About Chengdu

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, is China's fourth most populous city with 20.94 million residents, making it the only city exceeding 20 million apart from provincial-level municipalities. Recognized by UNESCO as a City of Gastronomy in 2011, Chengdu is globally celebrated as the home of the giant panda, with the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding serving as the world's premier facility for panda conservation. The majority of the world's panda population inhabits Sichuan, with their range spreading into Shaanxi and Gansu, cementing Chengdu's status as the gateway to panda country.

Renowned for its distinctive relaxed lifestyle, Chengdu boasts more tea houses and bars than Shanghai despite having less than half the population, with a tea culture dating back over a thousand years from its time as the starting point of the Southern Silk Road. The city's defining characteristic is its spicy cuisine, featuring the distinctive Sichuan pepper with its numbing effect and fiery chilies. Famous dishes like Mapo tofu, Chengdu hotpot, and Dan Dan Mien have become staples of Chinese cuisine worldwide. Chengdu perfectly embodies the Chinese concept of "慢生活" (slow living), where residents prioritize leisure, tea culture, and culinary excellence, making it one of China's most livable and culturally rich cities.