Posted: Soumis par Wocca (748) le sam, 2007-03-17 15:53. | Sujet: A Leisurely Life In Chengdu

A LEISURELY LIFE IN CHENGDU

There is an old adage which states that opposites attract, and the weather is the first thing that comes to mind when I consider the leisure life in Chengdu. Coming from the southern section of Australia, with long hot dry summers and mild winters more like spring or fall elsewhere, makes the comparatively cooler temperature of Chengdu a real treat indeed. Summer of course is the exception in this part of south west China. Nevertheless, there appears to be a distinct all-year absence of wind which is usually the nastiest of elements when inclemency prevails. Even though the Sichuan capital belongs to the moist monsoon climate area of a subtropical zone, it is quite comfortable to wear more than one layer of clothing during various seasons. Gloves, scarves, thermal underwear and heavy or thick coats would rarely be taken out of a wardrobe in the land of the kangaroo. In fact, many Australians would not own such items of clothing anyway. Serious winter garments would be more likely to be wrapped with mothballs and stored for an indefinite period until they frayed or otherwise wore out through non-usage.

The geographical location of Chengdu near the edge of the west of the Sichuan basin has a unique and surprising effect on the atmosphere. Fairly low clouds and mist cover the sky for around three hundred days annually. This is naturally because of the high mountains, such as Qingcheng and Snowy Mountain Xiling, which can be seen just outside of the Chengdu plain. Due to the massive altitude difference between the east and west sides of Chengdu, the heat falls sharply with rapidly increasing altitude which leads to the co-existence of two climate patterns of the warm east and the cool west. Therefore, an interesting weather phenomenon appears – burning sun in one place and heavy rain in another. Due to the great change of temperature, rainwater can fall behind so that there is no rainwater where you are actually standing. The rainwater chases you from behind as you move forward. The old local men refer to this as “rain-catch-you-up”. As fascinating as it may be, such occurrence is not common. Generally, this phenomenon appears during the months of June, July and August in the hilly regions of Jintang and Longquan.

In the western mountain region, from the foot of a mountain to the top, the temperature can differ by several degrees Celsius, thus exhibiting many kinds of climatic conditions such as the warm temperate zone, temperate zone, cold temperate zone, inferior frigid zone and frigid zone in a vertical line from the bottom to the mountain top. This sort of vertical heat change is exactly what attracts to Chengdu extremely abundant types of animals and plants. People are therefore graced with splendid sceneries of different climatic zones in many sightseeing spots for minimal traveling cost. The fertile soil of Chengdu brings with it various types of living creatures. The whole Chengdu plain is covered by grey, greyish brown wet and purple soil, which is the case with the soil of the whole city. This soil produces bountiful nutrients, concentrated water heat, and relatively high fertility. The varieties of crops are quite substantial with a large planting area. The output is reasonably high. Poultry and domestic animals are raised everywhere. Varieties including pigs and bees are particularly widespread and well known across the nation.

Chengdu is most famous for the following four things; the giant panda, beautiful smooth-skinned girls, delicious food, and rice wine. The weather and geography play a vital role with these great attractions. The panda is a national treasure, and has been lovingly referred to as the hermit of the bamboo forest because in its natural habitat, it dwells alone for most of its life. One of the world’s rarest animals, the giant panda lives in the sub-alpine forests in the west central region of China. The classification of the panda has long been a matter of controversy among zoologists. Originally classified with the bears, it was later grouped with raccoons. The weight of evidence that has accumulated over the years, however, now supports the view that it is related to bears. Its closest relative is the spectacled bear of South America. The giant panda is a large, stocky animal measuring up to one and a half metres in length and weighing up to one hundred and fifty kilograms. Its diet consists chiefly of vegetable matter, but it also eats small animals. Shy and solitary by nature when in the wild, they become friendly and playful in captivity.

Only a hand-full exist in zoos of the western world, but Chinese zoos have reported successful breeding of their pandas. Currently, the World Wildlife Fund and the Chinese Ministry of Forestry have developed a conservation management plan that outlines fourteen new panda reserves and five corridors connecting patches of panda habitat. Visitors to Sichuan can even get to touch and have their picture taken with one of these gentle creatures in its own hometown at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding or at Wolong Giant Panda Reserve. Everybody loves the cuddly and lazy panda. It is one of the main reasons that tourists come to this province. Why so many men come to Chengdu is because they also have the good luck of seeing so many beautiful women. Suzhou people once said to Chengdu people proudly, “In the avenues of our city, you may see one beautiful lady when you walk only three steps.” Chengdu people answered at once, “You could see three beauties when you walk every step in Chengdu.” The moist land and less sunlight produces smooth soft white complexions and gentle dispositions.

All good foods are found in Chengdu. Sichuan cuisine is one of the four famous cuisines in China. The others are Guangdong, Shandong and Jiangshu. Cooks of Sichuan dishes still maintain that no vegetable is better than cabbage and no meat is better than pork, but every Sichuan dish has its own style and characteristics. Each is refreshingly mellow and strong, as well as being known worldwide for the hot spicy taste. Chengdu snacks are also delicious and according to statistics, there are no less than two hundred varieties available. The Chinese history of winemaking spans over 4,000 years. Distilled liquor is also called Rack. Sichuan spirits include Luzhou Laojiao, Yibing Wuliangye, Mianzhu Jiannanchun, Chengdu Quanxing and Swellfun. The leisure life of the relaxed and friendly Chengdu people is associated with tea in most cases. Drinking tea has become an indispensable ingredient of life. Bowl tea was first introduced in Chengdu and teahouses now abound all over the city. It is common to see mahjong and card games being played wherever you go. Chengdu is truly a city that you don’t want to leave once you come.

Expatriate writer Warren Rodwell has been in China since 2002, & teaches university postgraduates in Chengdu. Many of his feature stories, reviews and photographs have been published online or in hardcopy media form. Warren also narrates documentaries & administers various websites as part of his efforts to promote Chengdu and Sichuan culture more globally.