[A 2-Day, 1-Night Culinary Adventure] / A Feast for Gourmands, Chengdu Dazzles the World

Fingertips: In life, the only things not to be let down are beautiful scenery and delicious food.

Some say when we mention Chengdu, what comes to mind is not the city name but a string of delicacies. Because Chengdu is a city filled with food. In every alley and every street of this city, you can encounter a lot of food anytime, anywhere, and come across many interesting snacks.

And the enthusiasm of Chengdu people for eating has also led to the highly developed catering industry in Chengdu. Almost all out-of-town tourists who come to Chengdu are full of interest in Chengdu's hot pot, Sichuan cuisine, snacks, and spicy malatang. Coming to Chengdu without eating delicious food always gives people the feeling of entering a treasure mountain and returning empty-handed.

One: Taiziling Ski Resort → Gua Chuan Chuan (Jinli) Two: Bie Yuan Li Tavern (Wuhou Shrine) Three: Yuan Gong (People's Park) → Jiaoliao Hotel

It is said that winter in Chengdu has three treasures: eating hot pot, soaking in hot springs, and going skiing. In this chilly season, nothing is more comfortable than these three things.

And the best place to experience the world of ice and snow, besides Xiling Snow Mountain, is the Taiziling Ski Resort on Jiuding Mountain, which is a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Chengdu. Friends who like skiing might want to come with us to experience the passion of winter.

"There are many immortal mountains in Shu, and Jiuding is unparalleled." Taiziling Ski Resort on Jiuding Mountain in Mao County is the top professional choice for winter tourism skiing in Sichuan, providing tourists with a ski resort that integrates skiing and sightseeing, making it a great place for outdoor enthusiasts to visit in winter.

When you arrive at the ski resort, you'll find that it has 3 beginner slopes totaling 290 meters; 3 intermediate slopes totaling 390 meters; and 3 advanced slopes totaling 2630 meters. There is also a cable car above the advanced slopes that goes straight to the top of the mountain. Looking down from the top, the scenery is really beautiful, with the earth covered in a silvery white, so stunning that it's intoxicating.

Inside the resort, there are many activities suitable for children of all ages; you can watch the snow, have snowball fights, take photos, and ski. You can also take children to the children's play area to ride sleds. No matter your skiing skills, you can find a slope that suits you and have fun.

Besides activities, food and accommodation are also the biggest concerns for everyone. To meet the needs of different tourists, the ski resort offers a variety of price levels for dining and lodging. The resort is equipped with the Hemingzhuang Holiday Hotel, which has over 70 guest rooms of various types. The rooms are decorated with wooden sauna panels combined with Qiang ethnic style, and provide 24-hour heating.

The resort has two restaurants that can accommodate 2,000 people at the same time. They serve hot pot chicken, beef offal hot pot, etc., which are delicious and appetizing at first sight. They also offer Tibetan-Qiang ethnic specialties made from highland yak meat, lamb, wild vegetables, and alpine wild mushrooms.

The altitude of Taiziling is about 3,000 meters, and the temperature is relatively low. For those who don't exercise, it's recommended to wear more clothes. When the sun comes out and you start moving, it's actually not cold, and can even be quite warm. Parents should remember to bring an extra set of clothes for their children, as they can easily sweat and wet their clothes while playing. Ski equipment can be brought or rented. If you don't ski often, renting is more cost-effective. And if you can't ski, don't worry; there are coaches to teach you hand in hand.

Relying on the unique natural terrain of Jiuding Mountain Scenic Area, the high altitude, and abundant vegetation, the ski resort has fresh air with high negative oxygen ion content, making the snow quality a rare powder snow not commonly seen in ordinary ski resorts.

In winter, 80% of the days are sunny and beautiful, with daytime temperatures even reaching 20°C. Tourists can enjoy skiing at this sunny ski resort while staying away from smog, getting close to the blue sky, and basking in the sunshine.

A city has its own history and culture, as well as its own characteristic districts. To understand a city's history and culture, you should step into its characteristic districts, learn about the cultural origins and stories of famous people it carries, touch the lingering warmth of its history up close, and feel the bustling commercial atmosphere and lively flavors that have persisted through the changes of time.

