Sichuan, known in ancient times as Bashu for the two states of Ba and Shu, is a large province in southwestern China, occupying an area of 485,000 square kilometers and providing a home to a population of 83 million.

Bashu, with the subtle spirit of its mountains and rivers converging to nurture generations of outstanding personages, enjoyed the reputation through the ages that "the natural beauty of the world can be found in Shu." The lofty and precipitous peaks of northwestern Sichuan are home to 8590 of China's rare giant pandas, which are famed as a national treasure. Four of Sichuan's most famous places - Jiuzhai Gully, the Yellow Dragon Scenic Resort, the Leshan Grand Buddha, and the Sleeping Dragon Hills - have been listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization as World Natural and Cultural Heritage and among the Man and Biosphere Network. The province also has 9 key national scenic resorts, including Dujiang Weir, Mount Qingcheng, Jianmen Shudao (Sichuan Roads), Mount Gonga, the Sea of Bamboo of Southern Sichuan, Siguniang Mountains (the Four Maidens Mountains), the Xiling Snow-capped Mountains, I I national forests parks, 50 nature reserves, and more than 50 provincial scenic resorts. Sichuan boasts a varied topography, from plateaus, mountain ranges, and canyons to basins, hills, and plains; from rivers and lakes to hot springs and waterfalls; and from volcanic landforms to rosy cloud-shaped hills. It has always enjoyed the reputation of "landscape province". This is particularly true of western Sichuan, where you will find three of China's large forest regions and one of five large pastures. Upright snow-capped peaks tower over immense forest stretches.The Jinsha, Yalong, Dadu, and Minjiang rivers surge through winding canyons, forming many unusual, mysterious, and unique sights.

Known as a land of plenty, Sichuan has a long history and brilliant culture. The province includes 7 cities recognized by the central government as Statelevel historical and cultural cities. These are Chengdu, Zigong, Leshan, Yibin, Luzhou, Langzhong, and Dujiangyan. In addition, there are 40 key State-level reserves of cultural relics and 24 provincial-level historical and cultural cities or towns. Travellers can visit ancient irrigation works and towns. the former residences of famous Sichuan natives, Buddhist temples and Daoist shrines, forests of stone carvings, and prehistoric ruins, as well as modem art collections and state-of-the-art tourism facilities. Sichuan is home to 15 ethnic minorities, including the Tibetan, Yi, Qiang, and Naxi. Their traditional festivals offer another window on Chinese culture, including the lantern festival, the flower festival, horse racing, the torch festival, mountain pilgrimages, and others. The hospitality is legendary, and the native wines and cuisine are famous throughout the country and around the world.

Sichuan has vigorously developed tourism, transportation, and telecommunications. Comprehensive improvements in infrastructure have allowed the province to open its arms wider to visitors and to guarantee a visit full of mystery and wonder.

Situated more than 400 km south of Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou (Gully of Nine Villages) is a gully in Nanping County in Ngawa Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture which derived its name from the 9 Tibetan villages in the gully. Its 80-km-long ravine covers an area of 60,000 hectares and is strewn with lakes, waterfalls, snowy mountains and forests teeming with such precious animals as giant and lesser pandas and golden-haired monkeys. For its fairyland and dreamlike fascinations it is a UNESCO world natural heritage site and part of the UN Man and Biosphere program. Huanglongsi in Songpan County of Ngawa and adjacent to Jiuzhaigou is famed for its peculiar karst landscape and multihued ponds that are set off picturesquely by snow mountains, vertical ravines, and vast forests. The scenery is evocative of the Jasper Lake of the Ween Mother of the West. Jiuzhaigou-Huanglong have jointly entered the UNESCO list of world natural heritage sites.

Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest stone sculpture of Buddha in the world, sits at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers. According to records, the carving of this giant Buddha was begun in the in the first year of the reign of the Tang Emperor Tang Xuanzong (713 AD), and completed in the 19th year of Emperor Dezong (803 AD), a total of 90 years.

Taking the shape of a Maitreya [see note below] he is depicted barefooted with drooping ears and has his hair arranged in a spiral topknot. His chest is exposed and his hands rest on his knees. Carved from the side of the Lingyun Hill, with his head level with the cliff top, the gigantic stone sculpture faces Mt. Emeishan, with the rivers flowing below his feet.

