2021 Tracing the Ancient Shu Kingdom, Paying Homage to Dujiangyan

D1-6.1: Arrive in Chengdu, visit Jinsha Site Museum, night tour of Kuanzhai Alley

D2-6.2: Panda Base to see the adorable national treasures, Sanxingdui to explore the ancient Shu civilization

D3-6.3: Chengdu - Dujiangyan, visit the most beautiful bookstore Zhongshuge, enjoy the magnificent night view of Dujiangyan, seek out Dujiangyan cuisine

D4-6.4: Explore the mystery of the Dujiangyan irrigation system, Dujiangyan - Chengdu, taste authentic craft beer at Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li

D5-6.5: Stroll through Kuanzhai Alley again in the early morning, photograph the red walls at Wuhou Temple, return trip

Time magazine once said, "Chengdu, most China." Compared to traditional Xi'an, Chengdu is more vibrant and energetic; compared to modern Shanghai, it retains more of the ancient Shu culture. Today, Jinsha culture, Dujiangyan, and giant pandas are regarded as Chengdu's three major cultural brands. I am ashamed that, although I have been to Chengdu several times, I have never savored it carefully. Coupled with the eternal temptation of Asia's first international "Gourmet Capital," a friend recently called and said that starting in July, Chengdu will move its main airport to the distant Jianyang City. Since I still have a "Freedom to Fly" pass in hand, I decided to seize the time and go alone to seriously savor the Chengdu I had once hurried through.

My friend specially picked me up at Shuangliu Airport and arranged for me to stay near Yipin Tianxia Station on Metro Line 2, not far from his home. A delicious meal of Sichuan peppercorn fish awakened my taste buds. To ensure I still had enough appetite to continue challenging the delicacies in the evening, I needed to find a place to wander in the afternoon. My friend said Jinsha Site was nearby and within walking distance, so off we went for a post-meal digestive stroll.

Jinsha Site is the second capital of the ancient Shu kingdom after Sanxingdui in Guanghan, the center of the ancient civilization in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River from the 12th to the 7th century BC (about 2,600 to 3,200 years ago). It is hailed as the most significant archaeological discovery of the 21st century. It has revived a lost history, recreating the mysterious ancient Shu culture and unique bronze civilization. It holds great significance for the study of the origin, development, and decline of Shu culture and is a cornerstone monument for studying the ancient Shu civilization, especially providing strong evidence for solving the mystery of the sudden disappearance of the Sanxingdui civilization. Together with the prehistoric city sites on the Chengdu Plain, the Sanxingdui site, and the Warring States boat-coffin tombs, Jinsha Site constitutes the four stages of the evolution of the ancient Shu civilization. It provides important evidence for the establishment of the "pluralistic integration" theory of the origin of ancient Chinese civilization. The ancient Shu civilization is as long-standing as the Yellow River civilization and the middle and lower Yangtze River civilization. The upper reaches of the Yangtze River, centered on Chengdu, are also one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization. Today, the "Ancient Shu Civilization Site" composed of Sanxingdui and Jinsha, and the Shu Road (Jinniu Road Guangyuan section) have been included in the "Preliminary List of China's World Cultural Heritage."

The two main buildings of the Jinsha Site Museum are the Relics Hall and the Exhibition Hall, both adopting a sloping design to symbolize the rising of Jinsha Site. The Relics Hall is nearly circular, while the Exhibition Hall is square, representing the ancient Chinese cosmological view of a round sky and square earth. The two buildings are located on the north and south banks of the Modi River, complementing each other and integrating with the garden area. The Relics Hall is the excavation site of a large sacrificial activity area of Jinsha Site. It is the best-preserved, longest-lasting, and most abundant sacrificial remains in China. Here, visitors can experience the archaeological site up close and witness the original locations where numerous precious artifacts were unearthed. Since the discovery of Jinsha Site, over 10,000 precious artifacts have been unearthed, making it the site with the most densely concentrated ivory (tons of it), gold, and jade artifacts from the same period in the world. The noble and dazzling gold artifacts, mysterious bronze wares, colorful jade objects, and vivid stone artifacts are all fruits of the wisdom of the ancient Shu people. In particular, the Sun Bird Gold Ornament, gold mask, ten-section green jade cong, bronze standing figure, and thousands of other rare treasures with ancient Shu artistic style showcase a brilliant ancient Shu civilization from 3,000 years ago.

Shang-Zhou Sun Bird Gold Ornament

"Sun Bird" is the pinnacle of ancient Shu goldwork art, the museum's crown jewel, and one of China's top-tier cultural relics prohibited from overseas exhibition, ranking among China's nine national treasures. Unearthed in 2001 at the sacrificial area of Jinsha Site, it was announced as the symbol of China's cultural heritage in 2005. It measures 12.5 cm in diameter and is only 0.02 cm thick, made of very thin gold foil with a gold content of 94.2%. The ornament design consists of two circles: the inner circle features a rotating fireball symbolizing the sun, surrounded by 12 clockwise rays spaced equally, representing the 12 months in a cycle. The outer circle has four flying divine birds with heads and feet connected, circling the sun in endless flight, their direction opposite to the inner rays. This corroborates the legend of "Jinwu Carrying the Sun" from the ancient myth "Classic of Mountains and Seas." The ancient Shu people used vivid imagery to freely convey their worship of the gods.

Shang-Zhou Large Gold Mask

Unearthed in 2007 at the sacrificial area of Jinsha Site, later than other artifacts, it is believed to be an important ritual object used during large-scale sacrificial activities of the Jinsha kingdom. It is the best-preserved and largest gold mask found in China, with a gold content of over 80%, exhibiting a high level of craftsmanship. It forms a three-dimensional face mask, 19.5 cm wide and 11 cm high, roughly the width of an adult male's face. The forehead is flat, the eyebrows prominent, the eyes large and upright, the bridge of the nose high, the mouth wide and slightly open, the ears spreading outward, with a solemn and dignified expression, exuding a kingly aura. Its style is basically consistent with the bronze human masks unearthed at Sanxingdui.

