Brief Introduction of Sichuan Province

** Geography and Natural Conditions
Area: 485,000 sq km
Population: 87.246 million at the end of 2005
Chinese often refer Sichuan as the "Tianfu Zhiguo". It means "Land of Abundance" or "Heavenly Kingdom". It refers to the abundance of natural recourses, cultural heritage and local product. Sichuan is high in the west and low in the east in terms of its topography. The west is plateaus and mountainous regions some 4,000 meters above the sea level while the east is the basin and hilly land with an elevation between 1,000 and 3,000 meters. The Sichuan Basin, covering an area of 165,000 sq km, is one of the four largest basins in China. The elevation within the basin is between 200 and 750 meters, sloping down from north to south. Sichuan adjoins the Tibetan Plateau in the West and the Yangtze River in the east. The eastern section supports the densest rural population; the western section rises in giant steps to the Tibetan Plateau Where the windswept grassland and deeper forests are home of Tibetans and Qiang nationality.
** Brief History
Sichuan has a long history, and "Ziyang people" have lived here as early as 10 to 50 thousand years before. In the period of Xia (21st--16th BC) and Shang (16th--11th BC), two clans named Ba and Shu have set up biggish countries running by enslavement system separately. The Kingdom had built several primary cities and the capital of it on a grand scale, which formed regional and splendid Bronze Civilization. In Qin Dynasty (221 BC--207 BC), the area had been set up as Shu Prefecture and Ba Prefecture. Under the direction of the prefect Li Bing and his son, Dujiangyan Dam Irrigation Project had been constructed. Sichuan became the earliest salt wells place exploited on scale all over the world. Han Dynasty (206 BC--220 AD) carried forward the system of Qin, and improved it. Chengdu had become one of five developed and prosperous cities, which was named "Western City". In Three Kingdoms (220 --280), Liu Bei set up the Shu Han Kingdom (221--263) of the Three Kingdoms period in Chengdu. During the Dynasties of Sui (581--618) and Tang (618--907), Sichuan had been set as Jiannan Circuit, economy and culture developed fast, literature there came on to prosperous, and stone carving art had got a high degree of professional proficiency. In Five Dynasties (907--960), Chengdu gained a graceful name "Hibiscus City" called Hibiscus City for short. Since Song Dynasty (960--1279), this area was set four circuits --Yi Region, Zi Region, li Region and Kui Region, called "Sichuan Circuits" for short, and Sichuan gained the name due to this. For Yuan Dynasty (1271--1368) secretariat province, and its provincial status was achieved during the Ming (1368--1644) and Qing Dynasty (1616--1911) administered Western Sichuan plateau and Liangshan region. In 1997 Sichuan and Chongqing were divided, with Chongqing City, Wanxian City, Fuling City and Qinjiang given to Chongqing municipality.
** Cuisine
There is a saying goes "Best Eating in Sichuan" and "Wonderful sapor in Sichuan". Sichuan cuisine is one of the eight regional cuisines of China. The types of compound flavors in Sichuan Cuisine are as many as tens, mainly including the tastes of salt- freshness, family taste, spicy-flavored spice, sweet-sourness, lichi, mustard, fragrance, complex taste, etc. The various and abundant tastes form the unique style of both delicious and rich flavors of Sichuan Cuisine. Another thing needs to be point out is that different types of dishes in Sichuan Cuisine need to choose different seasonings, in short, flavors coexist with its unique seasonings. Sichuan Cuisine has so many characteristics: rich ingredients, various seasonings, serious choice of materials; delicate shredding and arrangement, complicated cooking, unique flavor; uncountable types of dishes with varied tastes. Sichuan Cuisine is composed of five types: banquet dishes, public convenient dishes, family-flavored dishes, hot pot, and snacks. Besides the special food, the tea and wine in Sichuan are also highly praised nation and world widely.
** Local Customs and Traditions
Sichuan Opera is a most featured art of Sichuan Province. Gong and drum play an important role in the music of Sichuan Opera, including typical small drum, hall drum, large gong, large cymbal and small gong (also as Jiaozi), which are called "five methods", added by strings and Chinese oboe (total 6 methods), and commanded by small drum.
Folk Custom of Tibetan In Sichuan, there is a big Tibetan population of 1 million, mainly scattering in the plateau area in northwest, is the largest Tibetan habitat in our country, besides Tibet. The art of Tangga and Suyouhua are traditional art of Tibetan.
Folk Custom of Qiang nationality Sichuan is the only one place where Qiang nationality mainly scatters in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. The top peculiarity of Qiang nationality's religious belief is white-stone worship. In numerous sacrifices, the most frequent one is the pilgrimage to God of Heaven, and the most ceremonious one is the pilgrimage to God of Mountain. Qiang's clothing has bright features. On clothes, there is no difference on style between man and woman. However, on ornaments people of Qiang nationality all wear linen gown, weaved by themselves, and sheepskin short gown outerwear. They wrap scarf, wrap leg, and wear sash. Men do not wear any decoration. However, women wear clothes with lace, or a club-shaped tiny silver adornment, and floriated sashes.
Folk Custom of Yi nationality Yi nationality chose black tiger as their totem, which they believe can transfer and spread their unique charms. They created antiquated syllable character, in which one character representing one meaning, and the total number of the characters was more than 10,000. Moreover, they created their own culture by their characters, and left many abundant literature heritages. People of Yi can both sing and dance. The clothing of Yi nationality is decent, delicate and colorful.