With rare leisure time and family accompanying us, we decided to take a stroll around Jinli, savoring it slowly as we walked and enjoyed. If Kuanzhai Alley is classical and literary, like a crescent moon in a time mirror, then Jinli is bustling and worldly, like several fireworks blooming outside the time mirror.

Entering Jinli, the tempting aromas of food hit you head-on. Shops are open, mainly selling food and drinks. Fresh fruits and delicacies, carefully arranged, appear faintly in the mist. Seeing their beautiful shapes, bright colors, and smelling their fragrance makes you salivate uncontrollably and unable to resist.

Beside the shops, there are Sichuan opera performers in makeup greeting guests. They mimic the movements in the opera, suddenly retracting their necks and sticking out their heads, changing from a white face to a red face, startling you. Before you can feel surprised or annoyed, they pull you and make a funny face to make you laugh. This teasing and fun instantly lift your spirits.

When we first arrived, the sky was clear. Strolling through Jinli with fewer tourists had a unique hazy, classical charm. The streets of Jinli are not wide, but ancient buildings face each other on both sides. Strings of red lanterns hang high and low, either under the upturned eaves or on tree branches, flickering in the hazy rain, exuding unique charm.

Strolling through the ancient street feels like walking in a harmonious poetic atmosphere. Carved and latticed windows and doors, ancient walls covered with trailing vines, and winding corridors form the backdrop of the poem, with a contrast between vicissitudes and vitality, both elegant and popular.

Jinli is an ancient street suitable for nostalgia and a place that pleases both refined and popular tastes. Here you can find memories of Chengdu during the Three Kingdoms period, and also enjoy a leisurely lifestyle amidst the fast-paced city.

After finishing our stroll in Jinli, we felt hungry. It seems food's allure is quite strong. We decided to take our family to the Gua Chuan Chuan restaurant on Jinfangyuan East Road. We heard it was good. When we arrived, we found the environment there was really nice.

The overall decoration features green bricks and tiles, with red walls full of festive feeling. The space is spacious with clear functional areas. The Chinese vintage style adds unique charm to the restaurant, making it truly antique.

Although we thought it was still early, once inside we realized it was a different world. There were really a lot of people; the entire hall was full, with voices everywhere, but that didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the foodies queuing outside. Indeed, good taste is king – that's the nature of Chengdu foodies.

Soup base: The broth is prepared in authentic Chengdu style, a cold pot skewer that's perfectly spicy. The super-rich soup base is freshly boiled every day, with red oil covering the secret broth base. Loaded with ingredients, it simmers from morning until noon opening, fragrant but not numbing, spicy but not harsh. This flavor simply cannot be imitated; only the recipe handed down from older generations can be called the old Chengdu taste.

70+ types of skewers to choose from: Six large freezers full of choices that dazzle the eyes. The ingredients are kept at a five-star cold chain standard, carefully selected fresh ingredients daily, marinated with care, and skewered. You can choose meat or vegetables, and after eating, the skewers are weighed by the jin. Eat whatever you want, and start the crazy skewer mode immediately!

Handmade special dual dipping sauce: How fragrant is the dry dip? The combination of crushed peanuts + chili powder easily wins the top spot. Roll it lightly and you'll taste the peanut aroma. The laborious handmade process makes it unique. The oil dip, made with sesame oil, minced garlic, and chopped green onions, is also a great helper for reducing spiciness and adding fragrance.

Beef skewers are versatile: Give me a slice of beef, and I can wrap a world. Five-spice, spicy, cilantro, pickled pepper, and scallion flavors. The beef is marinated with secret sauce for two to three hours. Plump pickled peppers with tender beef, a hint of green sandwiched in the red beef is especially eye-catching. The heavy flavor explodes on the tip of the tongue when eaten. The thick beef cubes wrap pickled peppers ready to burst with juice. Your mouth says no but your body is honest, sending one skewer after another into your mouth.

