SICHUAN PROVINCE:

Sichuan is called the hometown of silks and Pandas. The ancient name of Sichuan is Shu, and Shu means the Kingdom of Silkworms. Here you will have a chance to visit the most famous and traditional Shu Embroidery Factory and see how the artists work on the silks in the traditional way.

In Sichuan, you will also visit the greatest Sitting Buddha of the world, which is 71 meters high, and it was carved in Tang Dynasty, from 713 A.D. to 803 AD. Finally, you will have a chance to visit Mount Emei, which is one of the four most famous Buddhist Mountains in China. The elevation of Mount Emei is 3099 meters. And there used to be more than 60 monasteries in this mountain. And here we will visit the most famous Ten Thousand Monastery in this mountain. This monastery was founded in 401 AD. It was one of the oldest monasteries in China.

CHENGDU CITY:

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province-the most populace province in China. Chengdu has a history of more than 2,500 years. And it is one of the four most famous historic cities in China. In ancient times, Chengdu was the capital of the Kingdom of Silkworms, and about 2500 years, this kingdom was named Shu. In Western Han Dynasty, about 2000 years¡¯ ago, because every family in Chengdu produce Brocade, Chengdu was also named the City of Brocade. In Tang Dynasty of about 800 years¡¯ ago, people in every corner of Chengdu planted Hibiscus trees, so Chengdu was also named the City of Hibiscus since then. The first official school was founded in Chengdu in 156 B.C. In Song Dynasty of about 600 years¡¯ ago, the people of Chengdu began to use paper currency named Jiaozi. Even now Chengdu is still the cultural, economical and trade center of Southwest part of China.

DU FU THATCHED COTTAGE

Thatched Cottage of Du Fu is located at the side of the Flower Washing Brook in the western suburbs of Chengdu. It is the former residence of the celebrated Tang dynasty poet, Du Fu.

Du Fu (712-770AD) was born in Henan province. When he was 20 years old, he left his home to travel in China. He used to be an official in Chang'an (present Xi'an), the capital of the Tang dynasty, for 10 years, and was later captured by rebels after an uprising and fled to Chengdu where he built a humble cottage and stayed for about four years.

During these four years, Du Fu composed more than 240 poems reflecting upon the misery of the people, in which most of them are very familiar to Chinese people.

In AD 761, a storm destroyed the roof of the thatched cottage, which led to the writing of one of his masterpieces, "the Song of Autumn Winds Destroying My Cottage". In this poem, he expressed his anxiety for the plight of other poverty-stricken scholars and the desire for shelter for all the poor.

After Du Fu's death, people built a new cottage on the ruins of the original site, as a memorial to Du Fu. The present one was the restoration of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Cover 20 hectares of leafy bamboo and luxuriant vegetation, today, the Thatched Cottage has become a commemorative museum in the form of a traditional garden. The area contains several interesting structures, including the grand lobby, the Shrine of Gong Bu (Du's official title) and the Memorial Hall of Du Fu.

In the grand lobby stand two antique wooden screens, one bear a brief account of Du's life and the other, a traditional Chinese painting of Du's cottage. Inside the Shrine of Gong Bu are stone tablets of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Du's poems have been translated into 15 foreign languages and are on display in the Memorial Hall of Du Fu.

Each year, on January 7th of lunar calendar, local scholars and poets get together in the cottage to honor Du Fu. They celebrate his works by chanting his poems to the accompaniment of dances and music.

Jiuzhaigou(Nine Tibetan Hamlets Valley):

Jiuzhaigou is the Natural Heritage of the United Nations. It is called the Heaven on Earth. There are 108 lakes with different colours here as well as primeval forests and snow mountains and more than 200 species of birds and other animals such as Giant Pandas, Lesser Pandas, Takins, wild asses, wild deers, etc.

WANGJIANG PARK

Wangjiang Tower Park is located two kilometers east of Chengdu, on the south bank of Jinjiang River. It was built to memorialize, Xuetao (768-831), a famous female poet of the Tang dynasty.

Xuetao was born in Chang'an (the present Xi'an) and when she was young, moved to Chengdu with her father. After her father's death, she ran into financial difficulties and became a singer. However, she is best known for her poetic work, which was acknowledged and admired by her contemporaries.

