Wen Shu Fang

Chengdu's Wenshufang, located at No. 66 Wenshuyuan Street in Qingyang District, is a national AAAA-level open-air historical and cultural district built around the ancient Wenshuyuan Temple. Admission is free and the area is open 24 hours a day, though it's recommended to plan a three- to four-hour visit. The district's architectural style is inspired by traditional western Sichuan courtyards, with blue tiles, white walls, and carved eaves. This creates a unique "courtyard-style commercial street" feel, earning it the nickname "Chengdu's Double Embroidery"—the sound of Buddhist chants echoes within the red walls, while the bustling market life unfolds beyond. Wenshufang's core identity can be summarized as "Zen culture combined with traditional Chengdu folk customs." Within the district, there's a temple every 100 steps and a pagoda every 1,000 steps. In addition to Wenshuyuan Temple (built in the Sui Dynasty and inscribed by Emperor Kangxi), the district also preserves the remains of the "Nine Palaces and Eighteen Temples," including the Five Mountains Palace, Lengjia Nunnery, and Aido Hall. This area boasts the most concentrated religious and cultural heritage in Chengdu's old city. Building on this foundation, the neighborhood has incorporated elements such as the "Empty Forest Zen Road" market for Zen-inspired goods, the "Manjusri Blessed Land" cluster of protected courtyards, the "Folk Old Street" offering intangible cultural heritage crafts, the "Chengdu Salon" teahouse featuring antiques, calligraphy, and paintings, as well as the "Old Chengdu Food Court" and "Tianzi Food Hall." This all-in-one experience combines incense worship, Hanfu travel photography, gaiwan tea, Sichuan Opera face-changing, and century-old snacks (such as dragon wontons, Zhong dumplings, and Lai glutinous rice balls). The atmosphere is enhanced by the lighting of lanterns at night. Wenshufang is a free historical district offering the most concentrated and convenient experience of old Chengdu: burning incense, enjoying vegetarian food, drinking tea, watching opera, strolling the ancient streets, enjoying snacks, shopping for cultural products, and photographing Hanfu costumes. For a quick experience of slow living and the essence of Zen, simply add this area to your half-day itinerary.

Enjoy an authentic Sichuan opera performance at the Liyuan Guildhall while sipping large bowls of tea. The show consists of nine performances, and the finale, the face-changing, was the most memorable. The 70-minute performance was packed with action and highly recommended.

I have always been curious about Sichuan, but when I came to the Sichuan Museum, I was more shocked. The young lady gave a steady and pleasant explanation for more than three hours. She also had a good grasp of the rhythm. I saw the national treasure stone scriptures. I always thought it was a barbarian land, with no human traffic with the Qinsai. The three hours ended with a feeling of not having enough, but there was no display after the Song Dynasty. The knowledge in the textbooks collided with reality, and I slowly digested it myself. Suddenly I understood a sentence: learning alone without friends will lead to ignorance. There are some things in my mind that I haven't grasped yet.

A very comfortable place that can meet the needs of different groups of people, such as worshipping Buddha, drinking tea and watching plays, dining, shopping, taking photos and making films, etc. The price-performance ratio is very high, the prices are normal, and there are no high-cost places during the tour (it varies from person to person). The cultural atmosphere is strong, with the characteristics of western Sichuan, and the surrounding area is full of fireworks. A great place, a must-visit in Chengdu!

