Over 4000 years ago, in Sichuan there was a high civilization that can level with those of Huanghe, Ganges and Euphrates Come and explore the earliest traces of Chinese Civilization.
Day 1: Chengdu Sightseeing
Sanxindui Ruins
Some 40 km away from Chengdu, Sanxingdui Ruins is recognized as one of the most important ancient remains in the world for its vast size, lengthy period and enriched cultural contents.
The first Sanxingdui relics were discovered by a farmer in 1929 and excavation has continued ever since. During this period, generations of archaeologists have worked on the discovery and research of the Sanxingdui culture. In 1986, two major sacrificial pits were found and they aroused widespread academic attention around the world.
The Sanxingdui finds are exciting, but they remain enigmatic. No texts have been found, nor is there any mention of this culture in the records of other countries. Analysis of lead and other elements in the bronzes indicates sources similar to those of other cultures along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. At this point, however, the unique culture that produced these artifacts remains a mystery.
Jinsha Ruins
The archeological site of Jinsha located in the western suburbs of Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, is widely believed to have been the capital of the Shu Kingdom close to 3,000 years ago. After some burial grounds and sacrifice emplacements were recently discovered, a renewed effort was made to excavate Jinsha. This vigor has now revealed the outlines of the cemetery, living areas, palace remains and sacrifice grounds.
Lying only 50 kilometers away from the famed Sanxingdui, Jinsha rose to prominence around 1000 BC and shared similar origins with Sanxingdui as can be seen from similar burial objects although unlike its hallowed neighbor, Jinsha had no city wall. So far, artifacts made from ivory, jade, bronze, gold and stone have been found at the site.
Sanxingdui flourished from 3000 BC to about 800 BC, markedly earlier than Jinsha culture. Due to this, some historians have theorized that Jinsha's culture and influence succeeded Sanxingdui's after the latter was brought low by natural disasters.
Overnight at Hotel in Chengdu
Day 2:Chengdu-60km-Dujiangyan
Wangcongsi
Twenty kilometers from Chengdu urban area, the Wangcong Ancestral Temple is located in the southwest of Pitong Town, Pixian County, Chengdu, Sichuan Province. It is a sacred place to show respect to Duyu, the Emperor Wang, and Bieling, the Emperor Cong, of the ancient Shu Kingdom. The Congde Ancestral Temple for monumentalizing Emperor Wang is originally located at the foot of Yulei Mountain (in Dujiangyan City); it was relocated to Pixian County by Liu Ji, the provincial governor of Yi Province, during the year of 494 to 498, under the reign of Emperor Ming of Southern Qi Dynasty, and was united with the ancestral temple for Emperor Cong; thus, the Wangcong Ancestral Temple was established. It was repaired in the year of 1041 (the 2nd year of the reign of Kangding, the Ren Emperor of Song Dynasty), by Zhao Kedu, the county governor, and again in the year of 1052 (the 4th year of Emperor Huangyou). It was destroyed during wars at the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, remained only two tombs of Duyu and Bieling. The ancestral hall was rebuilt in the year of 1834 (the 14th year of Emperor Daoguang of Qing Dynasty); it occupied 22 mu (about 1.47 hectare). "Tingjuan Pavilion" (the building for hearing cuckoo's sing) was built in the east of the temple in the year of 1904 (the 33rd year of Emperor Guangxu). A park was built behind the temple in the year of 1915 (the 4th year of the Republic of China), but was deserted gradually after. In the year of 1919 (the 8th year of the Republic of China), the warlord Xiong Kewu resided in this area and repaired the temple. Since 1982, the People's Government of Pixian County has been repairing and expanding the Wangcong Ancestral Temple. In 1991, the Wangcong Ancestral Hall was announced as one of the sites to be protected for their historical and cultural value in Sichuan Province.
Duyu, the Emperor Wang, and Bieling, the Emperor Cong, were very important in ancient Shu Culture of Sichuan. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Duyu carried out intermarriage with Liang Nation, led people of Shu Kingdom to migrate to Chengdu Plain, built a new Shu Kingdom, of which the capital was Pi County. The agriculture was greatly developed, and agricultural techniques were passed to the eastern Ba Nation. Earlier than the Shu Governor Li Bing who made the path of "Baopingkou" (the Bottleneck) in Qin Dynasty, Bieling thought of removing Yulei Mountain to eliminate the devastating flood; the country he established lasted for 12 generations, and was destroyed by Qin Kingdom in 316 BC. Emperor Wang and Emperor Cong were praised as "the pioneers of the land of abundance, and the leaders of Shu Kingdom". Thus, the Wangcong Ancestral Temple was built to commemorate their great work.