Neolithic Liangzhu Culture Ten-Section Green Jade Cong

The most unique artifact at Jinsha Site, it is not an original creation of the Jinsha people but originated from the Liangzhu culture thousands of miles away. The "Liangzhu Archaeological Site" in Zhejiang has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Spanning over a thousand years, how did the jade cong from Liangzhu travel so far to appear in Jinsha? The jade cong is 22.2 cm high, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, square outside and round inside, with a hole running through the center. Its surface is translucent emerald green, polished inside and out, smooth and glossy. The body is divided into ten sections, with divine face patterns at the corners of each section, identical to those on Liangzhu jade congs. The deity-man-beast face pattern was a symbol of divine power hierarchy at the time and a hallmark of Liangzhu culture. The carving technique is also almost identical to that of Liangzhu jade congs. With its intricate craftsmanship, it is a genuine "imported gift."

A small bronze standing figure unearthed at Jinsha Site is delicate and exquisite, about 20 cm high. It stands tall on a base, wearing a sun-shaped hat with arc-shaped tooth decorations, with three carefully arranged braids at the back of the head. The face is thin, the brow ridges prominent, the cheekbones high, and the hands are held in a grasping gesture in front of the chest, fingertips touching, fists hollow. The overall shape has a strong three-dimensional sense. Its style and form are similar to the tall standing figure unearthed at Sanxingdui. The artifacts at Jinsha Site are very similar to Sanxingdui culture in terms of time, form, and cultural symbols, truly reflecting the inheritance relationship between Jinsha culture and Sanxingdui culture. The replacement of Sanxingdui by Jinsha was merely due to a change of capital caused by internal political power shifts within the ancient Shu kingdom.

The garden area hides a forest of ten-thousand-year-old ebony trees, marks of the vicissitudes of time and witnesses to environmental changes. It is a unique landscape composed of over 60 ebony roots unearthed from Jinsha Site and the Chengdu area, exuding an air of elegance, unique in China. These ebony trees date back 3,000 to 12,000 years. Ebony specifically refers to various precious ancient trees buried under ancient riverbeds for thousands of years. Not all ancient trees can become ebony; only those with fragrant or antibacterial properties, such as nanmu, toon, and camphor, can form ebony. Through long-term physical and chemical reactions, they become "living fossils" that are neither stone nor wood, with hard and fine wood, black from surface to core, clear texture, and extremely precious. As the saying goes, "Better to have ten thousand taels of gold than a piece of ebony."

Loach is familiar to many people and has high nutritional value, known as "ginseng in water." Knowing I love loach, my friend took me to Qiu Xiang (Loach Fragrance) near Jinsha Site, a popular loach-themed restaurant. Opening the menu, there were nearly 20 loach-related dishes, from boiled, mixed, fried, skewered, and grilled, spicy and non-spicy, whole or sliced. Options include iron plate loach, bold loach, spicy loach, ginger loach... The loach is tender and soft, melts in the mouth, and is very flavorful. The roasted pepper pork kidney is also recommended; the kidney slices are thin and tender, with roasted pepper at the bottom, and hot oil poured over for fragrance. When it was first served, I didn't even recognize it as kidney slices; it looked more like tofu skin.

Getting off at Tonghuimen Station on Metro Line 2 or Kuanzhai Alley Station on Line 4, you can easily reach Kuanzhai Alley. These are three parallel ancient alleys from the Qing Dynasty: Kuan Alley, Zhai Alley, and Jing Alley, all with black brick and gray tile courtyard-style houses. They are among the well-preserved Qing Dynasty streets in Chengdu and, along with Daci Temple and Wenshu Monastery, are one of Chengdu's three major historical and cultural preservation areas. Kuan Alley is 7 meters wide, showcasing the "leisurely life" of old Chengdu; Zhai Alley is 5 meters wide, showcasing the "slow life" of old Chengdu; Jing Alley naturally has an old well, showcasing the "new life" of old Chengdu. The entire Kuanzhai Alley embodies Chengdu's past, present, and future, the best reflection of Chengdu's leisure city and street life. At night, Kuanzhai Alley is bustling with people; the alley looks more beautiful under the lights. High lanterns are hung, and plane trees shade many standard courtyard mansions with high gate towers, deep walls, and green bricks and gray tiles. Each courtyard must have many untold legendary stories. Ancient buildings, trendy shops, and noisy crowds blend together, allowing people to fully enjoy the leisure life of summer nights. In particular, the dragon-shaped carving at the entrance of Xiaolong Fan Dajiang and the three-dimensional horse in front of the hitching post are lifelike, attracting tourists to stop and take photos.

Coming to Chengdu, how can you miss the adorable national treasure—the giant panda? There are direct sightseeing buses from downtown areas like Chunxi Road and Kuanzhai Alley to the Panda Base. I took Metro Line 7 and transferred to Line 3, got off at Zoo Station, and took a direct bus from the subway exit to the base. Both the subway station and the bus are filled with panda elements.

Chengdu Giant Panda Base is currently the place with the most giant pandas in the world, with over 200 pandas in captivity. I chose to walk the entire way. Giant pandas generally live in dense bamboo forests at altitudes of 2,600-3,500 meters, with temperatures below 20°C year-round. The base simulates the panda's wild habitat, built along the mountain slopes, with lush forests, quiet environment, like a large forest park, dotted with many cartoon kung fu panda figures. Panda nurseries, panda breeding areas, research centers, and panda hospitals are well arranged. Several luxurious panda "villas" are scattered in the mountains. Giant pandas of different ages live and breed here, and cute red pandas and fat squirrels can also be seen moving around.

