Introduction to Sichuan

                                   Visit Sichuan   Sichuan has a long glorious history and a unique culture that can’be
rivaled. Known as the “Land ofAbundance”, it has many extraordinary things including: an ancient irrigation system, ancient towns and villages, houses of famous celebrities of the past and present, countless Buddhist and Taoist temples, stone carvings, and museums are just to name a few. Sichuan has alsobeen a part of many famous historical periods in Chinese history; such as the Three Kingdoms period, the Han Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty. This place definitely has a profound history and culture that is hard to match anywhere in the world.

     Being a place that is intrinsic to Chinese culture, it is often over looked that Sichuan also has a very diverse cultural base. Throughout history Sichuan has been a place where many ethnic groups have been able to live together for peacefully and this is still evident today as Sichuan has the most ethnic minorities in China. Sichuan is home to the largest Tibetan population outside of Tibet, maintains the largest Yi populations in all of China, and is the only place in the world where you can find the Qiang.

   

 As a place that has been influenced by so many unique cultures, Sichuan has been able to cultivate world renowned food, teas and liquors. Sichuan’s food is known for its unique spicy dishes that people from all around the world have replicated; While Sichuan’s tea and liquor have been exported around the world for people to enjoy.


Giant Panda Profile
    The Giant Panda is a universally known and loved animal that has become the modern iconic symbol of China; even surpassing China’s more traditional symbol of the dragon. Traditionally panda’s are characterized as being honest, tolerant, and gentle creatures and are also seen as indicators of peace and prosperity. In more recent years pandas have been used by the Chinese government as a way to improve political ties and bring cultural understanding to various parts of the world.


History
    The Communist Party of China (CPC), also known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was officially founded in July 1st, 1921 and eventually defeated the Kuomintang (KMT), forming the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in October 1st, 1949. During the years of fighting between the KMT and the CPC, the Long March of the Red Army is considered one of the most significant events and a turning point in the fighting.


Local Culture
    Through most of China, tea is still the traditional drink of choice and Sichuan’s tea houses havealways been famous throughout China. Sichuan tea houses have traditionally been a place for friends and family to socialize. Often in tea houses people will gossip about the latest news or play games; including cards and mahjong


Regions
    On behalf of Sichuan I would like to thank you for visiting Sichuan’s official tourism website. As someone who has had many opportunities to travel abroad, I wish to return the gesture by inviting you to come to my home province.


Cities
    Chengdu originally was a small village in a part of China that used to be plagued by constant flooding and famine, until the Dujiangyan Irrigation System was completed. Now with a population of over 11 million, Chengdu is the capital ofSichuan province and has achieved a long rich history


Ancient Villages
    Like many cities located on the Sichuan basin, Ya’an also grows and produces tea that is famous throughout China. The tea that was grown in Ya’an was extremely special though, because during the Tang Dynasty the imperial family only drank tea from Ya’an.  Ya’an is also famous for its traditional Chinese medicine and it is also where the first panda to go to the West was from.


Minority Groups
    Sichuan has a large and diverse ethnic community. Officially China recognizes 55 minorities and of these 53 claim Sichuan province as their home. Minority groups are defined as a group of people with a distinct language, a recognized indigenous homeland, a strong sense of identity and distinctive customs. The three largest minority groups in Sichuan are the Tibetans, the Yi and the Qiang.


Journalist's Sichuan Travels
    Tea was said to be discovered in 2737 BC when tea leaves blew into a cup of boiled drinking water of China Emperor Shen Nung. The emperor tasted the resulting concoction, enjoyed it and -- voila -- tea!