A day after seeing the immense Leshan Giant Buddha and the far-too-touristy ancient town of Huanglongxi far out of Chengdu, Steven and I wanted to explore more of the city founded by the Qin before they unified China in 221 B.C. The city prospered as a commercial center during the Tang Dynasty, 618-907 AD, introduced paper money in the 10th century, and became so well known for its brocades and satins that it earned the name Brocade City!
As Chengdu is close to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, pandas were the name of the game in the city! One of the more touristy things we'd done in a long time was intentionally taking a $1.50 taxi ride to the very upscale IFS Mall to view China’s version of King Kong & Winnie the Pooh scaling a jar of honey on the side! It was a hoot, what can I tell you! Steven and I are all for adding a note of levity to our travels, in addition to admiring striking UNESCO World Heritage sites, and noteworthy temples, etc.
Fashionistas with lots of money would be right at home window shopping at the mall's Prada, YSL, and Ferragamo stores. The mall planners had been particularly astute: escalators went up only one level before requiring a walk past umpteen shops to reach another escalator. We discovered that first-hand, wanting to reach the rooftop garden and see the panda's head peeking over the top!
The grocery store in the mall's lower level had green grapes for sale at an eyewatering $21 per kilo. I can eat green grapes til the cows come home, but not at that price, thank you.
There, we saw the Martyrs' Memorial of the Sichuan Army in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. The memorial was completed on July 7, 1944, the seventh anniversary of the war. After it was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution, it was rebuilt and relocated to the park's east gate.
Shots as we strolled through People's Park:
We read that one section of the park was apparently full of matchmaking leaflets hanging on strings and guarded by matchmakers. Parents who are persistent in having their children get married choose this place as one of their solutions!
John, you would have loved the small but impressive bonsai garden, an element considered necessary in a public park in China.
What elegant signage throughout the park.
We loved the entrance to the Chrysanthemum Garden, but it was the wrong time of the year to see the flowers!
Thank goodness we'd thought to have our hotel write out the Chinese names of each destination we wanted to visit that day, so we could just give them to potential taxi drivers. That made our lives so much easier. Our next stop was Wuhou Temple, a complex housing a shrine to the heroes who made the Shu Han Kingdom legendary during the Three Kingdoms Period from 220-280. The temple was constructed in 221 to entomb the earthly remains of the Shu Emperor Liu Bei. The king was well known among the kings and emperors of his time for his benevolence to citizens.
During the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, Liu Bei's subjects also lived here, including his most trusted adviser, Zhuge Liang, a legendary figure in Sichuan who is considered by some to be more honored than his master. The temple complex is unique in China for jointly honoring both a ruler, Liu Bei, and his minister, Zhuge Liang, below.
There were far too many statues and paintings dedicated to ancient Chinese warlords and other historical figures for me to pay close attention to!
Liu Chen, Liu Bei's grandson, was granted the title of King of the Northland and advocated decisive combat against the Wei warriors. But after his father surrendered to the Wei instead of taking his advice, Chen committed suicide in anger.
Zhuge Zhan, the son of Zhuge Liang, was skilled in painting and calligraphy, but was promoted to Protector General and General of the Guards before he was killed in the defense against the invasion launched by a Wei general in 263. The statue was created during the Qing Dynasty in 1672.
The Brotherhood Shrine contained yet another statue of Liu Bei!
There were far too many statues and paintings dedicated to ancient Chinese warlords and other historical figures for me to pay close attention to!
Another image of Liu Bei:
The main temple, Zhaolie Temple, was dedicated to Liu Bei.
Another statue commemorated Liu Bei.
Liu Chen, Liu Bei's grandson, was granted the title of King of the Northland and advocated decisive combat against the Wei warriors. But after his father surrendered to the Wei instead of taking his advice, Chen committed suicide in anger.
The rear shrine, Wuhou Temple, was dedicated to Zhuge Liang,
Zhuge Zhan, the son of Zhuge Liang, was skilled in painting and calligraphy, but was promoted to Protector General and General of the Guards before he was killed in the defense against the invasion launched by a Wei general in 263. The statue was created during the Qing Dynasty in 1672.
Zhuge Shang, Zhuge Liang's grandson, was killed in 263 while he was under 20 in an attack launched by the Wei. His statue was also created in 1672. I admired the statues not for their historical importance but for their artistic merit!