Adult giant pandas are chubby, round, and lazy, wiggling their hips when they walk. They have only one thing to do every day: eat bamboo. They grab a bamboo stalk and start gnawing, looking so engrossed that you wonder how delicious bamboo really is. They eat bamboo in various poses: lying down, sitting, leaning. After eating and drinking, they start to feel sleepy, napping in different poses while basking in the sun: lying on their backs, on their stomachs, or hanging.

In comparison, young pandas are more active and playful. They climb high and low, in groups, playing in water and frolicking, full of energy and adorable antics. Several star cubs attract a lot of attention. The funniest scene was a young panda struggling to climb up a climbing frame. It finally reached the top and was about to hang and play when the adult panda mother, with a majestic stride, walked up in a few steps. Without even glancing at her cub, she turned belly-up and lay down on the frame, leisurely sunbathing her belly, completely ignoring her massive weight pressing down on the cub. The cub couldn't bear the weight, lost its balance, and fell off the high frame with a thud. It looked up resentfully, but still didn't get any attention from its mother, so it had to awkwardly wiggle its butt and get up, looking for another place to play. The scene was so absurd that we all burst into laughter.

Of course, the most attractive are the panda cubs in the nursery. The cubs in incubators are pink and hairless like little mice; the slightly older ones are also soft and limp, all cute and cuddly, completely capturing your heart (borrowed online image).

My friend drove to the Panda Base to pick me up and took me to Chen Mapo Tofu (Western Sichuan民居-themed experience restaurant). Chen Mapo Tofu is a world-famous dish, with 158 years of history since its creation during the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. In 2011, the cooking skill of Chen Mapo Tofu was recognized as a Sichuan Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage. A simple folk tofu dish has enjoyed boundless popularity for over a century. The tofu is soft and flavorful, the beef crispy and fragrant, oily but not greasy, a true representative of Sichuan cuisine and perfect with rice. The Sichuan dishes here are very authentic. The dish called "Taste on the Tip of the Tongue" is actually Sichuan peppercorn beef tongue, with moderate thickness, crispy and tender, and very chewy.

A few days earlier, I had been following the live archaeology broadcast on CCTV titled "Sleeping for Three Thousand Years, Waking Up to Shake the World." Since I was in Chengdu, I couldn't miss this great opportunity. My friend and I drove to the Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan City. The Sanxingdui ancient site covers an area of 12 square kilometers, dating back 5,000 to 3,000 years. It is the largest, longest-lasting, and culturally richest ancient city, kingdom, and Shu cultural site discovered in Southwest China to date, and an important representative of world bronze civilization from the 16th to 14th centuries BC. Its discovery provides unique material evidence for the lost ancient Shu kingdom. As the center of civilization in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, Sanxingdui is the most mysterious star in the "starry sky" of Chinese civilization. There is no written record of it in any historical documents, like a silent time capsule waiting for people to revive that mysterious history. Currently, only about one-thousandth of the site has been excavated. The name "Sanxingdui" was given by archaeologists based on three mounds of yellow earth at the excavation site, meaning "three-star mounds." The visiting area includes the Comprehensive Hall and the Bronze Hall, with many replica cartoon figures of artifacts outside the halls.

Since January 2002, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage has published lists of cultural relics prohibited from overseas exhibition, mostly first-grade relics that are unique or fragile, with immeasurable value. The Sanxingdui Bronze Sacred Tree and the Jade Zhang with Sacrificial Scenes were included in the first batch. In the third batch announced in 2013, the Bronze Standing Figure and the Gold Scepter were also listed.

The best-preserved and largest piece of jade zhang features openwork carving, with the thinnest part only 2 mm thick. Its carving technique represents the highest level of all jade artifacts at Sanxingdui. The pattern is symmetrical up and down, with fine and intricate decorative patterns, reflecting the scene of ancient Shu people holding jade zhang to worship heaven, earth, and mountains at an altar. It freezes a vivid scene of social life in the theocratic Sanxingdui kingdom, and its value is self-evident.

Bronze Sacred Tree (Museum Treasure)

Bronze sacred trees were unearthed from Pit No. 2, with eight in total, but only two are displayed because the others are too fragmented to restore. The fully restored one is the largest, 3.95 meters tall, connecting heaven and earth under the vast starry sky. It is the largest single bronze artifact ever found in the world, with a strange and beautiful shape, named Tree No. 1. It has three layers of branches, with fruits and flowers either upturned or drooping, and nine sun birds standing on the branches. A dragon hangs below the tree, head down, tail up, sinuous and graceful, mentioned in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas." It vividly recreates the beautiful ancient "Ten Suns" myth, reflecting the ancient Shu people's worship of divine birds, the sun, and sacred trees. It is a rare and unique piece.

Tree No. 2 retains only the lower half, its overall shape unclear. On the base with three symbolic tree roots, there are three kneeling figures with hands extended forward, seemingly holding something. The trunk has three branches on each layer, each branch tip with a bud wrapped by a long and a short leaf. The main part of the branches extends outward and upward, with birds perched on the leaves of the bud at the tips.

The Bronze Standing Figure is the tallest and most complete bronze standing figure of its time in the world, like an "Oriental giant," hailed as the "King of World Bronze Statues." It is 2.608 meters high, with a body height of 1.8 meters and a weight of 180 kilograms. It stands on a monster-shaped platform. Its facial features are unique: high nose bridge, thick eyebrows, large ears, resembling a Westerner's appearance. The body is slender, hands in a circular gesture, and the clothing has intricate patterns. It could be a Shu king or a high priest with supreme authority. The overall image is elegant and solemn, as if it still radiates kingly light through a thousand years.

