Chengdu · Visitor Guide
Du Fu's Thatched Cottage (杜甫草堂, Dùfǔ Cǎotáng)
Du Fu (712–770 CE) is considered China's greatest poet, and he spent four years (759–765) living in a thatched cottage in Chengdu, producing over 240 poems here — including some of his most famous works written during the An Lushan Rebellion. The site was abandoned after Du Fu left, rediscovered in the 15th century, and rebuilt as a memorial park. What you see today is a Qing-era reconstruction, but the adjacent museum holds original Song dynasty stone engravings of Du Fu's calligraphy. In autumn, the park's famous ginkgo tree turns golden and a lantern festival fills the evenings.
Last updated:
Quick Answer
Is Du Fu's Thatched Cottage worth visiting?
The memorial park of Tang dynasty poet Du Fu — reconstructed bamboo cottage, exposed stone inscriptions, and a museum of his life. ¥50. 2 hours.
Quick facts
| Ticket | ¥50 (as of June 2026). Student/senior ¥25. |
|---|---|
| Hours | 8:00–20:00 (summer), 8:00–18:30 (winter). |
| Recommended duration | 2 hours for the park, museum, and a circuit of the memorial halls. |
| Best time to visit | Autumn (October–November) for ginkgo colors and lantern festival. Spring for plum blossoms. Early morning for any season. |
| How to get there | Metro Line 4 to Chengdu University of Technology (理工大学站), then a 15-minute walk. Or take Bus 58 from Chunxi Road to the Du Fu Caotang stop (20 min). |
| English signage | partial |
| Wheelchair accessible | partial |
| Du Fu's residence | 759–765 CE (Tang dynasty) |
| Poems written here | 240+ including 'Spring, Prosperous Times' |
| Park area | 24 hectares |
| Key features | Thatched cottage, stone inscriptions, Mill River, museum |
| Festival | Autumn lantern festival (September–November) |
What to expect
The park is divided into three areas: the Historical Zone (the original site and Du Fu's reconstructed cottage), the Art Museum (an excellent museum of Tang dynasty poetry and calligraphy), and the Garden Area (Mill River, bamboo paths, and pavilions). Start at the historical zone to find the actual site of Du Fu's cottage — a modest bamboo structure reconstructed in 1817 on the original footprint, with the Mill River (浣花溪) flowing past the gate.
The stone inscription corridor (石刻廊) holds Song dynasty reproductions of Du Fu's calligraphy — the originals were carved into stone in 1090 and have survived almost a millennium. The museum's second floor traces Du Fu's life through paintings and annotated editions of his poems. The most poignant section covers his years in Chengdu: he arrived as a refugee from the An Lushan Rebellion and spent four years here in relative peace before traveling further west.
The most famous poem from his Chengdu period is '春望' (Spring, Prosperous Times), written after he returned to the city in 757 after a brief trip and found it occupied by叛军. The line '国破山河在，城春草木深' (The capital is broken, the mountains and rivers remain; spring in the city, the grass and trees grow deep) was written in the An Lushan period and hangs in calligraphy panels throughout the park.
How to get there
Metro Line 4 to Chengdu University of Technology station (理工大学站), Exit A. Walk 15 minutes west along the river. Bus 58 from Chunxi Road (春熙路) to Du Fu Caotang stop. DiDi from central Chengdu: ¥25–35, 20 minutes.
Best photo spots
- The thatched cottage from across the Mill River — framed by bamboo and willow
- The stone inscription corridor in morning light
- The ginkgo tree in the garden area (October–November)
- The calligraphy panels along the memorial hall
Tips
- Pair with a visit to the nearby Chengdu Research Base (pandas) in the same day — they are 20 minutes apart by DiDi
- The autumn lantern festival (September–November) adds an entirely different evening atmosphere to the park
- Come at opening (8 AM) to see the park empty — the atmosphere of bamboo and river is completely different without crowds
- The adjacent art museum is air-conditioned and holds some of the most important Tang dynasty calligraphy in existence
Scams to avoid
- Street vendors near the park claiming to sell Du Fu's calligraphy — all modern reproductions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know Tang poetry to enjoy this?
No — the park is a beautiful traditional Chinese garden regardless of your knowledge of poetry. The museum's bilingual placards explain Du Fu's life context clearly. If you do know his poems, the experience is richer, but the garden, river, and reconstructed cottage have their own appeal.
How does this compare to other Chengdu historical sites?
