Sichuan
Quick Facts
Name : Sichuan
Chinese Name : 四川省
Status : Province
Capital : Chengdu
Population : 81,070,000 inhabitants (2013)
Area : 487,630 km²
Sichuan, whose name means "four rivers" in Chinese, is the largest province in southwestern Chine, ahead of Yunnan. Celebrated for its vast forests, its giant panda sanctuaries, and its fiercely spiced cuisine, Sichuan is an exceptionally rich province well worth exploring.
History
Only in 1986, when a major archaeological discovery was made at Sanxingdui dating back to the Shu culture of the late Shang period, was the true importance of the Sichuan basin in Chine's history fully recognized. Contrary to long-held belief, Sichuan, this rugged land nurturing a people in its own image, was never truly isolated. The region was the birthplace of several dissident kingdoms, in perpetual conflict with central authority. It was eventually brought back under control, and it was here that the capital of the Qin empire was established in the 3rd century BCE, and where the kingdom of Shu (another name for the province) formed an independent state during the period of the Three Kingdoms (220–280). The besieged Kuomintang spent its final days in Sichuan before retreating to Taiwan. More recently, Chongqing separated from Sichuan when it acquired its status as a municipality in 1997.
During the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), engineer Li Bing succeeded in using his dam system to channel the Du River (Du Hé) into the Chuanxi plain, ensuring the province 2,200 years of continuous irrigation and prosperity. This fertile region played a determining role in the unification and subsistence of the nation. Yet the Great Leap Forward policy struck it with a particularly cruel blow: one in ten people reportedly did not survive the famine.
In 1975, Zhao Ziyang, governor of Sichuan and first secretary of the Communist Party of the province, played a driving role in the economic and agrarian reforms that succeeded in putting Sichuan back on its feet. He established the responsibility system, which involved ceding parcels of land to peasants for their personal use, in exchange for the assurance they would sell a portion of their harvests to the authorities.
This system was so successful that it became a national model and was later applied to the industrial sector. This did not prevent Zhao from meeting a sad fate: general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party between 1987 and 1989, he fell from favor and was placed under lifelong house arrest for opposing the deployment of troops against the Tiananmen Square protesters in 1989. Nicknamed the "Heavenly Granary," Sichuan ensured, as of 2006, 10% of the national production of cereals, soybeans, and pork.
Today
Sichuan is a region particularly sought after by tourists. The appeal of the region is indisputable when one counts its countless sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage.
Its capital, Chengdu, reflects young and modern Chine with its pleasant and warm atmosphere.
The countryside surrounding Chengdu is dotted with ancient villages featuring narrow alleyways and traditional tea houses. Misty mountains are also part of the landscape, occasionally revealing old wooden monasteries. Central Sichuan is recognized worldwide as the sanctuary of very ancient inhabitants: giant pandas.
In the north, Sichuan presents itself much more as an alpine region with valleys and forested hills dotted with magnificent emerald-colored lakes. The north is perfect for all hiking enthusiasts and outdoor lovers.
In the west, Tibetan influence continues to thrive on the high plateaus and snow-capped mountain peaks. The Tibetan plateau is also the birthplace of many waterways irrigating Sichuan. Extraordinarily fertile, it sustains one of the densest and most diverse populations on the planet and feeds a billion other mouths.
Thanks to its forests (timber) and significant mineral deposits (metals), Sichuan has become one of the most prosperous provinces in the country and the locomotive of western Chine.
Sichuan cuisine is highly renowned throughout Chine, particularly thanks to its distinctly burning and omnipresent pepper in dishes. In 2011, UNESCO even recognized Chengdu as the capital of gastronomy.
Climate
Climate and temperatures in Sichuan vary enormously from east to west.
Chengdu and eastern parts of the province have a subtropical monsoon climate, with temperatures fluctuating between 3°C and 8°C in winter (December–February) and between 25°C and 29°C in summer (June–August). The Qinghai plateau, in the west, experiences intense sunshine and low temperatures for most of the year, with lows of −9°C in winter and highs reaching just 17°C in summer.
The rainy season extends from May to September with very heavy precipitation in July and August.
Spring turns out to be the best period to discover Sichuan while avoiding abundant rainfall. Nevertheless, to make the most of the high peaks of the southwest, summer is the better choice.
Air
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is the largest international airport in southwestern Chine. Air China and Sichuan Airlines connect Chengdu to all major cities in Chine, as well as to Lhasa in Tibet. Currently, international flights also serve Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu, Japan, Vienna, Amsterdam, and Seoul (other connections are in the works).
Jiuhuang Airport, in northern Sichuan, has been closed since May 2006 for expansion work that will allow service to other major Chinese cities.
Bus
As part of a plan to develop western Chine, the Sichuan provincial government has invested hundreds of billions of yuan in highways since the mid-1990s. An express route connects Chengdu to Chongqing and Leshan, and construction of major roads linking Chengdu to Shanghai, Beihai in Guangxi province, and Tibet is ongoing (it still requires superhuman endurance to reach Tibet currently).
It is possible to reach Gansu by passing through Jiuzhaigou and Zoige. To access Yunnan, you can head south either toward Leshan, Emei Shan, and Panzhihua at the border, or opt for the Sichuan-Tibet route which reaches Shangri-La (Zhangdian) by passing through Litang and Xiangcheng.
Train
Chengdu is an important railway hub for southwestern Chine. Direct trains notably connect Beijing and Shanghai. The most popular destinations are Kunming in Yunnan and Xi'an in Shaanxi. The direct train to Lhasa is increasingly popular. To reach Gansu, you will need to transit through Hanzhong in Shaanxi.
Jiuhuang Airport connects Chengdu to Songpan and Jiuzhaigou. New expressways link Chengdu to the eastern part of the region, notably Leshan/Chongqing. Buses in this area are generally modern and comfortable.
Trains were previously slow and unreliable. Two high-speed rail lines to Mianyang, Leshan, and Chongqing were fortunately completed in 2006.
In the western part of the province, you can only travel by bus or hitchhike. Allow plenty of time, as roads and buses remain in poor condition.
Language
Besides Mandarin, spoken by the Han and Hui peoples, the other major languages of Sichuan belong to the Sino-Tibetan family and are spoken by Tibetans and Yi. Sichuanese is a Chinese dialect, and its pronunciation, different from Mandarin, is extremely difficult to understand for those who speak standard Mandarin.
What to Do in Sichuan?
- Climb the sacred mountain of Emei Shan, where you'll learn to commune with monkeys
- Traverse the Sichuan-Tibet route, which crosses grasslands and villages, set against snow-capped peaks
- Admire baby pandas in Chengdu, at the Giant Panda Research and Breeding Centre
- Marvel at the world's largest Buddha, at Leshan
- Appreciate the architecture of the streets of Langzhong, the city where imperial examinations were held