The Gold Scepter is the largest and heaviest gold artifact from the Shang Dynasty found in China, a rare treasure representing royal power, and also the earliest gold scepter discovered in the world. It is 1.42 meters long, the central wood has rotted away, leaving only a thin layer of gold. The combination of supreme gold and supreme scepter represents divine power and royal authority. One end of the scepter is engraved with a 46 cm-long pattern depicting an arrow piercing a bird and striking a fish head, along with two heads wearing five-inch crowns. Fish can dive deep into water, birds can fly to the sky, symbolizing the Shu king's power to reach heaven and earth. Some experts believe the person wearing the five-tooth high crown is Shu ancestor Cancong, who handed the gold scepter to Yufu. The image of an arrow piercing both bird and fish head may directly represent the abdication system at that time.

Gold masks were unearthed from both Pit 1 and Pit 2 at Sanxingdui, including gold scepters, gold masks, gold tiger-shaped ornaments, and gold fish-shaped ornaments. The most characteristic are the gold scepter and gold masks. The gold artifacts unearthed at Sanxingdui are mostly gold-silver alloys, with a gold content of over 85%, equivalent to 18K gold. One gold mask fragment is 21.5 cm wide and 11.3 cm high, hammered from a gold block, with excellent craftsmanship. Some experts believe it may have fallen off a bronze head statue, symbolizing the wearer's noble, authoritative identity and status, making it a standout among Sanxingdui gold artifacts.

The bronze artifacts at Sanxingdui can be described as a majestic and spectacular spiritual epic, vividly expressing the spiritual life of the ancient Shu people. The Bronze Hall features a bronze human-headed bird-bodied statue as the main landmark sculpture, supplemented by a large bronze relief backdrop. The first hall is the Mask Hall. Over 20 bronze human masks have been unearthed at Sanxingdui. These masks do not conform to the standard proportions of a human face (three sections for the forehead, five eyes for the face). The exaggerated features are meant to distance them from reality and highlight their divinity. The bronze masks, represented by the protruding-eye masks, are one of the most distinctive and culturally significant artifact types at Sanxingdui.

Many of the large masks unearthed at Sanxingdui are unique divine artifacts in the world, each with different shapes and "extraordinary bone structures." The bronze large mask is 72 cm high and 132 cm wide, the largest among all masks unearthed at Sanxingdui. It is heavy and steady, solemn and dignified, showing the majesty of its worship object. The bronze mask with protruding eyes is the world's earliest and largest bronze mask, also one of the two largest bronze masks unearthed at Sanxingdui, known as the "King of Masks." It is 66 cm high and 138 cm wide, with extremely exaggerated eyes and ears. The eyes protrude outward in a column shape, reaching 16 cm, and the ears with decorative patterns fully extend to both sides, earning it the nickname "Thousand-mile Eyes, Wind-ear Ears." The shape is majestic, imposing, mysterious and solemn, neither human nor beast, giving a strong sense of deterrence. It coincidentally confirms the description of Shu ancestor Cancong in ancient myths. The bronze mask with a crown and protruding eyes is 85.4 cm high and 78 cm wide, with a forehead ornament up to 66 cm high, curled inward at the top, decorated with knife-shaped feathers in the middle. The mask is bizarre and grotesque, full of mystery.

Flat-top/Round-top Gold-Plated Bronze Head

Bronze head statues with gold masks are called "Gold-faced Envoys." The gold mask is hammered from gold foil and attached to the bronze head statue. Pit 2 at Sanxingdui yielded four bronze head statues with gold masks, similar in size and shape to ordinary heads, but the gold masks make them stand out among the dozens of head statues. It is generally believed that these gold-faced statues represent the highest social class, those who hold life-and-death power and have special skills to communicate with the gods. The heads shine with gold brilliance, with extraordinary bearing. The flat-top has hair braids hanging behind, showing a strong local ethnic hairstyle style. The round-top has a hairpin behind the head, with both ends missing.

Bronze Sun-shaped Object

84 cm in diameter, with five radiating rays around it, connected to an outer halo. This shape has never been seen in unearthed artifacts before. It is generally considered by experts to be the materialization of the ancient Shu people's worship of the sun, either a divine object or a sacrificial tool devoutly offered by the ancient Shu people. It is one of the most puzzling bronze artifacts at Sanxingdui, resembling both a wind-fire wheel and a steering wheel. Could it be an alien civilization artifact left in the Land of Abundance?

40.3 cm high, simple in shape, smooth in lines, with huge eyes. Its image resembles an eagle or a cormorant, possibly a decoration on a temple building or installed on some object as a symbolic emblem for ceremonial purposes, possessing a high status. It is the largest among all bird-shaped artifacts at Sanxingdui.

Bronze Human Figure with Beast-Headed Crown

Remaining height 40.2 cm, dignified posture, cold and solemn expression. It likely represents a shaman presiding over some sacrificial ceremony. The clothing is likely ceremonial attire, vivid and lifelike. Only the upper half of the body remains. The arms are in a circular gesture in front of the chest, with hands in an empty grasping gesture, little fingers extending outward like orchid fingers. The most striking feature is the peculiar beast-headed crown, which resembles an elephant's trunk, a composite mythical beast combining features of various animals.

The Altar has a remaining height of 53.3 cm, damaged by fire. It consists of four layers. The bottom layer is a beast-shaped base, the foundation of the entire altar, featuring the famous "beast under the altar." The second layer houses four large standing figures, majestic and solemn. The third layer is a mountain, and the top layer is the most mysterious, seemingly a square box. The box is carved with five ancient Shu people in openwork, likely wizards of the ancient Shu kingdom, all with coiled hair, wearing long sacrificial skirts, hands in a circular gesture, as if grasping something like the bronze large standing figure. The altar's shape is unique and mysterious. It is speculated to be a major sacrificial vessel in the ancestral temple of a certain dynasty of the Sanxingdui ancient Shu kingdom, the only bronze altar from the Shang and Zhou dynasties unearthed in China to date, and one of the most representative, exquisitely patterned, and finely crafted bronze artifacts ever found in China. The nearby "Heaven and Earth, Gods and People Dancing Together – Grand Sacrificial Ceremony" simulates scenes of a high altar, a towering sacred tree, worshipping crowds, and firelight in the sky.