The main structure in this park is Chongli Tower, which was built in 1889 during the Qing Dynasty. Uniquely designed, this tower stands 30 meters high with four stories. The upper two stories are octagonal in shape while the lower two are square. Decorated with flying eaves, red pillars, green tiles and a gilded steeple ball on its pointed octagonal roof, the tower looks extremely splendid. Situated near the Jinjiang River, the tower is also named Wangjiang Tower.

Nearby is a well, said to be the place where Xuetao drew water to dye her writing paper. Because she loved bamboo, which she regarded as a symbol of modesty and self-control, many types of bamboo have been planted in the grounds in her honor, which now boasts over 150 varieties of bamboos from China, Japan and South-East Asia. They range from bonsai-sized potted plants to towering giants, creating a shady retreat in the heat of summer (and a cold, damp retreat in winter).

WUHOU TEMPLE

Temple of Marquis Wu, which is located in the south of Chengdu, is a famous historical site dedicated to the memory of both Liu Bei (161-223), Emperor of the Kingdom of Shu in the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), and Zhuge Liang (181-234), Prime Minister of the kingdom.

The temple was originally built by Li Xiong of the Western Jin dynasty (265-316AD), 400 years after Zhuge Liang's death, and rebuilt in the Qing dynasty with a total area of 37000 square meters. The whole complex faces south direction with the first gate, second gate, hall of Liu Bei, corridor, and hall of Zhuge Liang sitting on the central axis, in which hall of Liu Bei is the highest and greatest one. A board hung above the first gate reads "Han Zhaolie Temple" ( Zhaolie was a title given to Liu Bei posthumously). In spit of this, the temple is commonly known as Wuhou Memorial Temple (Zhuge Liang was conferred on the title of Wu Xianghou after his death).

The memorial temple, dignified and simple in style, houses 47 statues of Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang and other civil officials and senior generals of the kingdom. The temple is furnished with many inscribed stone tablets, the most famous being the Tablet of Triple Success of the Tang dynasty (618-907) with its text by Prime Minister Pei Du, calligraphy by Liu Gongchuo and carvings by Lu Jian.

Today, the temple of marquis Wu is not only a museum for people to know the history of three kingdoms, but also a good place for resting and visiting.

MOUNT EMEI

Mountain Emei is one of the Four Most Beautiful Buddhist Mountains¡ªEmeishan, which elevation changes from about 400 metres to 3099 metres above sea level.Because of the big change in elevations,there are more than 260 species of Birds¡£

WAWUSHAN

Wawushan is the largest National Primeval Forest Park in China. It's about 70 km away from Mountain Emei. It's elevation is 2830m above sea leval. According to the investigations, there are more than 3500 species of plants and about 300 species of birds in Wawushan areas.

HAILUOGOU

Hailuogou is The eastest and lowest modern glacier In Asia, with an area of 200 square kilometers. It stretches from 7756m (the Holy Top of Mingya Gongka-Gongga Shan Mountain) to 2850m above sealevel, and stretches into the forest for 6 km. Because of movements of the glacier, many icefalls have been formed, one of them is 1080 meters high, with a width 500 to 1100 meters, and which is the biggest icefall in China. The glaciers of this area appear in all kinds of shapes: some look like bridges, some look like bears, some like mushrooms. There are also many hot springs in this area. Because of the changes of Elevations and that there are many forests here, there are also many species of birds¡£

MUGECUO

Mugecuo is an area with multi-colored lakes, hot springs, azalea

Forests, grasslands and beautiful mountain sceneries. Like Hailuogou, Because of the changes of Elevations and that there are many forests here, there are also many species of birds.

MINYA GONGA

Mingya Gonga is located in the west of Sichuan Province ,and among Kangding, Luding, Simian and Jiulong. The highest peak of this mountain is 7556 meters above sea level. Mingya Gonga in Tibetan means Ever White. On both sides of Mingya Gonga are two very big rivers: Yalong River and Dadu River.Because of the warm humid air from Dadu River, there are rains all the year round, and it's quite warm in the lower areas. The atmosphere changes a lot from the foot of the mountain to the top. So people say that there are four seasons in the mountain at the same time and there are different skies in 10 square kilometers area.

