Sichuan Province

Jiuzhaigou (Jiuzhai Valley National Park)
Jiuzhaigou is located in the mountains of northern Sichuan at elevations ranging from 2,000 – 4,300 metres above sea level and is steeped in local legend and folklore. With the Yangtze River’s tributary, the Jialing River, flowing through the region, the national park is full of spectacular scenery and is home to nine Tibetan villages. Jiuzhaigou National Park is suitable for year-round travel, with its scenery most picturesque during autumn. Also a UNESCO World Heritage site, the park is inhabited by more than 200 bird species as well as a number of endangered plant and animal species.

Leshan Giant Buddha
In the 8^th century, the Giant Buddha of Leshan was carved into a hillside of Lingyun Mountain looking down over the confluence of three rivers. Standing at 71 metres tall, it is the largest stone-carved Buddha in the world. Its construction took over 90 years to complete and it’s since become a UNESCO World Heritage site. In addition, in the vicinity of the Giant Buddha are more than 90 stone carvings, Tang dynasty (618–907) Buddhist shrines, the Lidui (a large rock cut in the centre of the river for irrigation purposes), tombs, smaller Buddha statues, pagodas, temples and city walls.

Dujiangyan irrigation system
Construction of the Dujiangyan irrigation system began in the 3rd century BC. Science and technology were highly advanced in ancient China and this system still controls the waters of the Minjiang River and, to this day, distributes them to the fertile farmlands of the Chengdu plains. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s the world’s oldest large-scale irrigation system of its kind still in operation.