Where is Chengdu and what are the Chinese city’s tourist attractions?
THE PERFECT introductory city for anyone visiting China for the first time Chengdu is situated on the banks where the Jin and Fu rivers meet.
But what do you need to know about the Sichuan Province capital? We've got the lowdown...
Where is Chengdu?
Chengdu is the capital of China's Sichuan province.
It is considered one of the Western cities in China, although it is virtually central on a map.
The plain surrounding the city - Chengdu Plain - is also known as Country of Heaven.
It is the only area in China not to have its name changed throughout the imperial, republican and communist era.
What's the population of Chengdu?
The sub-provincial population of Chengdu is just under 14.5million according to a 2014 survey.
While the urban population was just under 10.2million.
What are the Chengdu's tourist attractions?
Chengdu is home of the giant panda. A national Chinese treasure, the giant panda is one of the most rare animals in the world.
It is estimated that there are only 1,500 in the world and 80 per cent of those can be found in Sichuan province.
Chengdu's world-renowned giant panda breeding base attracts around 100,000 visitors each day.
In addition to this, the area is home to many nature and cultural heritage sites.
One of the most popular is Mount Qingcheng. It's peak is 1.6km above sea level so it's got a cool climate and is lush and green all year round.
As well as the modern city there are also examples of beautiful old architecture in the area.
Like the ZhuoYing ancient bridge and the traditional buildings in Jinli.
There's also a teddy bear museum that's probably worth checking out.
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The second series of the hit show The Real Marigold On Tour starts on BBC One at 9pm.
The show sees Miriam Margolyes, Wayne Sleep, Rosemary Shrager and Bobby George head off for a global adventure.
This time they sample retirement in China. The group stay in the capital of the Sichuan Province, Chengdu.
A bustling city of over 14 million people, all the group find the language barrier difficult, and Miriam in particular struggles with the regional cuisine.
A swim in a high-tech pool, in one of the world's biggest buildings, makes a bad situation worse as Miriam discovers a modern China at odds with her memory of it from a trip 30 years ago.