From the lower areas of the mountain to the middle areas of the mountain, the plants changes vertically. There are more than 4500 species of plants in these areas, and lots of animals and birds including Giant Pandas, Takins, Brown Pandas, Golden Monkeys, Brown Bears, White-lipped deers, Snow leopards, White-eared pheasants, Terminck's Tragopans, Chinese Monals, etc.

MARKAM

Markam in Tibetan means Flurishing or Fourtune and wealth. Markam is the capital of Aba Tibet and Qiang Automous Prefecture.

WOLONG PANDA RESERVE

Wolong Panda Reserve is the first Panda reserve by both WWF and The government of China. In this area, the elevation changes from about 1000 meters to 6556 meters above sealevel. There are more than 280 species of birds and more than 100 species of animals such as Giant Pandas, Lesser Pandas, Takins, Golden Monkeys and many other species of birds.

WUYIPENG PANDA OBSERVATION HOUSE

Wuyipeng--the Panda Observation House area and try to see pandas in nature: Wuyipeng was established in 1978 as the center of year-round field research work on the ecology of giant pandas and other wild life.Situated in an area where the forest changes from mixed coniferous and deciduous broadleafed trees to subalpine conifers, it provides food and shelter for a variety of wildlife. Here, a range of investigations have been made-from tracking of redio-collared giant and red pandas to reveal their movements and territories to regularly surveying the area's bamboo growth and panda dropppings which provides information on the panda's feeding behaviour. Experiments on forest/bamboo interactions can give us insight into the availability of food sources for other mammals and birds as well as the giant panda. Side by side, more mundane daily climatic monitoring is done to provide basic data.

As the season change, so the panda's lifestyle and habitat vary.The years of study at Wuyipeng have resulted in the formation of a clearer

picture for us of the environment that the giant panda prefers to live,

feed and breed in. Such research is necessary for the development of a

long-term management plan which assures the giant panda's survival.

On the way to Wuyipeng, we can also see many other kinds of birds

such as Japanese White-eye, Wall creeper, Terminck's Tragpan, Golden

pheasants and some other birds.

Pandas are the special animals of China. They are the great treasures given to mankind by the great nature. Because of the beautiful fur, mild character, honest looking, they are very popular with the people all over the world. All over the world, there are only about 1,000 Giant Pandas, and 80% of them are living and breeding in the mountains and forests in the northwest of Sichuan.

Wolong and Bao Xing Fengyong Valley in Ya¡¯an City of Sichaun Province are the 2 most famous Panda reserve. Pandas generally live in those places with green bamboos and the elevation of these areas are usually from 1500 to 3200 meters.

Although the Panda is classified as a carnivore, 99% of its food is made of bamboo. The arrow bamboo is its main food item in Wolong for most of the year. In spring, though it moves to a lower elevation to obtain the fresh umbrella bamboo with great dexterity and its powerful bite and jaws crush it easily. It eats up to 15-20kg of bamboo passes undigested and can be seen in the large green droppings.

Solitary as the panda usually is, they seek out partners during the mating season. Giant Panda usually become sexually mature at around 5-6 years of age. In spring, the female comes into heat for a few days. Many males will compete to copulate with her. After a gestation period of 4-5 months, one or two cubs may be born. They weigh about 60-130g only, are pink and helpless. The mother only care for one-protecting it day and night. The father plays no part in care on the infant. The mother stays with the infant for about 1.5 years. So, pandas can usually have babies only once every two years. The low birth rate is a source of concern as the number of pandas in the wild is decreasing.

Please note that the best time to watching Giant Pandas is from late April to late May. And if clients want to watch pandas, they will stay in some very simple accommodations. And that even so, we cannot say for certain that we can succeed to see pandas in nature¡ªthe possibility is only about 65%.

Although a seldom seen animal, tracks and signs are commonly found in anywhere between 1500 and 3500m.They travel in herds and very nimble climbing a hill as well as a goat. If they are disturbed, they usually crashed into the undergrowth; on the other hand if you approach an unsuspecting takin too closely they are quite likely to charge-so take care as they have been known

to kill people.

The Wolong Takin belongs to the Sichuan subspecies, other members of the same species being found as far west as Bhutan. The local form is attractive and a soft pale brown. Their horns are thick and curled back but the general impression of the face is soft and moose- like. They are browsers and can eat an incredible variety of herbs as well as the leaves of trees and shrubs. Saplings are often bent over and broken in the course of feeding.

