Ancient Poets & Temples Day Tour in Chengdu

9:00 a.m. Depart from hotel

9:20-11:00 a.m. Wangjiang Tower Park and Bamboo Garden

With more than 150 varieties of bamboo on display (and nary a panda in sight to threaten them!), Wangjiang Tower Park is a wonderful introduction to the charms of Chengdu. Dedicated to Xue Tao, a Tang Dynasty poet, the focal point of the park is the beautiful four-story Wangjang Tower. You'll have plenty of time to explore the park, sip tea at the Xue Tao Tea House, and contemplate the wonders of the past in one of the many quiet pavilions.

12:00 a.m. Lunch
Lunch is served at the Wenshu Temple Restaurant, where you can sample wonderful Sichuan-style Buddhist vegetarian food in a delightful setting beside ]Wenshu Temple.

1:00- 2:00 p.m. Wenshu Temple
Chengdu's biggest and best-preserved Buddhist site, Wenshu Temple is in fact a Qing-era (1644-1911) reconstruction of a Tang dynasty (618-907 AD) original. A still-working monastery, the bustling site encompasses a series of buildings (including the Hall of Lokapala, the Hall of Three Bodhisattvas, the Precious Hall of Sakyamuni, the Buddhist Lecture Hall and the Scriptures Hall) arranged around courtyards alive with prayer and incense smoke. The surrounding streets are full of vendors selling all kinds of Buddhist paraphernalia, and you'll have ample opportunity to buy and light your own joss sticks and paper money, or pick up a Buddhist statuette as a souvenir.

2:30 p.m. Du Fu's Thatched Cottage
One of China's best-loved classical poets, Du Fu spent some of his best years as a poet in Chengdu. Du Fu's Tang-era Thatched Cottage now stands as a shrine to the great man's works. Du Fu (sometimes referred to as the "poet-sage," so great was his contribution to the canon) lived there for five years, seeking peace after the devastating An Lushan Rebellion. As you explore the site, you'll see examples of his poetry and calligraphy, take tea in the garden tea house, and learn more about the life, times and poetry of one of China's greatest literary artists.

4:30 p.m. Return to hotel