We flew from Dunhuang to Tianfu Airport late at night, and Yang Yang, Qiao Kai, and their 9 year old daughter, Zimao, were already waiting for us there. Yang Yang and Qiao Kai spent two years as exchange students at the University of Missouri. Zimao was born in Columbia, MO. In 2018, Ray and I traveled with them through the province of Guizhou and Zimao, and at the age of 2, insisted that only Yeh Yeh (Ray) could hold her. It was a joyous reunion for us. The Yang Yang family lives in Chongqing, about a 4-hour drive from Chengdu. Qiao Kai rented a van so he could drive us around. They had to leave their baby girl, Xiao He (age 3), back home with Grandma, but we will meet her when we get to Chongqing.
Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan, with a population of 20 million, making it the fourth most populous city in China. Chengdu is known as the Land of Abundance due to its surrounding agricultural lands. Founded by the Kingdom of Shu in the 4th century BC, the Chengdu settlement underwent imperial, republican, and communist eras over the course of more than two thousand years. Of course, Chengdu is the home of the Panda. It has five research bases that attract a million tourists annually. Yang Yang signed us up for a 1-day volunteer program at the Dujiangyan Panda Center. We helped prepare breakfast for the Pandas by smashing tons of bamboo. Each adult panda consumes huge quantity of bamboo a day, including leaves, stems, shoots, and roots. Panda spent 95% of their days feeding so most of the time we saw them laying on their back chopping on the bamboo. We even examined their feces to determine individual panda’s preference. For senior pandas (20+ years) whose teeth wore off over the years, we prepared special bread with chopped bamboo leaves, grains, rice, fruits, vitamins to ensure that their nutritious needs are met. At the end of the program, we each received a certificate as Panda chef. Of course, one benefit of this program was we got to visit the panda bears up close away from the crowded tourists. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these adorable creatures.
I learned about the Dujiangyan ancient irrigation system from my elementary school history book. What I didn’t realize was how innovative the governor Li Bing and his son were. The dam-free system was built around 256 BC (approximately 2,200 years ago) to divert the Ming River for irrigation and flood control. Since dynamite had not been invented, Li Bing heated the rock of the small mountain blocking the river, then poured cold water on it to crack open a gap (Baopinkou). He then built a small island (Feishyan) to use as a flood discharge. They filled bamboo baskets with large stones and stacked them one on top of each other to form the base of the island. One side of the island is higher and the other side is lower. This island divides the River into two parts: the outer part, which is used to drain off floodwaters, and the inner river, which is used for irrigation. This system is still in use today.
Another surprise in Dujiangyan was this unique bookstore. Its spiral staircase goes up to a mirrored ceiling, and the reflection makes the whole place magical.
When I was searching for hotels in Chengdu, Buddha Zen immediately caught my eye. This hotel features a classic structure with antique furniture. It is also situated in the Wenshu Temple walking district and filled with shops and restaurants. The ‘O and O” name has different Zen meanings depending on how you read it. You can read it as ‘Zero and Zero’ (emptiness, lack of independent self) or ‘Round and Round’ (a sense of completeness, peace, and balance). It has a 4-faced Buddha statue in the courtyard. Yang Yand and Zimao mediated in front of the statue, while I enjoyed a quiet moment sitting on the balcony, watching people walk by.
