Dujiangyan Irrigation System
Chengdu, ChinaA 2,300-year-old hydraulic engineering masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site an hour from Chengdu, built in 256 BC to control the Min River without a dam - still fully operational today. Dujiangyan transformed the Chengdu Plain from flood-prone to the most productive agricultural land in China and the foundation of Sichuan's prosperity.
More Culture in Chengdu
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Wuhou Shrine Chengdu
China's only temple jointly dedicated to a ruler (Liu Bei of Shu Han) and his minister (Zhuge Liang) from the Three Kingdoms period, set in a large park with ancient cypress trees, red walls, and stone carvings. The Wuhou Shrine is the most important historical site in Chengdu and the adjacent Jinli Street the best street food area.
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Leshan Giant Buddha Day Trip
The world's largest stone Buddha - a 71-meter Tang Dynasty figure carved into a cliff face at the confluence of three rivers, two hours from Chengdu. The Leshan Giant Buddha has sat meditating over the river junction since 803 AD and is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most awe-inspiring sculpture in China.
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Sanxingdui Museum Chengdu
One of the most important and mysterious archaeological discoveries in the world - the 4,000-year-old Sanxingdui civilization whose alien bronze masks, sacred trees, and gold artifacts have no parallel in any known ancient culture. The new museum opened in 2023 is a world-class facility housing the most extraordinary ancient bronze collection in existence.