Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province, habitat of giant pandas and city of cotton-rose hibiscus. Chengdu is located in one of the country's richest agricultural plains, it has an area of 12,300 square km. The population of Chengdu is about 10 million. This city is divided into eight districts, four outlying cities and eight counties. About 3.5 million people reside in the city center. During the past 2,300 years, Chengdu has never changed its location nor its name despite many upheavals. It has always remained as the capital of Sichuan. The Dujiangyan Irrigation system brings the vast Chengdu plain under irrigation and has prevented it against droughts and floods for over 2,300 years. This makes Chengdu Plain a land of abundance with a mild climate and fertile soil. While in modernized Chengdu, there are still many bustling back streets to explore: free markets, flea markets, peddler markets, commercial districts, underpass shopping malls. There are countless restaurants specializing in Sichuan cuisines and snacks, myriad teahouses scattered all over. This is no doubt one of the most vibrant and exotic city to explore in China.