The Sanxingdui Museum is the most震撼 museum visit I have ever had. I marvel at the incredible ancient Shu civilization, the creative ingenuity and exquisite craftsmanship of the ancient Shu people. The shock of the actual artifacts is far beyond what words and pictures can describe. I lingered in front of each exhibit, reluctant to leave. Seeing my obsession, my friend even took me around to the archaeological site for a closer look.

In the evening, my friend took me to Liu Mingji's Mother's Rabbit Head, where we sipped fresh draft beer and gnawed on rabbit heads. He said Sichuanese people eat 300 million rabbits every year, and those who know how to eat are kissing experts! Seeing a rabbit head for the first time, I was quite reluctant. The rabbit head looked really scary, and I remembered the most impressive line from a movie: "How can you eat bunny? Bunnies are so cute?!" Under my friend's persistent urging, I tremblingly extended my hands, avoiding the rabbit's eyes, and ate with my eyes closed. To my surprise, the meat inside was fragrant, oily, plump, tender, and spicy, salty with a hint of freshness. The spicier it got, the more I drank; the more I drank, the more I craved. Reunited with old friends, sipping beer, gnawing on rabbit heads, and ordering a serving of authentic grilled brain flowers, perfectly matched the slow pace of Sichuan life. Moreover, rabbit head is highly nutritious, low in fat, and tasty without causing weight gain, making it an ideal summer evening meal.

Transfer from Xipu Station on Metro Line 2 to the intercity railway, and you can directly reach Lidui Park Station in Dujiangyan. Today the weather was overcast, the temperature dropped sharply, and strong winds blew. I felt a chill as soon as I stepped out. Fortunately, a lunch of spicy blood curd (Mao Xue Wang) warmed me up. In the afternoon, I switched to indoor activities. I heard that Dujiangyan Sunac Mao contains a trendy bookstore inspired by "Inception" in real life—Zhongshuge. Let's check it out!

"Rising because of the dam, thriving because of water." Zhongshuge's design draws inspiration from Dujiangyan's magnificent dam, creating stunning illusions with cleverly placed mirrors and shiny black ceramic tiles. The mirrored ceiling simulates an infinite extension effect. Pushing open the glass door with the bookstore's name, it feels like falling into Wonderland as Alice. This is a magical castle like "Hogwarts." Simple walnut-colored C-shaped bookcases are irregularly arranged before the eyes, with unique curved shapes cleverly separating different areas. Wandering under the huge bookshelves feels like walking through a maze of books. Stopping and walking, time seems to slow down. Passing through the winding and deep bookshelf walls, the children's area suddenly appears. Here, cute pandas serve as decorations, and colorful soft cushions in various shapes are piled into hills, creating an exclusive reading space for children, cute and dreamy.

In the central literature area, the book walls are towering like giant "city walls," with scattered bookstands like "boats" quietly moored on a lake, drifting in the half-hidden space of the bookshelves. Although the books at the highest positions are purely decorative, it is said that readers can access up to 80,000 books. The bookcases stand and overlap, with 180° transparent mirror reflections above and below, making it hard to distinguish reality from illusion. The arched bookshelves resemble the towering skeleton of a futuristic vertical city, reflecting magical shapes in the mirrors. Peering through the square openings between the bookcases, you can see different scenes. Climbing the spiral-like staircase, every corner and step gives a sense of winding paths leading to secluded spots. From the second-floor reading corridor, looking down from a height, you can feel the grand scale of the space, with light and shadow interlacing, creating a sense of time distortion. It is indeed far more impressive than the Zhongshuge in Shanghai.

The beauty of Dujiangyan belongs to the day, but even more to the night. The night view of Dujiangyan can be described as "magnificent and spectacular." Modern optoelectronic technology merges with ancient architecture, lighting up the romantic night of this city. Even the giant panda in Dujiangyan has become extremely cute, lying on the Tianfu Plaza taking a selfie. This reclining selfie-taking panda is 26 meters long, 11 meters wide, and 12 meters high, weighing 130 tons, fixed with over 3 million lacquered stainless steel wires. It rests its head on its hands, sticks out its chubby feet, holds a pink selfie stick, and takes a selfie next to Rainbow Stairs. Its carefree expression and leisurely posture are just like the relaxed Sichuan people.

During the day, the South Bridge resembles a plain maiden, quiet and elegant. At night, the South Bridge is more like a heavily made-up young woman, flamboyant and full-figured, with an indescribable charm. The lights reflect the Min River water into a soft turquoise blue, emitting a dreamy quality. The roar of the Min River is deafening; the water surges and flows like a brocade ribbon into the distance. Finding a quiet corner by the resplendent South Bridge to blow in the wind, quietly watching the golden lights, the dark blue sky, and the turquoise water rolling away, time seems to stand still.

West Street has a history of over a hundred years. Having survived a major earthquake, its centuries-old buildings remain intact. Looking ahead, the street stretches toward the mountains, flanked by ancient houses full of history. Melodious songs drift from the alleys, and rows of red lanterns hang under the eaves, with flickering lights. In the enchanting night, willow trees and gentle water flow in the river, the old city of Guanxian glitters with splendor. Here you can feel the authentic Western Sichuan, the comfortable and genuine "Old Chengdu." The most ordinary and lively element is naturally the food. You must try the Taiping Zhang's fermented rice balls, made with ancient brown sugar, rich and mellow, soft and chewy. The poached eggs are just right, the handmade dumplings have chewy wrappers, the filling is juicy and thick, garnished with sesame seeds, and the dipping sauce is sweet with a hint of spiciness.