Small sausages: Small sausages are a specialty of Chengdu. Round little sausages with alternating fat and lean, cut into bite-sized pieces. The slightly sweet taste is very Cantonese-style. The dual sweet-and-spicy sensation is fascinating, and while reducing the spiciness, the satisfaction doubles! You won't regret coming to this restaurant; it's so delicious you can't stop eating.

Hearing the name "Wuhou," anyone who has read the Three Kingdoms probably finds it familiar. Yes, it's the alias of the famous Zhuge Liang, "Zhuge Wuhou." If your favorite kingdom in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is Shu, then Chengdu's famous scenic spot – Wuhou Shrine – is a must-see. It will definitely satisfy all your desires.

Soon it was afternoon. My family and I planned to visit Wuhou Shrine, to experience the legendary stories of the Three Kingdoms together and fulfill our Three Kingdoms dream.

Legend has it that Wuhou Shrine was first built in 223 AD, originally to build a mausoleum for Liu Bei. Later generations combined Liu Bei's mausoleum with Zhuge Liang's temple to form the present Wuhou Shrine, a joint temple for monarch and ministers. It is the only joint temple in China where a ruler and his subjects are worshipped together.

The heroes of Shu, whose fortunes changed like the wind and clouds, have turned to dust here. Their great achievements are buried and rest here. All historical stories have settled and fermented here, resulting in the weighty Wuhou Shrine, a place to commemorate the heroes of Shu Han.

From Sanyi Temple to Wuhou Shrine, from the Oath of the Peach Garden to Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage, we arrived at the main hall of Zhuge Liang's temple. In the center of the hall hangs a horizontal plaque reading "Ming Chui Yu Zhou" (His Fame Lasts Throughout the Universe), which is surely the highest praise for Mr. Zhuge. The couplet reads: "If you can attack the heart, opposition will naturally disappear; in the past, those who knew warfare were not fond of war. If you don't assess the situation, leniency or severity will both be wrong; later rulers of Shu should deeply reflect."

These two lines highly summarize Zhuge Liang's lifelong loyalty and ambition for Shu, his dedication to the cause until his death. He spent his entire life repaying the favor of the three visits to his thatched cottage and the recognition he received. Wuhou Shrine is not large; as a temple amid a bustling city, it doesn't cover much area. It takes about an hour to tour. Yet Wuhou Shrine is also vast, because what it carries is not just a scenic spot, but the history of a dynasty, a tribute and remembrance of that era.

We walked and stopped along the way, turning into quiet spots, admiring bonsai, observing flowers and plants, and smelling faint fragrances. We looked at ancient trees with intertwined roots, admired the exquisite arched bridges and water reflections, and sighed at the scarred remnants of Han palace pillars. With reverence for Shu, we slowly walked out.

In Chengdu, a city known for its leisure, there are many small taverns of various sizes. But Bie Yuan Li, surrounded by greenery, lit by neon lights, and stocked with various liquors and snacks, is the only one of its kind in Chengdu. To give customers a better in-store experience, they specially invited a lighting design company to create the lighting effects.

We couldn't waste the evening time; we needed to have some fun. We planned to take our family to Bie Yuan Li to enjoy the comfortable evening time.

After entering, with the lights turned on, the whole tavern looked like a colorful neon world. Amid the interplay of light and shadow, colorful lights resembled stars in the sky, shining brightly in the tavern, instantly elevating the entertainment and leisure atmosphere.

The selection of liquors in the tavern is as rich as their lighting. Foreign wines, Chinese mixed drinks, cocktails, and pure imported beers are all available! Basically, if you want to drink it, you can find it here!

Kiss of the Tuxedo Mask: Just its looks are enough to win the favor of young ladies – a rose wine with a refreshing rose fragrance. Since the alcohol content is low, it's a good choice for a small gathering of girlfriends or during leisure time. The rose flavor isn't strong at first, but the taste of the wine becomes clearer as you drink, making it enchanting.

Ancient Qiang Straw Sipping Wine: A celadon porcelain bottle full of a wulin hero vibe! Using wheat straw as a straw, sipping wine amidst laughter adds a unique flavor.

