I left you on my last post in charming St. Andrew's, New Brunswick. Allow me now to take you back to Chengdu, in China's Sichuan province, where Steven and I arrived at the end of May 2024 after spending three weeks in Japan, and a week split between Shanghai and Tibet. I posted about each of those places, but wasn't able to finish writing about Chengdu and the rest of that trip, because we left on another wild ride to Luxembourg, Sicily, Malta, and Tunisia in September of 2024. My goal is to finish writing about our second visit to China, on to Brunei, where I "celebrated" my 70th birthday, and our few days in Manila, before we leave yet again next month on an almost three-month trip.
To catch you up on our time in Tibet and Shanghai, here are links to those posts that I hope you might like to read:
5/24/25: https://bergersadventures8.blogspot.com/2024/08/52424-more-of-beautiful-shanghai.html
5/25/24: https://bergersadventures8.blogspot.com/2024/08/52524-onto-lhasa-tibet-some-background.html
5/26/24: https://bergersadventures8.blogspot.com/2024/08/52624-lhasas-revered-potala-palace.html
5/27/24: https://bergersadventures8.blogspot.com/2024/08/52724-lhasas-drepung-monastery-making.html
5/28/24: https://bergersadventures8.blogspot.com/2024/08/52824-stroll-through-lhasas-barkor.html
Earlier on the 29th of May, 2024, Steven and I visited the fun and interesting Dujiangyan Chinese Giant Panda Garden outside of Chengdu with a guide. Here's that post:
5/29/24: https://bergersadventures8.blogspot.com/2024/09/52924-chengdus-adorable-pandas.html
Our next stop that day was to the Qingcheng Taoist Mountain, which our guide, Victor, told us was the birthplace of Taoism in China. It's also regarded as one of the four famous Taoist mountains in China. He explained that Taoism is a shared philosophy with Buddhism, including the Buddha, and that Taoists practice for this life, not for reincarnation. Buddhists, by contrast, prepare for the future. Men must complete four years at a Taoist college and pass exams to become a Taoist priest, as it's considered a profession.
Mount Qingcheng is one of the cradles of Chinese Taoism, as its founder, Zhao Daoling, believed the mountain's tranquil, serene natural scenery was suitable for the development and prosperity of Taoism. Qingcheng is listed as the “fifth Taoist fairyland” in China.
Thank goodness Victor was there to translate the sign for us. It read Red City Mountain because there is a lot of iron in the mountains.
Victor was literally pointing out the herb plants used to treat colds and flu. Two-thirds of the medicinal herbs used in China are found in northern China, including Chengdu. He added that phoebenan trees were perfect to build coffins!
En route to Qingcheng Front Range, where the mountain's main attractions and cultural relics are:
According to the sign, Qingcheng is the number one mountain in western Sichuan province.
The yin-yang symbol represents Taoism.
Jianfu Palace was a major temple and the starting point for visitors exploring Mount Qingcheng. Originally built during the Jin Dynasty, the current structures primarily date back to the Qing Dynasty, before the development of temples, etc on the mountain. In front was what looked like a Buddhist incense burner. However, Victor said it was called a character storage, because worshippers would write down their questions and requests, which would later be burned.
The white crane and white deer are important Taoist symbols.
The bat on the entrance gate stands for happiness, because the Chinese word for happiness is the same as bat!
The space was called the Hall of the God of Wealth and the Prince of Smelting Cinnabar. After the man of great knowledge and ability became the wealthiest man in the country, he performed many good deeds and was therefore given the title of God of Wealth.
Victor stated that people's wishes are "brought to the sky" via incense or candles. The smoke "feeds" the statues, as they're considered alive.
The sign said, "Stay calm and do nothing." But Victor said that some people believe that those who adhere to that philosophy are too lazy, and that the "natural" line should be followed. His example was that water can carry a boat, but it can also sink a boat. Water or a river is like people. If you lose your mind, you can't find the proper way to fix the problem. Essentially, what the sign meant was to stay calm and do nothing to excess.