Wenshufang is located at No. 66 Wenshuyuan Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. It is bounded by Beida Street and Caoshi Street in the east, Baijiatang Street and Tongshunqiao Street in the south, Renmin Middle Road in the west, and Da'an West Road in the north. It is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. The following is a detailed introduction for you: History and Culture • Historical Origin: The area where Wenshufang is located was a famous scenic spot in Chengdu during the Tang and Song Dynasties, and was known as the "First Forest in Western Sichuan". During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, a street block with Buddhist culture as the theme gradually formed here. • Cultural Features: Wenshufang is themed on Zen culture and folk culture, fully demonstrating the essence of the humanities and history of old Chengdu. It brings together many temples and Taoist temples such as the thousand-year-old Wenshuyuan, Baiyun Temple, Wuyue Palace, Lengjia Temple, and Aidaotang. There is almost a temple every 100 steps and a temple every 1,000 steps, so there was once a saying of "Nine Palaces and Eighteen Temples". Architectural Style The architectural style of Wenshufang is a typical residential architectural style in western Sichuan. The entire block is composed of many traditional residential courtyards in western Sichuan. Most of these courtyards have blue tiles and white walls, carved window lattices, and flying eaves and brackets, which have strong local characteristics. In terms of architectural layout, Wenshufang adopts the traditional quadrangle form, and the courtyards are interconnected to form an organic whole. Main attractions • Wenshu Temple: It is one of the core attractions of Wenshufang and the first of the four major Zen temples in the upper and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China. It was first built during the Daye period of the Sui Dynasty. It was named Xinxiang Temple during the Tang and Song Dynasties. It was destroyed by war in the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. There are many Buddha statues and cultural relics enshrined in the courtyard, among which the most famous are the iron gods cast in the Song Dynasty and the bronze Buddha in the Qing Dynasty. • Wuyue Palace: It is a Taoist temple that was first built in the Ming Dynasty. The existing buildings were rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. Taoist statues such as the Five Great Emperors are enshrined in the palace. The architectural style is simple and elegant, with high artistic value. • Aido Hall: It is a nunnery that was first built in the Ming Dynasty. The existing buildings were rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. There are statues of Guanyin Bodhisattva and other Buddhas in the hall. The architectural style is small and exquisite, with a unique charm. Food Recommendation • Long Chao Shou: It is a traditional famous snack in Chengdu, famous for its thin skin, large fillings and delicious soup. In Wenshufang, there are many Long Chao Shou shops where you can taste the authentic Chengdu Long Chao Shou. • Zhong Dumplings: It is also one of the traditional famous snacks in Chengdu. It is loved by people for its unique red oil seasoning and delicious fillings. In Wenshufang, there are many Zhong Dumplings shops where you can taste the authentic Chengdu Zhong Dumplings. • Dandan Noodles: It is one of the traditional noodles in Chengdu, famous for its thin noodles and delicious soup. In Wenshufang, there are many Dandan Noodles shops where you can taste the authentic Chengdu Dandan Noodles.

Wenshufang is one of the four major historical and cultural blocks in Chengdu. It is the intersection of two axes and one river. The Da'anmen Gate on the east side is the northern gateway of the traditional city axis. It is the starting point of the "Jinniu Road" and "Chidao" in the pre-Qin period and the Southern Silk Road. It witnessed the history of Chengdu's civilization migration and capital construction. There are more than 20 historical streets and alleys in the district, where the market and the street are integrated, and the shops are integrated. It is the starting point of the earliest life of Chengdu people. Wenshu Temple, Niangniang Temple, Jinsha Temple, Aidao Hall and many protected courtyards are still telling the grand occasion of the nine palaces and eighteen temples in those days. They are the most typical representatives of Chengdu's historical buildings and cultural heritage.

✨Unique Sichuan Street Courtyard Architecture✨ Located in the city center, it is very convenient to take a taxi. If you take the subway: Wenshuyuan Station. This street is all Sichuan Street Courtyard Architecture. With the scale of nine streets and ten temples and the architectural space pattern of "streets, courtyards, and lanes", each building is built with a unique flavor and the architecture is very distinctive. From souvenirs to souvenirs, there is everything, and it also brings together various Chengdu delicacies and local specialties. The price of small commodities here is lower than that of Kuanzhai Alley, and the cost performance is very high. There are also several popular delicacies and time-honored brands hidden in the park. Dongzikou Zhang Laoer, Chen Mapo, and Wensuyuan are all here, gathering all kinds of famous foods in Chengdu. Although I have been to Chengdu many times before, this is the first time here. I came here early in the morning, and the road was still deserted. I prefer to visit the attractions like this. There are no noisy crowds. I can calm down and feel the essence of the humanities and history of old Chengdu. I can feel the charm of old Chengdu while walking along the way. There are many teahouses here, which reflect the teahouse culture of Chengdu. The price is 5 yuan per person, which is not expensive. There are also many hotels nearby, which are moderately priced and quite distinctive. If you stay here, you can also take a walk in the morning. It must be another different Wenshufang. I recommend the Chengdu Academy and Chengdu Yuanheyuan Buddhist Zen Inn, which are villa-style in western Sichuan. It is not as popular as Kuanzhai Alley and there are not too many decorations, but it is worth coming here to take a look, find a teahouse, sit quietly, and try some popular snacks.

I personally think Wenshufang is more worth visiting than Kuanzhai Alley and Jinli. First, there are not so many people, and second, the cultural atmosphere is stronger. And the planning is good, the streets are wider, and there are many intangible cultural heritage skills.