Chengdu city

Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, is located in the center of the plain in west Sichuan, known as the 'land of heavenly kingdom'. With an elevation of 500 meters, the city is slightly larger than Paris. For nearly 2500 years, it has been the economic and cultural center of the province. Long noted for its brocade industry, Chengdu was named Jincheng or the Brocade City in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220A.D.).
Chengdu has a history of over 2,300 years. In 311 B.C., the State of Qin, during the Warring States period, established a county here. During 221-263, Chengdu was the capital of Shu, one of the three rival kingdoms. The 43 years of rule left many relics. In 1644, Zhang Xianzhong, leader of a peasant uprising, conquered the city, and established his capital here. There are at least 14 imperial mausoleums, but so far only seven have been excavated.