In the early morning, I opened the curtains to a clear blue sky, a stark contrast to the previous day's gloom. A bowl of authentic sour and spicy vermicelli with pork intestine energized me. I said good morning to the cute "selfie panda" and then passed through the east gate of the old city of Guanxian, crossed the South Bridge, and set off for the Dujiangyan scenic area. The famous Dujiangyan is known to all, one of the few places in the world that is a World Heritage Irrigation Structure, a World Cultural Heritage site, and a World Natural Heritage site. However, not many may know its former name, Guanxian. Guanxian dates back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, an ancient city accompanying the millennium-old weir. The city has scenery within, and the scenery contains the city, half mountain and half city, with a unique "water culture" character. Through the tumultuous years of "golden horses and iron arms," it has been a strategic military site since ancient times. West Street is the starting point of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, and the West Pass was a vital gateway to the Songmao region. Entering through the east gate tower "Xuanhua Gate," the antique buildings along both sides of the street are built by the water, with the Yangliu River flowing through. Next to the mosque on South Street is West Street. The Sanbaidong Covered Bridge has a unique style. The rushing Min River divides here, and the words "Tianfu Yuan" on the front of the bridge immediately immerse one in the scene of water control in those years.

The South Bridge, originally named "Puji Bridge," was first built in the 4th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1878). It is about 133 meters long and has been damaged many times. It was repaired again in 1979 and restored after the 2009 earthquake. It is known as the "First Bridge of the River Source." Folk saying goes: "Crossing the South Bridge brings favorable weather and abundant harvests." The majestic covered ancient bridge stands between South Street and Fuxing Street, integrating carved beams and painted rafters, folk painted sculptures, calligraphy, and couplets, earning the nickname "Painted Tower on Water." The towers at the bridge ends have flying eaves piercing the sky, carved beams and painted rafters, and colorful bridge paintings that are dazzling. Looking up at the roof, classic scenes such as "Hai Rui Dismissed from Office," "Flooding Jinshan Temple," and "Monkey King Thrice Fights the White Bone Demon" are recreated, each with different expressions, lifelike and magnificent.

The Dujiangyan irrigation system was first built at the end of King Zhao of Qin's reign (about 256-251 BC), organized by Li Bing, the governor of Shu Commandery, and his son. It marked a new era in ancient Chinese water conservancy history. It is the oldest, only remaining, still in use, and dam-free diversion irrigation system in the world. Although not as massive as the Great Wall, its impact on human civilization is no less. As a result, Li Bing ranks first among the 100 ancient Chinese scientists. More than two thousand years have passed, with great changes in the world and numerous changes in mountains and rivers, but Dujiangyan remains majestic and magical, still playing an endless role in flood control and irrigation, nourishing the vast fertile fields of the Land of Abundance. The irrigation area now covers more than 30 counties and cities, nearly 10 million mu.

Entering the scenic area, I strolled forward and heard the sound of flowing water. Following the sound, I saw a circular fountain. Arcs of water sprayed upward from numerous jets, falling onto iron bars lying on the ground, splashing water droplets. These iron bars are called "lying iron" (Wotie), markers for the annual dredging depth of the inner river. Legend has it that when Li Bing built the weir, he buried a stone horse under the inner riverbed as a standard for the annual dredging depth, later replaced by lying iron. The four lying iron bars were buried in the 4th year of Wanli of the Ming Dynasty, the 3rd year of Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty, the 16th year of the Republic of China, and 1994, respectively, known as the "Water-calming Divine Needles" of Dujiangyan. The four lying iron bars seen at the fountain are replicas; the originals remain buried under the inner riverbed, hidden in the surging river. Around the fountain are horse-tripping devices (macha) and stone-caged bamboo baskets used for cofferdams. Both bamboo cages and horse-tripping devices are effective water control tools, used for over two thousand years, demonstrating the wisdom of ancient people using local materials to block rivers and divert flow.

To the left and right of the Weir Merit Road are two Dragon Roaring Ditches, with a total of 248 large and small dragon heads spitting water into the ditches. The water comes from the Min River and flows directly to the lying iron. On the right, the Zhang Song ginkgo tree, over 1,800 years old, is still lush and green. In 2004's "King of Trees in Tianfu" competition, it won the honor of "Top Ten Famous Potted Trees." It is also the prototype of the ginseng fruit tree in the 1980 version of "Journey to the West" episode "Stealing the Ginseng Fruits." The tree is 6.3 meters high, with a maximum girth of 5 meters. The base of the trunk splits into two trunks that merge at 1 meter high and then branch out horizontally. On the trunk, main branches, and branch forks, many ginkgo 'fruits' (actually tree tumors that gradually grow over time) hang like stalactites.

The irrigation system took eight years to complete and consists of the Fish Mouth Water-Dividing Dike, the Flying Sand Weir, and the Bottleneck Channel. The Fish Mouth divides the Min River into two; the Flying Sand Weir discharges excess floodwater and sediment into the outer river; the Bottleneck Channel automatically regulates the water intake, serving as the main switch for the gravity irrigation system. These three projects complement each other, working in harmony to achieve the magical functions of water diversion for irrigation, flood reduction, and sediment control, transforming the human concept of water management from "avoiding water hazards" to "seeking water benefits," leading to unprecedented innovation and development in water control capabilities.

Bottleneck Channel Water Diversion Project

The Min River flowed endlessly and wildly. After surveying, Li Bing and his son decided to cut through Mount Yulei to divert water. Without explosives at the time, it would have taken at least 30 years using iron hammers. Li Bing devised the method of fire and water, using the principle of thermal expansion and contraction to crack the rock and speed up the project. After eight years, a mouth 20 meters wide, 40 meters high, and 80 meters long was finally carved through Mount Yulei—the "Bottleneck Channel" (Bao Ping Kou). The rock mass left in the river, separated from Mount Yulei, was called "Lidui" (Separated Mound). Fulong Temple (Temple of the Subdued Dragon) was built on the ridge of Lidui, following the terrain from low to high, with three sides hanging over the water. The excavation of Mount Yulei balanced the water flow on both sides of the Min River, alleviating floods on the west and drought on the east. This was the key to controlling the flood and the first step of the Dujiangyan project.