The more overgrown areas such as abandenned farmland or where regeneration after logging is taking place seem to suit them well. They may also seen on grassland slopes in late spring in herbs of thirty or more. In the denser forest it is more usual to see small herbs of six to eight animals.

Mating takes place in August when the herbs are high up on the alpine meadows or in the rhododendron zone near the tree line (3000m). During the rutting season, there is some competition between river rival males. Young maybe seen with their mothers in April. In May you may witness the rather extraordinary sight of one female looking after a group of several young calves while they rest of the herd make up for winter loss in weight by grazing the new grass.

Takin used to be hunted, shot and snared but are now fully protected and seem to be re-establishing themselves rather well; enjoying the protection that the

reserve offers.

SOMETHING ABOUT GOLDEN MONKEY

The soft golden colour of this rare primate makes it one of the most beautiful of the animals at Wolong. Even if a troop is found ¨Cor more likely herd ¨C or more likely heard as they crash through the trees breaking branches as they go ¨Ctheir agility and speed of movement make them difficult to follow. The species is found in Sichuan as well as Gansu, Hubei and Shaanxi. Population estimates of the numbers in the wild indicate there are still over 4000 monkeys in these high forests.

The animal are about 75cm high and a rich golden brown. The belly is a softer, paler brown. The mouth and under the eyes are a pale bluish colour which contracts with the brown of the rest of the animal.

In summer they travel in large groups of up to 300 individuals, particularly roving over the higher ridges around 3000 m. In winter they move much lower and the large groups break up into troops of about 75 individuals which makes foraging easier as food becomes more scarce.

They forage very wildly, often moving more than a kilometre a day and the troop may have a whole range of as much as 30 square kilometres. In spring they eat buds and young conifer cones. In summer they feed on the younger leaves of the trees and shrubs, while in winter they subsist mostly on the abundant lichens, on birth buds and on the bark of various trees and shrubs such as Hydrangea and elder ( Sambucus ) .Within each monkey troop there are a number of family groups of one male with two to five females and their children. Mating takes place in the autumn and after about seven months the babies are born, often in May when food is at its most plentiful. The baby is a softer, paler yellow with a distant blue face. They suckle for about five months and then progressively forage themselves, becoming sexually mature at about four years.

These attractive monkeys, although declared a first priority endangered species by the Chinese government in 1963, are still hunted for their beautiful skins which are used for the lining of winter jackets.

SOMETHING ABOUT RED PANDA:

The lesser or red panda, while not so rare as its cousin the giant panda is seldom seen in the wild. It is shy animal spending much of its time in trees where it sleeps during the daytime; during the night foraging for food among the bamboo. It is perhaps most often seen during the early morning when it may come down to a stream to drink. It lives in the forests above 2500m and ranges over quite a large part of the Himalayas

from Nepal, Tibet, Burma to parts of Yunnan and Sichuan in China.

At a quick glance (which is all you are likely to get) the red panda appears like a deep red-brown fox or racoon with a body about 60cm long, but the startling feature is its tail-nearly as long as the body and deep lustrous blackish-brown with nine clear cross-stripes. The face has very pale marks about the eyes which contract with the dark brown of chests.

The red panda feeds mostly, but not exclusively, on bamboo leaves, but fruits, seeds, roots, leaves and lichens are all eaten to a quite a large extent. It has powerful jaws and teeth, though, strangely, a digestive system which is more reminiscent of a carnivore. It is an agile mover and is a good climber but is equally at home on the ground or on snow as its feet are well-protected with fur. The mother leaves the blind and helpless young in a den quite frequently as she goes to forage for food. In twenty months they will be sexually mature. Like the giant panda, the red panda too is solitary and only come together at mating. It is regarded as a threatened rather than endangered species but as it has disappeared from a large part of its former range in the Himalayas, conservation measures at Wolong are increasingly important.

XIANGCHENG

In Xiangcheng, you may spend some time to enjoy the local dresses and local buildings. Then drive to Niting valley, spend the rest of the day there(52km to the north of Xiangcheng).Before coming back ,take a hot spring bath at Ninting village, then back to Xiangcheng town. Visit Sangpi monastery of Gelupa order (this monastery occupies land area over 10,000m,built in 1654).