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(618-907),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.

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　　SichuanbeingthemostknownChinesefoodstylewithinChina,youwillfindnoshortageofdeliciousSichuanfoodinChengdu.Mostofthefoodisquitespicy,besuretoordernonspicy(不要辣búyàolà)orlittlespicy(微辣wēilà)food,atleastifyouarenotaccustomedtoityet,orhaveabottleofpeanutmilkreadytoquellthefire.ThelocalkingofkingsistheHotpot,basicallyabigpotofoil,waterandspicessimmeringinaholeinthemiddleofyourtable.Patronschoosefromabigvarietyofskeweredfoodincludingveggies,sea-weed,fish,beef,chicken,anddog'smeatandproceedtoboilthemintheoil.Afterthemeal,yourbillwillbecalculatedbycountingtheskewer-sticks.