The extensive complex also contained the Sworn Brotherhood Shrine, also known as the Sanyi Temple, which commemorated the legendary Oath of the Peach Garden. It honored the legendary bond among Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, and Guan Yu, who are considered sworn brothers rather than related by blood.
They pledged brotherhood to restore the Han Dynasty, representing loyalty, bravery, and friendship, and swore to endure hardships and difficulties together.
Liu Bei's loyalist and staunch defender, Zhang Fei, was considered a valiant general by later generations.
The Brotherhood Shrine contained yet another statue of Liu Bei!
The last of the Three Brothers, Guan Yu, was so valiant and fearless in battle that he filled people across China with awe. He endured hardships in ancient China, including crossing five mountain passes and slaying six generals on his return to Liu Bei. He is regarded as the Saint of War and the Martial God of Wealth in Chinese folk customs. The Three Amigos were three tough cookies!
We encountered these characters as we walked along the street.
We were happy that fruit stalls were so plentiful, as that was our go-to lunch.
Another taxi ride, this time to Chengdu's tiny Tibetan Quarter. As we'd just been in Tibet a few days earlier, we were curious to see how well represented the Tibetan community was in China's fourth-largest city.
Most of the shops lining the main drag offered Buddhist prayer flags, religious objects, Tibetan scrolls, and robes for Buddhist priests. It was a visual delight, but I wasn't going to be parting with much money here, that was for sure!
We thought that there were far more shops and items for monks here in the Tibetan Quarter than we'd come across in all of Lhasa!
We, or perhaps more accurately, I, hoped there might be some finds in the Song Xian Qiao Antique Market! Once again, it was a treat for our eyes, but there was nothing we would regret not buying, which has long been our modus operandi when it comes to buying souvenirs.
As I mentioned above, Chengdu has long been known for its sumptuous brocades. That was why we headed toward the Chengdu Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum.
As the province of Sichuan's mulberry silk weaving dates back 6,000 years, it is the cradle of China's sericulture, or the production of silk and the rearing of silkworms. That is why Chengdu and the region are also known as the Ancient Kingdom of Silkworms. Shu, the former name for Sichuan, began trading with the people of the Qin state during the early Spring and Autumn Periods. In the 4th century BC, the Shu people wove linen into cloth and silk into fabric and transported them to the capital of Shaanxi Province, which caught the ruler's attention.
During the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, which lasted from 206 BC to 220 AD, craftsmen in Chengdu invented brocade from silks. Ever since, the fabric, distinct from others because of its exquisite weave, grain, and color, has been known as Shu brocade. Through the famous Silk Road, countless pieces of Shu brocade reached Persia and Rome for sale. With the rising popularity of brocades, the Silk Road provided the link between Chengdu and the rest of the world. Shu brocade, considered to rank among the top three brocades in China, has the longest history and exerts the strongest influence. It has become synonymous with Chengdu's time-honored history and culture.
The dragon-pattern ceremonial clothes worn by a bronze statue of a man unearthed from the Number 2 tomb pit of the ancient Sanxingdui ruins, near Chengdu, were made of silk lock-needle embroidery with braids and applique, more than 3,000 years ago in the Shu area! Later, geometric patterns became popular before more complex woven-flower patterns appeared.
Brocade techniques during the Warring States Period, 476 BC-221 BC, restrained by weaving machines and tools that couldn't match the freedom of embroidery patterns, were characterized by cloud-and-lightning, diamond, and geometric patterns.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the government carried out an industrial transformation of Shu Brocade, setting up the Chengdu Shu Brocade Factory. Many products featured delicate designs that were immensely popular among customers and won several national awards. That attracted Party and state leaders, foreign heads of state, and prominent figures at home to visit and inspect the factory. Shu Brocade also gained fame on the international stage.
There were some breathtakingly beautiful Shu Brocade samples in the Gift Shop, but their prices reflected their artistry, so we declined to buy one.
Unfortunately, I forgot to record the ages of these looms!
We then walked through Chengdu Culture Park, a sprawling green park of ginkgo-lined paths, lotus-filled ponds, and teahouses, established in 1966.
If I've left you with a favorable impression of Chengdu's public parks, my job is done, as we were delighted by their beauty, size, and variety!
Next post: A night at Shufeng Opera in the Culture Park!
Posted on March 5th, 2026, from home, just before heading to the Big Apple, aka NYC, in the morning to visit our oldest, Nina, and her husband, Will, for a quick getaway. It'll be so much fun to be back in one of the most exciting cities in the world and see it again through their eyes. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones in these especially challenging times.
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