Chengdu

　　Chengdu,thecapitalofSichuanProvince,liesinthehinterlandoftheChengduPlain,incentralSichuan.Coveringatotallandareaof12,400squarekilometers,Chengduhasajurisdictionofover7districts,4citiesand8counties.Bytheendof1999,thepopulationofChengduhadreached10.036million,ofwhich3.30millionwereurbanresidents.Chengduenjoysalonghistory.2,500yearsago,KaimingIX,kingofancientShuintheZhouDynasty(11thcentury256BC),startedtosetupthecapitalinChengdu."Atownwasbuiltinthisareainthefirstyearandthecapitalinthesecondyear,sotheancestornamedthecityasChengdu,whichmeanstobecomeacapital.Lateron,Chengdugraduallybecameoneofthemostimportantcentersofpolitics,economyandcultureinChina.Ithasbeenthecapitalforthefeudaldynastiesfivetimesandtwiceforthepeasantuprisingregimes,knownasDashuandDaxi.AsearlyasintheHanDynasty(206BC-220AD)),ChengdubegantoenjoythefameofoneoftheTopFiveCapitals.IntheTangDynasty,ChengduwasreputedastheYang(Yangzhou)first,yi(Chengdu)second;ithadbythenbecametheeconomiccenterjustafterYangzhou.IntheWesternHanDynasty(206BC-8AD),brocadesproducedinChengduwereverypopularinChina.SoChengduwasalsocalledtheCityofBrocade.IntheFiveKingdomsPeriod(907-960),Mengchang,kingoftheHoushuKingdom,decreedtoplanthibiscusesontheprotectivewallofthecity,soChengduwasalsocalledtheCityofHibiscus.AsoneofChina'sfamoushistoricalandculturalcities,Chengduenjoysrichtouristresources.15,500yearsago,awell-knownpoetintheJinKingdom,ZuoSiextolledChengduasloftyandpretty.ThiscityhasalsogainedtheeulogiumbybothLiBai,thepoetimmortalandDuFu,thepoetsage.Withrichculturalheritageandbeautifulscenicspots,Chengduisapeacefulandprosperouscity.

　　[edit]Eat

　　SichuanbeingthemostknownChinesefoodstylewithinChina,youwillfindnoshortageofdeliciousSichuanfoodinChengdu.Mostofthefoodisquitespicy,besuretoordernonspicyorlittlespicyfood,atleastifyouarenotaccustomedtoityet,orhaveabottleofpeanutmilkreadytoquellthefire.ThelocalkingofkingsistheHotpot,basicallyabigpotofoil,waterandspicessimmeringinaholeinthemiddleofyourtable.Patronschoosefromabigvarietyofskeweredfoodincludingveggies,sea-weed,fish,beef,chicken,anddog'smeatandproceedtoboilthemintheoil.Afterthemeal,yourbillwillbecalculatedbycountingtheskewer-sticks.