Grilled Platter: Fine wine and grilled skewers have always been an inseparable couple. Eating barbecue without alcohol feels like betraying the gathering! Small sausages, prawns, corn kernels, dried tofu, green beans, and more – all the spiciness and freshness are there, satisfying different people's appetites.

Lemongrass Grilled Fish: Besides barbecue, this grilled fish is also a must-order. Although the fish isn't big, the aroma had already hooked us. The addition of lemongrass makes the fish's fragrance even fresher! The fried fish is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, smooth and delicious. Sitting in such a music bar and having fun is the best way to enjoy leisure and comfort.

What people call the leisurely life of Chengdu is not the office buildings in High-tech Zone, not the crowded Kuanzhai Alley, and certainly not the street-snapping at Chunxi Road. Come to People's Park – this is the life Chengdu people most look forward to.

With a history of 100 years, People's Park serves as a material and spiritual carrier, storing the real old Chengdu life. On weekends, People's Park becomes the liveliest.

There are two old tea houses in the park: Yongju and Heming. Among them, Heming is the most famous. Built in the 1920s, nearly a hundred years old, it is almost as old as People's Park. Hence it is called the century-old Heming. You must learn to "act first," because Heming is always full. Once someone leaves, grab the seat immediately. After sitting down, an auntie dressed in blue-and-white porcelain style will come to clear the table and ask you to order tea.

The playground is the loudest place. The noise and laughter of children are endless. The little train, carousel, and roller coaster – every child and big kid can find their source of happiness.

But the most popular activity in People's Park is still rowing boats. The color-faded boats are imprinted with the childhood of Chengdu people since the last century. On good weather days, the crowds are largest, and you need to queue for rowing. Young parents often bring their children here to row boats, enjoying the happiness of family togetherness, and of course, there are also young couples on dates. In short, no matter who is on the boats, everyone is as happy as a child.

After visiting the park, we planned to take our family to Yuan Gong on Chunxi Road. A friend had told us that this restaurant is an authentic Zigong-style Sichuan restaurant, quite popular and booming, so we came to try it today.

By the time we arrived, many people were already dining! The restaurant's decor is quite down-to-earth and attractive with its antique style. The atmosphere highlights old Chengdu characteristics. The private rooms, main hall, and booth seats are all quite stylishly designed, decorated with flowers and clusters, exuding a unique charm.

Many of the diners here are tourists visiting Chengdu. Looking at their orders, the dishes are very Chengdu-style. Maoxuewang (blood curd and tripe), local chicken slices, and the signature rabbit are the reasons I must visit. I haven't eaten such fresh, spicy, and numbing dishes for a long time – big thumbs up!

Yuan Gong Local Chicken Slices: Chicken slices with tender texture and excellent taste. Added with chopped green onion and white scallion pieces, refreshing and delicious. Drizzled with secret red oil dressing, the spiciness is just right.

Longmen Hanging Meat: It's like a whole deep-fried crispy pork. The waitress cuts it while saying auspicious words, giving a nice sense of ceremony. The meat is tender and smooth to eat. Dipping in chili powder makes it even better.

Yuan Gong Signature Rabbit: Tender and smooth rabbit meat paired with refreshing and juicy clams – the texture level instantly elevates. It's both fragrant and spicy, and utterly satisfying.

Yuan Gong Braised Duck: The duck meat is delicate and tasty, with a rich braised aroma. The skin especially is smooth and delicious, with excellent texture.

Huoshui Silver Carp: The silver carp is quite large. The back of the fish is cut a few times to allow better flavor absorption. The fish meat is snow-white and tender. The celery and green pepper segments are especially tasty – simply my favorite. Such deliciousness should not be missed. Actions speak louder than words.

Jiaoliao (Wren). Just the name makes you want to understand deeply. This word comes from Zhuangzi's "Free and Easy Wandering": "The wren nests in the deep forest, but only needs one branch; the mole drinks from the river, but only enough to fill its belly." In this world of insatiable desires, we must not be too greedy. We should try to be "unmoved by praise from the world, undeterred by blame, know the distinction between inner and outer, and discern the boundary of honor and disgrace." Perhaps such a state is really too difficult, so there is Jiaoliao, allowing us to slow down, let go of the pursuit, and find a place of our own.