Sandaoyan
Folk houses in West Sichuan are built along the riverside where flowers and trees grow. Sandaoyan vernacular houses are row upon row of storied buildings in different functions, such as Poetry Composing, Tea Drinking, Art Creating, Chess Playing, Food Eating, Scenery Viewing and so on
Overnight at Hotel in Dujiangyan
Day 3: Dujiangyan-95km-Wenchuan
Dujiangyan Irrigation System
Dujiangyan Irrigation System has been playing its function since the 3rd century B.C, which control Minjiang River, the largest branch of the Yangtse, and distributes the water to the rich Chengdu Delta
Chanlingshan
As early as Neolithic Age, ancient Shu people established Headman Power, which was booming in the upriver area of Minjiang River. Chanlingshan is the right place where the first headman died.
Overnight at Hotel
Day 4: Wenchuan-95km-Beichuan
Shenyu Home
Yu (21st century BC), often regarded with legendary status as Dayu was the first ruler and founder of the Xia Dynasty. Occasionally identified as one of The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, he is best remembered for teaching the people flood control techniques to tame China's rivers and lakes.
During China's Great Flood Yu's father, Gun (õ…), was assigned by King Yao (ˆò) to tame the raging waters. Gun built earthen dikes all over the land in hopes of containing the waters. But the earthen dikes collapsed everywhere, and the project failed miserably. Gun was executed by King Shun (Ë´) to whom Yao had meanwhile handed the rulership. Shun recruited Yu as successor to his father's job at flood-control. But instead of building more dikes, Yu began to dredge out new river channels, to serve both as outlets for the torrential waters, and as irrigation conduits to distant farm lands. Yu spent a backbreaking thirteen years at this task, with the help of some 20,000 workers.
Not only for this engineering feat, Yu has been remembered as examplar of perseverance and determination, and revered as the perfect civil servant. Stories continue to dwell on his single-minded dedication, where in spite of passing his own house three times in the thirteen years, he never once stopped in for a family visit ¡ª reasoning that a personal reunion would take time and mind away from the public crisis at hand.
King Shun was so impressed by Yu's engineering and by his diligence that he passed the throne to Yu instead of to his own son, following King Yao's example in meritocracy. At the end of Great Yu's life, however, his ministers argued in favour of handing the kingship on to Yu's son, Qi (†¢), instituting a hereditary monarchy, and thus gave birth to China's first hereditary dynasty, the Xia Dynasty (ca.2070-1060).
Overnight at Hotel
Day 5: Beichuan-300km-luozuling
Luozuling
The head wife of Emperor Huangdi was Luozu, who invented raising silkworm, spinning silk and making silk clothing. It is recorded that her birthday was March 15 on Chinese Calendar.
Luozuling is said to be her last place. Chinese believe they are from a great foremother, Luozu.
Overnight at Hotel
Day 6: Luozulin-210km-Chengdu
Sanxindui
Sanxingdui, the ruins of the capital of the ancient Shu, a Kingdom over 4,000 years ago, is located in Guanghan City. The site covers an area of 120,000 square meters. In 1986, a great number of relics were brought to lights, among which six pieces are evaluated as national treasures, representing the best of the art of copper in China. The discovery of Sanxingdui predates 2,000 years of Sichuan's history and proves that the upper reaches of the Yangtze and the Yellow River region are the cradle of the Chinese civilization. The Sanxindui is recognized as one of world¡¯s most important ancient remains because of its vast size, age and cultural contents.
The remote area of southwest China holds its own unique mystique. Some 100 years ago, Sanxingdui Ruins in today's Sichuan Province hadn't seemed to anyone anything more than a typical rural area, and just 20 years ago its significance was not fully known. But when a peasant hollowing out a just-dug ditch in 1929, he found some jade. He accidentally opened the door on an unknown culture between 3,000 to 5,000 years old. Perhaps it's not so startling in itself that an accidental strike of the hole would unearth a ruins
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