Fish Mouth Water-Dividing Project

This is the main water diversion method of the Dujiangyan system. To allow the Min River to flow eastward smoothly with a stable flow, Li Bing built a dividing weir in the middle of the Min River. The front end of the weir, shaped like a "fish mouth," splits the upstream river into two: the western branch is the outer river, the main stream of the Min for flood discharge; the eastern branch is the inner river, flowing into the Bottleneck Channel, an artificial diversion canal mainly for irrigation. The inner river is narrow and deep, while the outer river is wide and shallow. In the dry season, when water levels are low, 60% of the flow enters the deeper inner river, ensuring water supply to the Chengdu Plain. In the flood season, when water levels are high, most of the water flows into the wider outer river. This automatic distribution of water between inner and outer rivers is known as the "40-60 water division." The Fish Mouth is considered the essence of Dujiangyan.

Flying Sand Weir Overflow and Sediment Discharge Project

To further control the water volume entering the Bottleneck Channel and prevent fluctuations in the irrigation area water supply, Li Bing built a balancing channel and the "Flying Sand Weir" overflow spillway near the Bottleneck Channel at the tail of the Fish Mouth Dike. A curved channel was built in front of the spillway, creating a circular flow. When the water exceeds the weir crest, floodwater flows through the balancing channel over the Flying Sand Weir into the outer river, protecting the inner river irrigation area from floods. At the same time, the water flowing over the Flying Sand Weir creates a vortex, and under centrifugal force, sediment and even large stones are thrown over the weir, effectively reducing sediment deposition around the Bottleneck Channel. To monitor and control the inner river water level, Li Bing carved three stone figures and placed them in the water, using the principle of "no water above the feet in dry season, no water above the shoulders in flood." He also carved a stone horse and placed it in the middle of the river as the standard for the minimum annual dredging depth.

The Anlan Cable Bridge on the Fish Mouth Dike of Dujiangyan was built before the Song Dynasty and is the oldest existing cable bridge in China, known as one of the "Five Great Ancient Bridges of China." It spans 261 meters across the Min River, connecting north and south. Originally supported by wooden beams and stone piers, with thick bamboo cables across the river and wooden planks as the deck, and bamboo ropes as railings, it was steep yet firm. Walking on it, it sways violently, left and right, with a view of the rapid rapids and shoals below, thrilling and exciting. This cable bridge was built by an ordinary couple, so it is also called "Couple's Bridge," with the saying, "Walk on the bridge, sweet to eternity."

Qinyan Tower, named because Dujiangyan was built during the Qin State, stands against the mountain, towering over the riverbank, steep and spectacular. It is the best place to overlook the panoramic view of Dujiangyan. Chairman Mao stood here in 1958. From Qinyan Tower, you can take in the spectacular view of the three major water conservancy projects of Dujiangyan, Anlan Bridge, Erwang Temple, the ancient post road, and Yulei Pass. Bathed in the gentle mountain wind, looking at the overlapping peaks, the surging river, and the deepening green, it is truly magnificent.

Erwang Temple (Temple of Two Kings) was built during the Northern and Southern Dynasties to commemorate Li Bing and his son. The people, grateful for their kindness, voluntarily came to offer incense. It has been thriving with incense offerings since ancient times. On the gable walls are many stone-carved inscriptions of Dujiangyan water control experience, such as "Deeply dredge the shoal, lowly build the weir," known as the 82-character "Three Character Classic" of water control, still followed as the principle of Dujiangyan water management. The entire building complex is hidden in deep seclusion, with ancient towering trees providing dense shade, showing only a few roof corners and white walls, with pavilions and terraces scattered in the dense forest and on cliffsides.

Leaving Erwang Temple and continuing along the Songmao Ancient Road, I turned back to see a sea of green. Climbing up, I reached Yulei Pass, a strategic fortress in the ancient Western Sichuan Plain, one of the nine passes of the old city of Guanxian, and a scenic spot beside the ancient weir for over a thousand years. Known historically as the "Key to Western Sichuan," Yulei Pass has flying eaves and upturned corners, magnificent and spectacular. Overlooking the surging Dujiangyan and the distant Qingcheng Mountain, you can also take a mountain escalator to the top of Yulei Pavilion, the highest point of Dujiangyan, to take in the entire beautiful scenery.

West Street, nestled against the mountain and beside the river, features wooden walls, black tiles, and green trees. The murmuring river flows through the street, presenting the characteristics of a Western Sichuan town. It is the first street on the Western Sichuan Tea Horse Road with a history of several hundred years. In the alleys live the older generation of West Street residents. The lanes and taverns continue the bustling market life of thousands of years. Climbing onto the ancient city wall of the Ming Dynasty, standing at roof height, alongside the blue sky, at the stone-paved road side, various specialty shops dazzle. When tired, I visited Lin Ji's Dregs Noodles for a signature bowl. The thick red oil submerges the noodles, topped with a layer of white chicken crispy dregs. Mix well and eat; the noodles are chewy, not too soft or hard, combined with the aroma of red oil and meat dregs, spicy and delicious.

Not yet satisfied, I left West Street and went to Taipo Wonton on the main street. The shop specializes in wontons. The wontons are not big, with thin wrappers revealing the pinkish meat filling. There is only one type of filling, but the seasoning is innovative. The single-person set meal includes three flavors: spicy, pickled vegetable, and seafood, all delicious and satisfying.

My friend drove all the way from Dujiangyan to pick me up and take me back to Chengdu to visit Chunxi Road. Today, Chunxi Road is not just Chunxi Road alone; it also connects to Taikoo Li and IFS, forming Chengdu's most bustling business district. The famous "Wall-Climbing Panda" clings to the outer wall of IFS, with its butt facing Hongxing Road Pedestrian Street. It is about 15 meters high, as if it just escaped from the wild into the city, full of curiosity about the bustling world. On the open terrace on the 7th floor of the mall, you can see the panda's front face: a big, silly-looking face, resembling a block structure made of nearly 4,000 triangular pieces.

