Du Fu's Thatched Cottage (Dufu caotang) is the quaint former residence of one of China's most famous poets. Du Fu (712-70 AD) left home at the tender age of 20, becoming a court official at the former capital in Chang'an (near Xi'an). Du Fu's civil service duties did not last long however, and he was captured by rebels and forced to flee the city for Chengdu after only a few years. It was in Chengdu, at this small and simple house, that Du Fu was inspired to write more than 200 poems which are regarded today as masterpieces of realist poetry.

Du Fu actually achieved something of a cult status for himself and even today, numerous poets and artists site the great man's work as inspirational. The themes of Du Fu's work are simple, and he talks in length about the social and living conditions of his society . Perhaps the most important thing of all about this great man's work, was that it was compassionate. This was especially inspirational given that there was such a lack of sympathy and concern elsewhere in society at this time.

In memory of the great poet, temples and pavilions were added to the site during the Song Dynasty. The exhibits here include a brief account of Dufu's life and some of his original calligraphy and poems. The complex also contains three imposing statues of some of China's greatest poets; Du Fu, Li You and Huang Tingjian (the latter two were Song dynasty poets). Today, this is a pleasant site to visit, with nice buildings dotted about, teahouses and pleasant bamboo gardens to wander and explore. This site is also home to the Chengdu Du Fu society.

Address: The cottage is situated off Xi Yihuan.
Opening hours: Daily 9:00-17:00.
Cost: RMB30.

The Dujiangyan Irrigation system is a miracle of ancient Chinese ingenuity. Before the completion of Dujiangyan, the plains around the Min River were prone to floods due to the fast moving Min River flowing down from its mountain source and meeting flat ground. It was in the Warring States period about 2200 years ago, that the engineer Li Bing and his son led the construction of the Dujiangyan irrigation system that tamed the Min River and irrigated the surrounding plains.

The central brilliant idea of the project is the annual silt removal and maintenance plan devised by Li Bing that ensures the projects long-term usefulness. The actual structure of the project includes a dyke that divides the Min River into inner and outer flows. The inner flow is then redirected to irrigate local farm land. One interesting thing about the irrigation system is the that project is ongoing and has expanded to more than three times its original irrigated area of 1 million hectares.

The Fulong Temple (Fulong Guan) was erected in 168 AD to commemorate the taming of the river. Fulong Temple sits in Lidui Park overlooking the split between the inner and outer flows of the Min River. Also, Li Bing's genius is again celebrated at the Two Kings Temple (Erwang Miao) near the dyke. The "two kings", of course, are Li Bing and his son, Er Lang. Two Kings Temple can be found in the western section of Yulei Park overlooking the dyke. There are cable cars that run between Lidui Park and Two Kings Temple in Yulei Park. The relatively high fares of RMB25 per ride keep the cable car's passengers to a reasonable number.

How to get there:Buses to Dujiangyan run from Chengdu's Ximen bus station every morning from 7am to 10am. Also buses are available from the Chengdu north bus station leaving every hour until 5:30pm. Returning to Chengdu, there are minibuses leaving from along Taiping Jie near the Dujiangyan Bus Station until approximately 8pm.

Qingchengshan Mountain (Qingchengshan) is one of the ancient cradles of Daoism. The mountain has numerous Daoist temples and sites along the paths to its peak. The area is green all year round and is known for its secluded tranquility.

Jianfu Temple (Jianfu Gong) sits at the base of the mountain and is a large, well-preserved Daoist temple from the Tang Dynasty. About halfway up the mountain sits Tianshi Cave (Tianshi Dong) the temple and school of Zhang Daolin, a famous Daoist master who taught here and contributed greatly to spreading Daoism in China. The present Tianshi Cave buildings were built at the end of the Qing Dynasty. Lastly, near the peak sits Shangqing Temple, which was originally established in the Jin Dynasty, while the current temple buildings are Qing Dynasty constructions.

How to get there: The mountain is 65km west of Chengdu, and is a good option for a long day trip from the city. Buses leave Chengdu from the north bus station every half-hour until 5pm daily. Buses also leave from the Ximen bus station every morning from 7am to 10am. The fares for the bus should be around RMB10. You can also catch an RMB3 minibus to Qingchengshan from Dujiangyan.

Where to stay: Although Qingchengshan can be a day trip from Chengdu, it is also relaxing to climb part of the way, stay along the mountain trail at Jianfu Temple, Tianshi Cave, or Shangqing Temple, and then climb to the peak in the morning and enjoy the sunrise. Most accommodation should cost around RMB15 or RMB30 for an attached bath room. You may be politely shepherded toward RMB100 doubles, which may better suit your sensibilities if you are not on a backpacker's budget.

Cost: There is an RMB25 entrance fee for the mountain area.

The park consists of a pretty bonsai garden, a children's funfair and a Monument to the Martyrs. These sites are all situated around a lake where you can hire pedal boats. The nicest way to see the park is just to spend some time wandering around and taking in the ambience of the city. The gates open here at 6.30 am when the martial arts enthusiasts move in, and close at 2am to allow for dancing to take place in the park squares.

Perhaps the best thing about this place however, is the wonderful teahouse in the grounds. Tea houses abound in this city and this is a particularly popular one with locals who come to sip, chat and stay all day!

Address: Jinhe Lu
How to get there: Take trolleybus No.4 from the center of town.
Opening hours: 6.30am-2am.
Cost: RMB2.