Jiaoliao Hotel is a strong branch in this vast forest, pursuing only freedom and unwilling to drag its tail in the mud. It absorbs the nutrients of old Chengdu culture, seeking a "slow life" in the busy city and returning to a natural state of living.

Pushing open the door, the first thing that catches the eye is a corridor. At the end of the corridor hangs a plaque reading "Riding on Things to Roam the Mind." From Zhuangzi's "The World of Men." After understanding its meaning, one can't help but admire the great wisdom of the old master Zhuang.

After entering the hotel, we looked at each of the four floors. The design and decoration of the hotel were really good, giving a comfortable and relaxing feeling. During the tour, we found that each room has a unique name, like Yanqian (Speaking Lightly), Youwei (Subtle Existence), Shiwei (Worldly Hypocrisy), and so on. We planned to stay in Yanqian, because the first time we saw the name, my friend and I both liked it very much. It seemed to contain a deep meaning, leaving us endless imagination.

The hotel's security is also very good. Guest rooms need a card or the butler to open the door. After confirming our stay, the hotel butler gave us a door card shaped like a wren, charmingly naive! Looking closely, we saw a butler service window outside the door. When opened, we saw the inside and outside are connected. After hearing our call, the butler would place the things we needed inside, and we could take them directly. This design is very thoughtful, convenient without disturbing the guests.

Although Jiaoliao looks simple and elegant from the outside, the items inside the room are consistent with five-star hotels. Mattresses, linens, bathrooms, and automatic toilets – the hardware facilities are superb. All kinds of ornaments are complete and neatly arranged, everything feels so comfortable and cozy. All the brand-name equipment subtly reflects the hotel's high-class nature, making us fall in love with it! My friend kept saying it's warmer than her own home.

After entering, we found that on the headboard of each room, there is a deep-looking wren, gazing deeply, as if contemplating or listening. In each room, the wren's expression and posture are different. My friend and I treated it as our listener and tried to talk to it. The troubles hard to speak of could all be poured out to this little creature that can only be understood, not explained. After saying all the unhappiness, I felt much more relieved.

On the TV wall, a large hand-embroidered Shu peony was blooming, and a carp leaping from Shu brocade. When we reached out to touch, we had to admire the mature craftsmanship and long-standing culture of our ancestors. Overall, the room was full of traditional Sichuan cultural elements. Staying here, we could also feel the humanistic influence. My friends and I often travel and have stayed in some good hotels, but one as thoughtful and attentive as this is rare. We definitely didn't choose the wrong place this time.

The room also provided four top-grade teas from Mengding Mountain. Drinking too many carbonated drinks usually adds burden, so when we settled down, we brewed a cup of tea, savoring nature's gift. Immediately we felt refreshed and invigorated.

My friend and I also discovered that the most thoughtful part of this hotel is not just the room's configuration and decoration, but also the excellent butler service. They can customize travel itineraries for guests, plan trips, and handle any issues encountered in the hotel. Even our breakfast each morning could be customized according to our tastes and time, delivered to the room. Lunch was at "Zifei" (Not-Not), the first cultural restaurant in Kuanzhai Alley themed on Zhuangzi's philosophy. With a course-style meal, they integrate culture, Sichuan cuisine, drinking games, and performances, leading you into a dynasty of pavilions, ancient qin, and opera songs. In the morning, pushing open the wooden window, breathing the first fresh breeze and feeling the first ray of sunlight in Kuanzhai Alley, so refreshing and pleasant. After washing up, we enjoyed the hotel's customized breakfast, our hearts filled with emotion.

After eating, we stood in the small garden breathing fresh air, admiring the clear night sky, brewing a cup of hot tea, and exploring the stories of time in this ancient alley up close.

Looking closely, we saw a spider weaving its web on the opposite roof, and a falling leaf landing on the table... Look, everything is growing vigorously!

In the bustling and noisy city, there is always a comfortable, relaxing place where your body and mind can be released.