The Seven Stars Lamp is lit when old people want to borrow life from the sky, and they write their wishes on red pieces of paper. Send me some red paper pronto, will you!
The Taoist Toumu Mercy God is the same as in Buddhism, with each arm holding something to help people in trouble. In Taoism, there are three purities or gods, as the number three is considered very important.
Mount Quincheng is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural and natural heritage area, a national cultural site, and a national low-carbon tourism demonstration area. Also known as Sky-Supporting Mountain, it reaches an elevation of almost 8,000 feet. Dubbed "the most peaceful and secluded mountain under Heaven," it's historically known for its intriguing natural and cultural landscapes, including 36 peaks, 8 larger and 72 smaller caves, and 108 scenic spots. It was chosen by the Qin court as early as the 3rd century as one of the 18 sacred mountains and as a place where state-level sacrificial ceremonies were held.
Mount Qingcheng should be thought of as an ages-old museum of Taoism, with everything there, from ancient buildings, historical sites, and religious events that "sparkle Taoist ethos."
We walked past the Jingsha Site Museum but likewise didn't have time to enter it.
On the way back, we passed the entrance to Qingcheng Taoism College.
Victor showed us a type of tree we would call a sequoia, but it is called a water tree in China. The ancient tree is unique to China.
As our driver headed west to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, we smiled at the taxis with the panda designs on them, because we were still close to the panda exhibits!
Lunch first at a small restaurant to keep us going!
I never imagined that the entrance to the irrigation system could possibly be so ornate, including the decorations on the roof!
Victor commented that locals often sleep on the system's South Bridge, also called the Corridor Bridge, during the summer when it's so hot.
The bridge was built over the Inner River, a manmade river dating to 256 B.C.
As at Qingcheng, the irrigation system was also famous for so many accolades that it was hard not to smile! Its neighboring Dujiangyan City was also called the National and Historical City, the Most Charming Chinese City, China's Excellent Tourism City, the Strongest Sense of Happiness in China, and China's Longevity Village. If all that weren't enough, it was also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List!
Dujiangyan's irrigation system, in use for over 2,270 years, is still "crystallizing ancient people's diligent work, bravery of wisdom," according to its exuberant signage. Located 45 miles from Chengdu, the ancient engineering feat was built to prevent flooding in Chengdu. The system is so efficient that it irrigates over 2,000 square miles of land across more than 40 counties and cities. Locals compare it to the Great Wall of China in terms of its engineering achievement.
The construction of the irrigation system harnessed the river using a new method of channeling and dividing the water rather than simply damming it. The military project arose when there were seven important war states, two of which were more important and wanted to conquer those to the south. Built by hydrologist Li Bing, the irrigation system uses natural topography and three key components to automatically balance water, sediment, and irrigation for the Chengdu Plain.
The Yuzui, or Fish Mouth, is a long, fish-shaped dike in the center of the Minjiang River that divides it into an Inner River for irrigation and an Outer River for flood discharge. During low-water season, 60% of water enters the Inner River; in the flood season, this ratio is reversed. The Feishayan or Sand Weir, aka the Flying Sandman, is a low spillway that uses centrifugal force to automatically discharge 80% of excess water and sediment from the Inner River back into the Outer River during floods. The Baopingkou, or Bottleneck Channel, is a narrow channel cut through a mountain that acts as a gate to control the amount of water flowing into the irrigation network, ensuring a steady supply even during dry periods.
This was one of many statues along Contributors' Alley that honored those who helped maintain and develop this engineering marvel over the centuries. Ding Baozhen, a prominent official during the Qing Dynasty, served as the Governor of Shandong and later as the Viceroy of Sichuan. The next time you order Chinese food, think of Baozhen, as he is perhaps most famously associated with the creation of the popular dish Kung Pao Chicken, Gongbao Jiding, named after his title!
The 800-year-old ginkgo tree was like a living fossil!
The statue honored the second founder of the Leishan Giant Buddha that we'd visit in a couple of days.
Victor remarked that Zhangchou Jianqiong, who lived during the Tang Dynasty, is considered the smartest man in China, as he was a politician, a military strategist, and a scientist. That was why everyone hopes to get wisdom from him by touching his statue.