Looking dignified and solemn, the Buddha measures 71 meters in height. His shoulders are 28 meters across. The head is 14.7 metes long and 10 meters broad with total 1021 buns of hair on it. The instep, which is 8.5 meters wide, can accommodate 100 people. The toe is large enough to accommodate a dinner table. Taller by 17 meters than the standing Buddha in Afghanistan, Leshan Giant Buddha is therefore the tallest Buddha in the world and in 1996, it was added to the World Natural and Cultural Heritage List.

Located in northern Sichuan and some 117 kilometers from Chengdu, Mianyang is centered on Deyang in the south and Guangyuan in the north, forming a tourism route that retraces travel along the Shudao (Sichuan Roads) of the Three Kingdoms Period. Numerous scenic resorts along the route offer visitors a glimpse of local customs and folklore. The main attractions are Jianmen Pass, the Old Plank Road, Huangze Temple, the Thousand-Buddha Cliff, Li Bai Memorial Hall, and Mount Douchui.

A key pass along the old Shudao, Jianmen was known as an impregnable pass. The natural pass is formed by cliffs set among 72 steep peaks along a 100-kilometer stretch of mountains.

Located in Jiangyou City, the Li Bai Memorial Hall is bordered by water on three sides and shaded by stands of bamboo and willow. The main buildings are the Taibai Hall. Taibai Library, Xiaoya Room. Huaixie Hall, and Linjiangxian Hall. The memorial hall is a depository for the treasured possessions of the famed poet Li Bai, as well as Song Dynasty tablets, a ,tapir of Li Bai, Valuable carvings, and a portrait of Li Bai.

Sanxingdui was once the capital of the Kingdom of Shu. The ruins of the once-grand city lie to the west of Guanghan City. In 1986, much of the 4,000year-old ruins were excavated. Six State-level treasures were unearthed. The relics reflect the height of the bronze age in China. The Sanxingdui Museum was completed in 1997 and now displays over 1.000 cultural relics.

Douchui Mountain is located m the Wudu District, 15 kilometers from Jiangyou City. Xiangyue, Feixian, and Shenfu peaks rise about 100 meters from the summit and are only 30 to 40 meters from each other. When viewed from a distance, they form a majestic crown on the mountain's summit. Three holy sites were built on the peaks, Dongyue Shrine on Xiangyue, Douzhen Palace on Feixian, and Luban Palace on Shenfu.

In ancient times, Sichuan and Shaanxi were linked by a plank road running between Mingyue Gorge to the south and Qingfeng Gorge to the north of Chaotian Town, some 25 kilometers north of Guangyuan City and bordering on a cliff on the eastern bank of Jialing River. The road was first laid at the dawn of the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) and was renovated throughout the successive dynasties.

Mount Emei is within the boundaries of Emeishan City, some 140 kilometers to the southwest of Chengdu and 33 kilometers to the east of Leshan. The mountain has four peaks, known as the Great E, 2nd E, 3rd E, and 4th E. The peaks rise one higher than the next to unfold into a vast and verdant scene, giving rise to the claim that "Emei's beauty is the finest under heaven." One of four famous Buddhist mountains in China, Emei includes several attractions, such as Baoguo Temple, Fuhu Temple, Leiyin Temple, Chunyang Palace, Da'e Temple, the Qingyin Pavilion, Hongchun Plain, Xian's Temple, Xixiang Pool, Golden Roof, Ten-Thousand-Year Temple, and White Dragon Cavern. In 1997, Mount Emei and the Leshan Grand Buddha were added to UNESCO's list of World Natural and Cultural Heritage.

Located to the southwest of Hongya County and more than 50 kilometers from Mount Emei, Mount Wawu (Tiled House Mountain)has rivaled Mt. Emei in tame throughout the ages. Named for its flat summit, which resembles the tile roofed houses of ancient China, the mountain covers an area of more than 10 square kilometers. The summit is blanketed in primitive firs and dragon spruces. Several waterfalls can be found at Mount Wawu. Among these, the Lanxi cataract drops 1,040 meters and is the most famous. Dove trees and azaleas spread along the mountain crest, providing a spectacular backdrop to mountain views. The mountain is snow-capped during for about five months, giving the mountain a decidedly northern appearance.