candies can stick to your teeth, but they are exceptionally sweet and delicious. But they are just especially sweet and tasty.

This is the ancient street in my impression, perfectly fulfilling my beautiful expectations of an ancient street. If I had enough time, I would love to have a photoshoot here, holding an oil-paper umbrella, with a nice hairstyle, wearing ancient costumes, strolling leisurely — it would surely be a unique experience.

The surrounding shops are all antique in style, with many decorations carrying an "old-timey" flavor. Nothing feels modern; even after leaving, the feeling remains vivid. Stepping into Jinli Ancient Street brings back an ancient dream!

Chengdu Jiaoliao Boutique Hotel is located inside the Wide and Narrow Alley scenic area. Amid the bustling Wide and Narrow Alleys, it achieves tranquility within the noise, creating a space full of classical, elegant Chinese cultural atmosphere.

From a travel perspective, Jiaoliao Hotel is adjacent to Chengdu's Wide and Narrow Alleys and Jinli, with very convenient transportation. It's easy to experience local customs and characteristics nearby, such as snacks, Sichuan opera face-changing, and immerse in Chengdu's cultural entertainment.

It can be described as a quiet haven hidden in the bustling city, seemingly isolated from the noise of Wide and Narrow Alleys. The antique style, combined with the sound of dripping water and birdsong, makes everything just right.

"Pity the clogs' marks on the green moss, the wooden door remains closed after a gentle knock." The ancient gate is awakened every day by the hustle and bustle of people coming and going, like an old man from ancient times, bearing the vicissitudes he has experienced, telling us newcomers untold stories. Entering the hotel, every blade of grass and every tree is exquisitely serene, every bamboo and every stone is elegantly charming.

The first impression of Jiaoliao Hotel is its natural, new Chinese-style design. The hotel extensively uses materials like mountain, water, stone, and bamboo, all close to nature. The spatial layout features serene plants and elegant bamboo and stones. According to the staff, the guest rooms cover about 1,400 square meters, with suites including study, living room, kitchen and other functional areas. After hearing this, my friend and I couldn't help but marvel at how impressive this hotel is!

It is said that the most special feature of this hotel is that it includes SPA services within the guest rooms, with a tailored technique developed exclusively for the hotel. Combining local culture, environment, and climate with some traditional Chinese medical therapies, it has created the hotel's unique "Jiaoliao's Nest in the Forest." It offers comprehensive services for travelers to cultivate the mind, body, and connection with nature. After resting for a while, we also experienced the SPA. It was really good — the masseur's skills were proficient, providing ultimate comfort and full-body relaxation.

Every room is equipped with facilities of an international five-star hotel, from mattresses to bathroom amenities and smart toilets — all impeccable and delightful. There is also 24-hour butler service. When we rang the bell inside, the butler would respond. There is also a dedicated butler window; upon hearing the call, the butler would place what we needed inside, which was convenient and undisturbed. Overall, it was really nice.

It's no exaggeration to say this hotel is poetic and picturesque, because each room has a different name: Haolai, Fanli, Dapeng, Cangying, Ziran, Yanqian, Youwei, among other room types. My friends and I stayed in Yanqian and Youwei, feeling that these names resembled us quite a bit — a kind of fate.

Our room was surrounded by green bamboos, with mountain and water scenes. Even on rainy days unsuitable for outings, we could open the window and listen to the raindrops falling on the bamboos. Turning off our phones and holding a good book, we enjoyed a slow life away from the hustle, free from worldly worries, leisurely and content.

Later we slowly learned the origin of the hotel's name. It is said that the name "Jiaoliao" comes from Zhuangzi: "The wren builds its nest in the deep forest, using no more than one branch." This embodies the desire to stay away from the mundane world amidst noise, to let go of troubles, to keep the inner heart calm, to return to nature, and to be free and unfettered.

Jiaoliao Boutique Hotel is a quiet stream in the clamor, and even more so, two unique flowers in the secular world. Derived from natural humanity, crafted with exquisite sentiment, it creates another way of life.

It gives you the wind in the courtyard and the moon on the eaves, allowing you to savor the charm of zen amidst mountains, forests, rocks, and bamboos, fully enjoying the joy of carefree leisure.

If I really wanted to take something away, I hope it would be the memories of Chengdu...