The Dragon Head Fountain was symbolic, as dragons in Chinese culture often symbolize power, strength, and good luck.
Victor called this the Tame Dragon Temple, but a sign labeled it as Fulong Guan or the Monastery of Subduing the Dragon. The Taoist building was named after a local legend, in which Li Bing and his son subdued a dragon here.
Inside, the statue of Bing was over 1,900 years old!
The topographical map depicted the Outer and Inner Rivers.
Cast during the Ming Dynasty, the tripod was unearthed from a Taoist temple on Mount Qingcheng. It weighed about 1,100 pounds.
As we crossed the river, we had a view of the bridge we'd crossed earlier.
The Inner River is often considered the Angry River!
On the other side, the island was created from mud and earth and was all manmade.
Victor stressed that all water levels are now controlled by computers.
Then, the fun walk back across a suspension bridge! I like them, as long as they're not hundreds of feet in the air.
The view of the suspension bridge from another angle gave us an appreciation of the rivers' different depths and the complexity of the engineering feat.
Victor stated that it took eight years to build the bottleneck, as it was a mountain that required cutting down trees. In the background was Tame Dragon Temple.
Victor thought that the water level at the Flying Sandman location should have been (or should be?) drier in the summer.
It was astounding to consider that in 2021, 11,23 million acres of land were irrigated from this point!
In addition to the irrigation system, the Dujiangyan Scenic Area also features several temples. That was why the three of us hopped on a shuttle or tram to another suspension bridge and Erwan Temple, both part of the massive Dujiangyan Irrigation System.
The Arlan suspension bridge, or literally the Bridge of Waves Pacifying, was one of five ancient bridges in China. It measured almost one thousand feet long, half of which was over the Outer River. It was initially called the Rope or Cane Bridge, after the materials used in its construction. It was renamed the Bridge for Discussion during the Song Dynasty. After it was destroyed during a war in the late Ming Dynasty, it was rebuilt with bamboo canes in 1803. It then became known as the Couple's Bridge, but a sign said its name had been changed to the I Love Bridge!
Views of the Outer River from the bridge:
At the end of the bridge was a colorful entrance gate to Erwan Temple, festooned with prayers written on paper, as I recall.
I couldn't confirm this, but I think the male statue represented Erlang Shen, a god in Chinese folk religion and Daoism, associated with flood control, justice, warriors, and hunting.
Victor marveled that, thanks to Lin's brilliance in the 3rd century BC, the people in Sichuan province have never had to face flooding or drought!
The principal gate to Erwan Temple was reached by such a long flight of steps that Stecven had to stop and take a breath halfway up.
Me, too, but just for the picture, of course!
The dog statue represented good health in China, but only if you stroked it from head to toe. Believe me, we both needed all the help we could get!
After visiting the temple, Victor took us to the Fish Mouth Area, where baskets block the river in the wintertime. During peak season, foot traffic on the suspension bridge is limited to 300 people at a time. On our return, movement on the bridge made it far jumpier than I'd have liked!
After a shuttle ride back to the parking area, it was a 90-minute ride back to Chengdu. What a long day it had been after arriving from Lhasa, Tibet, the night before, beginning with a very long drive to view the adorable pandas, followed by the cradle of the Taoist religion at Mount Qingcheng, and capping off our day at the third-century BC engineering marvel, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System. As exciting as all those experiences had been, spending more than 12 jam-packed hours with Victor also gave Steven and me time to gain insights into Victor's life.
I was surprised at how free of government control his life had been, at how, as a private citizen and not a government employee, he'd made multiple trips to far corners of the globe, including the United States. We chatted about religion, about the sky-high costs of giving his son the best education possible, about healthcare, you name it. Making a personal connection with Victor was truly the cherry on top that day.
Next post: Playing tourist in Chengdu, China's fourth largest city!
Posted on February 24th, 2026, from home again in Denver after a whirlwind weekend in Chicago. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones, and stay safe and well.