Chengdu Yuanli Taikoo Li has now surpassed Chunxi Road in status: high-end, classy, artistic, with many beautiful people and fashionable dressers. Street photographers lurk there every day. As a seasoned craft beer enthusiast, my friend naturally played host and took me to experience the most stylish craft beer bar in Taikoo Li—FOAM RANGER Foam Ranger. It is one of China's most representative craft beer bars, with 50 top-tier craft draft beers to choose from. My friend ordered two representative fruit-flavored craft beers, suitable for ladies. The beer has rich foam, an aromatic scent blending malt, hops, and unique compound fruit aromas. I couldn't wait to sip the foam, which was incredibly smooth and velvety, then took a drink of the beer, which was delicious and rich. After savoring it in my mouth for a moment, first the malt flavor, then a mouthful of fruity fragrance after swallowing. Here, you can also enjoy creative Western dishes with Sichuan characteristics—Sichuan-style fries with Mapo tofu sauce, a unique and novel flavor that pairs surprisingly well with craft beer.

Everyone knows Chengdu's hotpot is famous. Actually, compared to hotpot, I prefer chuancuanxiang (skewered spicy pot). Each skewer has a small amount of food, but the variety is rich, making it ideal for small-stomached girls who like to try different options. The C-position of chuancuanxiang must go to the Steel Pipe Factory Fifth Area Small Livers (Xiaojun Gan) Chuancuanxiang, established in 1987. Skewers are sold by weight; you can eat until you can't stand up without spending much. Make sure to recognize the steel worker wearing sunglasses; only those with this logo are authentic. This brand is truly well-known in Chengdu, with top popularity, reputation, and taste. The black clay pot is filled with pure beef tallow hotpot base. The dry dipping powder (gan die) is the soul of skewers, and the oil dish (you die) is the companion of the beef tallow base. Take whatever you want. There are dozens of skewer options, all fresh. The signature small liver skewers are plump, bathed in boiling beef tallow, pulled out in handfuls, crispy and tender, impossible to stop. Cilantro beef and houttuynia cordata (zhe'ergen) beef are also classics, with tender beef that melts in the mouth and strong flavors. The pork intestine knots are novel. His fresh tripe is exceptional, larger than a palm, cooked in the "seven up, eight down" method to achieve a crispy texture.

After eating hotpot and Sichuan dishes, you truly understand what it means to be "heart-wrenching." If hotpot and Sichuan cuisine are too formal, Chengdu snacks have a hundred ways to satisfy you. Just hotpot alone has countless varieties: if there are too few people to eat much, there are skewers; if it's too much trouble to cook while eating, there are cold-pot skewers; if it's too hot and you don't want hot food, there is boboji (cold skewer pot); if you eat alone, there is mao cai (solo hotpot); if you don't like oily soup, there is dry pot... In Chengdu, you never have to worry about what to eat every day; you only worry about how to lose weight if you get fat! Before I knew it, it was time to leave Chengdu again. I was extremely reluctant to part with the food here. Today, I specially gave up the hotel breakfast just to go to a street stall and eat the xiaochi I had been dreaming of—guokui (Chinese meat pie). Juntun Guokui has a long history, well-known in and outside Sichuan. Its layers of crispy crust melt in the mouth, every bite aromatic, crispy, fragrant not greasy. The surface is crispy, inside firm and substantial, with Sichuan pepper mixed with the aroma of pork, meat in every bite, leaving a lingering fragrance. Delicious enough to make you forget your image, so eat it while it's hot.

Taking advantage of the half day before going to the airport, I couldn't resist taking another walk around Kuanzhai Alley and Wuhou Temple. Compared to the hustle and bustle of the night, I prefer the ancient alley in the morning. This is how I imagined it: quaint, quiet, and romantic, leisurely strolling. The old-fashioned, elegantly designed, and integrated Chinese-Western buildings on the street are worth stopping at any time to study carefully.

Kailu (Happy Hut) is one of the most distinctive gates in Kuanzhai Alley. The courtyard gate is built with special blue bricks forming an arched door with a curved arc. Above the doorway is a traditional Chinese stone plaque with the characters "Kai Lu" in large seal script, carved in relief. Above the stone plaque is an oval pattern, representing a high-hanging "evil-avoiding mirror," meant to ward off all demons and ensure the safety of the family. The hitching post is on the old wall at No. 32 Zhai Alley, an ancient Qing artifact, a symbolic representation of northern culture in Western Sichuan. It is about 1.2 meters above the ground, weathered and mottled, one of the only three remaining hitching posts in Kuanzhai Alley, now covered with tempered glass for protection. The hitching post next to the stone horse is a replica. When Chengdu rebuilt Kuanzhai Alley, it collected 40,000 bricks from different eras. On the south side of Jing Alley, these bricks were used to build a brick wall along the street. Inside the brick wall, spray-painted photos are embedded, which in turn contain relief carvings, forming a cultural and folk wall showcasing the history, culture, and customs of old Chengdu. It is a reproduction of the old Chengdu street life and the first brick-themed museum in China. Each old brick from different historical periods, through artistic creation, encapsulates a thousand years of Chengdu history, with each wall pier inscribed with a historic memory.

I believe every visitor to Wuhou Temple will not miss the red wall and bamboo forest here. On both sides of the Huiling Gate, two red-walled paths wind and extend, curving and twisting. At the turns, you always feel the depth of the corridor. The tile eaves on the red wall have grown moss over the years. The sunlight filters through the bamboo forest, casting dappled shadows on the wall. Red, green, and the faintly visible blue sky and white clouds form a harmonious picture. Strolling through the red wall and bamboo shadows feels like traveling back to ancient times, enjoying the tranquility and beauty in this peaceful morning, a unique experience (borrowed online image).