Things to Do
A 10-day relaxing discovery of Chengdu
Updated: May 13, 2025
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Day 8
Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Chengdu
Located on the northwest edge of Chengdu Plain, Dujiangyan was built in the 3rd century BC, and has been the world's only existing ancient irrigation system which diverts water without a dam, controlling and distributing the waters of the Minjiang River to fertile farmland.
Mount Qingcheng is regarded as one of the cradles of Taoism. Its name is taken from the verdant peaks that resemble a city wall dotted with numerous temples. In 13 AD, some 400 years after the creation of the Dujiangyan irrigation system, an elderly man took a long journey to the foot of Mount Qingcheng. In this quiet place, he began his reflections that would lay the foundation of Taoism, the only major religion to originate in China. The man, Zhang Ling, is now considered an immortal.
The mountain is 25 kilometers by minibus from Dujiangyan. If you ascend by cable car, a visit can be done on a day-trip along with seeing the irrigation system.
The Dujiangyan irrigation system and nearby Qingcheng Mountain were listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2000. In 2006, Dujiangyan was listed as a World Natural Heritage site as a corridor region of the giant panda's habitat.
