Chengdu Life in the Slow Lane

By staff reporter JIAO FENG

CUI Jian， the father of Chinese rock， is not known to be sentimental. With albums such as Vagabonds Return， Nothing Left， and Power of the Powerless， the aging rocker is something akin to an anti-establishment figure for Chinas post-60s generation.

But even Cui Jian couldnt resist the sentimental charms of one Chinese city： Chengdu. In fact， he felt so passionate about the capital of southwestern Chinas Sichuan Province that he made a film about it. Chengdu， I Love You， directed by Cui and Fruit Chan， premiered at the 66th Venice International Film Festival. It traces two love stories centered around Chengdu that span a 52-year period from 1976 to 2029.

Teahouse， Mahjong and Delicacies

That Chengdu should capture the heart of a rockstar rebel is nothing surprising. Over its 2，300-year history， the city has wooed countless travelers to come to take a break – and quite often stay – in its leisurely surrounds. The climate is pleasant， the produce is fresh， and the landscape is stunning. For male travelers， it also helps that the local women enjoy the reputation of being among the prettiest in all of China.

There is an old Chinese saying that “people should spend their twilight years – but never the young days– in Chengdu.” The reason is that life in Chengdu is almost too comfortable： what do you reach for when youre already in heaven？ Strolling the banks of Chaoyang Lake； whiling away an afternoon in a teahouse， immersing oneself in a serious roadside game of mahjong – while the temptations of leisure in Chengdu sit at odds with the dynamism of youth， for seniors， theres no place better.

Relaxing in teahouses is one of locals favorite pastimes. A teahouse full to the brim – at three oclock on a workday afternoon – is nothing out of the ordinary. Establishments serving up the finest varieties of local tea produce are everywhere： on the sides of roads， under bridges， in the parks and even inside temples and other sites of historical importance.

Conservative teahouse culture still exists in many parts of China. But in Chengdu， its hard to imagine anything about the art of drinking tea has changed ever since the brew was invented. Locals sit on quaint little bamboo chairs and drink from traditional tea sets that could well be antiques in their own right. Teahouse waiters scurry around with trays of a dozen-odd tea sets， and top up brews with hot water poured from long-spout kettles.

Teahouse culture isnt all about the tea. Chengdu locals flock to teahouses not only to partake in their favorite beverage， but also to chat with friends， play card games， and try their hand at mahjong.

Before newspapers， the teahouse was the place where locals would find out the latest news from their town and beyond， and perhaps even share juicy tidbits of gossip. Today in Chengdu， this tradition is alive and going strong： locals read the news at home， then head down to their favorite tea haunts to discuss stories with friends. For those who dont like to read newspapers， merely sitting in a Chengdu teahouse should be sufficient to get an idea about whats happening in the world.

Playing mahjong only just loses out to chatting in teahouses as locals favorite pastime.

Mahjong is a quintessential aspect of Chinese culture， and Chengdus mahjong culture enjoys special renown. For visitors to the city， playing mahjong seems just as important for locals as eating and sleeping. Mahjong boards are everywhere – not only in teahouses and parks， but also on trains and buses. On one train linking Chengdu and Chongqing that entered service in April this year， an entire carriage has been set aside for passengers to play the game.

On the rare occasion that Chengdu leisure-seekers arent in the teahouses or playing Mahjong， theyre probably out enjoying the beautiful natural scenery that surrounds their city. On weekends and holidays， residents also head for the countryside to enjoy some mountain hiking or river cruising.

Out in the countryside， the produce is even fresher than in the city. After a morning spent along a hiking trail， a quick lunch in a roadside restaurant can turn into a three-hour banquet at the drop of a hat.

Every Chengdu resident is a gourmand. They live for delicious food. Sichuan cuisine is actually counted among the four major Chinese culinary traditions. Restaurants in Chengdu， regardless of their size or location， must have at least one signature dish or a peculiar brand of culinary innovation. If they dont they wont survive amidst the fierce competition.

The slow pace of life in Chengdu has many fans. Residents welcome tourists who come to visit； they know their city is a treasure， and dont mind sharing the bounty. Chengdu has been voted as the “Happiest City” in China for several years running. The title is fully deserved.

Old Alleys and Towns

Another good reason to visit Chengdu is to wander through the old towns warren of alleyways. For the aspiring tourist， its best to visit sooner， rather than later： with the heady speed of urban construction， many old streets and alleys are gradually vanishing. Some， including Wenmiao Street and Daosangshu Street， have been set aside for preservation.