** World Geographic Park in Sichuan Province
Xingwen Geographic park in Yibin City
** World Heritages in Sichuan Province
1. Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
2. Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
3. E'mei Mountain Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area (1996)
4. Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (2000)
5. Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries (2006)
** National AAAAA Level Tourist Attractions in Sichuan Province
1. Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System  in Dujiangyan City, Chengdu City
2. E'mei Mountain in Emei city, Leshan City
3. Jiuzhaigou Valley in Aba Tibetan & Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
** National AAAA Level Tourist Attractions in Sichuan Province
1. Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area in Emei city, Leshan City
2. Huanglong Scenic in Songfan County, Aba Tibetan & Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
3. Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan City, Deyang City
4. Shunan Bamboo Forest in Changning County, Yibin city
5. Hailuogou Glaciers In Luding County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
6. Dinosaur Museum in Zigong City
7. Bifeng Valley in Ya'an City
8. Liushi Fazenda in Dayi County of Chengdu
9. Little Siguniang Mountain in Xiaojin County of Aba Tibetan & Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
10. Dengxiaoping Memorial in Guang'an City
** National Key Scenic Area in Sichuan Province
1. Mountain Gongga or Minya Konka in Luding, Kangding and Jiulong County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
2. E'mei Mountain in Emei city, Leshan City
3. Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System  in Dujiangyan City, Chengdu City
4. Huanglong Scenic in Songfan County, Aba Tibetan & Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
5. Jiuzhaigou Valley in Aba Tibetan & Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
6. Xiling Snow Mountain in Dayi County of Chengdu City
7. Jianmen Shudao in Jiange County of Guangyuan City
8. Siguniang Mountain in Xiaojin County of Aba Tibetan & Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
9. Shunan Bamboo Forest in Changning County, Yibin city
** National famous historic and cultural cities in Sichuan Province
Chengdu City, Dujiangyan City, Luzhou City, Langzhong City, Yibin City, Zigong City and Leshan City

Chengdu is situated in the middle of Sichuan, the West Sichuan Plain. Covering an area of 12390 sq km, Chengdu slants gradually from northwest to southeast. Characterized by hills and gullies is the western peripheral area of Sichuan Basin, at the bottom is the eastern part of Chengdu, forming the heartland of Chengdu plain. Due to the great difference of 4,977 meters on altitude between the east and the west of Chengdu, the moisture and heat distribution varies quite remarkably. As a result, in the mountainous areas of the west areas, the temperatures of air, water and land are much lower than that of the eastern plain. Moreover, even in the same mountain, the vertical distributions of different climatic zones occur.
Climate: Located in the bordering areas of the Sichuan northwest highland and Sichuan basin, Chengdu has its own climatic features. First, the eastern part of the city is different from western part in climatic zone, due to the abrupt change of the height from the east to the west. In Chengdu, generally speaking, the west is cool while the east is warm at the same time. Even in the same mountain, the foot of hill is several degrees higher in temperature than that on the top of the hill. This dramatic change in temperature is favorable for the agricultural development. Second, the winter in Chengdu is short, with a long frost-free period of over 337 days each year. The annual average temperature is around 61.5F. Even in the cold January, the average temperature is some 41F. It rarely snows. Third, there is not much precipitation in winter and spring while it is affluent in summer and autumn with the total precipitation volume of 1,124 centimeters. Moreover, this figure is comparatively stable, the ratio of the year with most rainfall and the year with least precipitation being 2:1. Fourth, the climatic elements of light, water and heat almost occur in the same season, which is a very favorable combination to the growth and propagation of the vegetation. Fifth, the wind speed is low. On the plain and in the mountainous areas, the normal speed of wind is around 1 to 1.5 meters per minute. The total sunshine hours average 1,042 to 1412 each year.