Arguably the most famous old walkway in Chengdu is Kuanzhai Alley； thats also here to stay. Today the alley is blocked to traffic； walkers have free rein.

Kuanzhai Alley is made up of three segments – the Kuan， Zhai and Jing alleys， which were connected as part of one， long alleyway in the Qing Dynasty. As one of the symbols of Chengdu， Kuanzhai has resisted the changes that have transformed other parts of the urban landscape. Parts of the alley have been renovated and restored， but its authenticity has been maintained to this day.

Jinli Street is another well-known old street， though it differs vastly from Kuanzhai Alley. Adjacent to the Wuhou Shrine， Jinli is a busy commercial street with a long history. Visitors who arent there to barter can find plenty to do in the streets bars， cafes， handicraft stores and local guesthouses.

There are many well-preserved old towns in the suburbs of Chengdu. They are spots for rest and relaxation， and seem a world away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Perhaps the most scenic among them is Huanglongxi Town， which was voted the most beautiful old town in Sichuan in 2012.

The Huanglongxi Town is bifurcated by the fastrunning Fuhe River. Several iron suspension bridges straddle the river， linking the two halves of the small town together. On one riverbank stands an ancient banyan tree with twisted roots. It is said the tree has a history of nearly 1，000 years. Today， many of the towns families have lived there for generations – although perhaps not quite as long as their banyan tree neighbor. Locals earn a living in tourism： they run street-front stores selling snacks and souvenirs， and reside in backyard rooms.

Huanglongxi has many traditions that it calls its own， but perhaps the most peculiar of all is the Fire Dragon Dance. During the first half of the first month of the lunar calendar， 20 strapping young men strip from the waist up in the town center to perform the traditional dance routine， which employs fireworks to spectacular effect. The dance has to be seen to be believed.

Historical Figures and Todays New Stars

More than 2，000 years of history has left an indelible mark on the cultural heritage of Chengdu， which was capital of Shu （221-263） during the Three Kingdoms Period. According to local government statistics there are a total of 127 sites of cultural significance under national protection in the city.

Chengdus history is still alive； Chengdu residents can recall the stories of the historic figures that once called the city home.

Zhuge Liang （181-234） is undoubtedly the foremost representative of the culture of the Three Kingdoms Period （220-280）. He is recognized as a great strategist， politician and inventor. He has also become a national symbol of Chinese wisdom. An idiom still in popular use today describes one who is very smart as being “capable enough to compete with Zhuge Liang.” The Wuhou Shrine in Chengdu is a memorial hall for Zhuge Liang. As one of the three most influential museums specializing in the culture of the Three Kingdoms Period， it attracts millions of tourists every year.

The Du Fu Thatched Cottage grounds in Chengdu include a park and museum. The complex was reconstructed in honor of Du Fu （712-770）， one of Chinas greatest poets. It is said that Du Fu moved to Chengdu to escape the turbulence of war. There， he built a thatched hut near the picturesque Huanhua Creek and lived there for four years， writing more than 200 poems during the period. After extensive renovations over the past centuries， today Du Fus Thatched Cottage doesnt really bear any resemblance to the original. However， strolling around the cottage and appreciating its elegance and the surrounding scenery， visitors find it a wonderful spot to spend an afternoon and pay tribute to Du Fu. In total， the bard left over 1，000 poems to the future generations.

Another well-known story from Chengdus history concerns the romance between the famous writer Sima Xiangru （179-118 BC） and Zhuo Wenjun， a beautiful and clever widow. Wenjun fell in love with Sima Xiangrus literary talent， won him over and eloped with him against the wishes of her family. They moved to Chengdu and made a living running a liquor store on Qintai Street.

Todays Qintai Street is no longer the small alley paved with blue stones it once was. But a one-kilometer-long brick carving by the road offers visitors some clues to the customs and traditions of the Han Dynasty over 2，000 years ago. The carvings display many ancient rituals， including those related to banquets， singing， dancing and hunting.

History doesnt stop in the past； it is made every single day. Today， Chengdu continues to produce famous alumni， particularly in the entertainment industry. Chengdu natives Li Yuchun， Zhang Liangying and Zhang Jie， for instance， are among the best-selling pop singers in China. Who knows， maybe Chengdu residents will be telling their stories for another 2，000 years to come.