Du Fu's Cottage is smaller and more intimate than Wenshu Monastery or Jinli Street. It is essentially a literary memorial park with a small museum. If you are interested in Chinese poetry or Tang dynasty history, it is essential. If not, it is pleasant but skippable — unlike the pandas or Jinsha.
What is the lantern festival?
The Du Fu Thatched Cottage Lantern Festival runs September–November each year. Thousands of traditional Chinese lanterns are hung throughout the park and illuminated at night. The park stays open until 8 PM. It is particularly popular with Chinese families. The ginkgo trees are at their most photogenic during this period.
Read next
Other things to do in Chengdu
Baoguo Temple
成都新都区著名佛教寺院，隋代建立。宝光寺罗汉堂号称500罗汉。门票30元。必去指数★★★
Jinsha Site Museum
A 3,000-year-old Shu civilization archaeological site — the pit of 600 ivory tusks, gold masks, and the famous 'Flying God' goldfoil, all inside a modern museum built over the excavation. 2 hours. ¥70.
Chengdu Museum
成都最大综合性博物馆，2016年建成，展厅约2万平方米，馆藏文物20余万件。免费需预约，09:00-20:00，周一闭馆。
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
全球最大熊猫繁育机构，圈养熊猫最全。门票55元，观光车30元。上午去熊猫活跃。必去指数★★★★★
Chunxi Road
成都最繁华商业街，1924年建成，IFS爬墙熊猫是地标。免费进入，商铺约10:00-22:00，地铁2号线/3号线直达。购物美食一体化。
Dujiangyan Irrigation System
Li Bing built this dam-free irrigation system around 256 BCE, and it still waters ~530,000 hectares of the Chengdu Plain today. ¥80, allow 2–3 hours, 30 minutes by train from Chengdu.
Huanhua Stream
成都诗意公园，全长约2公里，2003年建成，唐代诗人杜甫曾在此居住。免费参观，全天开放。地铁4号线草堂北路站B口出，与杜甫草堂相邻。
Jinli Ancient Street
成都最著名古街，全长约550米，2004年建成，三国文化+川西民俗主题，免费。商铺09:00-23:00，夜晚红灯笼最美。地铁3号线高升桥站C口步行10分钟。
Jinsha Site Museum
古蜀文明遗址，商周时期遗存。太阳神鸟金饰出土地。门票70元。考古爱好者必去。必去指数★★★
Jiuzhaigou Valley
Turquoise travertine lakes, 100+ multi-tiered waterfalls, and snow-capped Tibetan peaks in a UNESCO park at 2,000–4,500 m altitude. ¥169. 2 days recommended.
Wide and Narrow Alleys
Three restored Qing-dynasty courtyard alleys in central Chengdu (free, open 24/7), laid out on the grid of a 1718 Manchu garrison. Budget 2-3 hours for a slow walk plus a courtyard teahouse stop; go on a weekday after 19:00 for lit lanterns and thin crowds.
Leshan Giant Buddha
世界最大石刻弥勒佛，通高71米。门票80元，游船50元另付。佛是一座山，山是一尊佛。必去指数★★★★★
Longmen Mountain
成都北郊地质公园，地震遗址纪念地。彭州白鹿镇是核心。免费或门票30元。徒步探险推荐。必去指数★★★
Mount Emei
中国佛教四大名山之一，普贤菩萨道场。门票160元+摆渡车90元+索道另行。金顶日出是精髓。必去指数★★★★★
Mount Siguniang (Four Girls Mountain)
"Four Girls Mountain" — 6,250m peak, trekking paradise with 3 valleys. Yaomei Feng is China's answer to the Matterhorn. ¥150. 2-3 days from Chengdu. Alpine lakes, glaciers, Tibetan villages.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
See 50+ giant pandas including cubs at 8:00 AM feeding time in a 100-hectare bamboo-forested breeding center. The best panda experience in China. 3-4 hours.
People's Park
A free, century-old city park where Chengdu's teahouse culture plays out under plane trees — pay ¥15-30 for a pot of jasmine tea and settle in for two hours of mahjong, ear-cleaning, and people-watching.
People's Park
成都最地道市民公园，1911年建成，面积约12万平方米。免费进入，06:00-22:00。鹤鸣茶社百年老茶馆，盖碗茶15-30元，掏耳朵30元/次。地铁2号线人民公园站B口步行3分钟。
Qianfo Mountain
成都西郊道教名山，宗教文化与自然风光兼有。门票30元。山不太高，适合全家出行。必去指数★★★
Mount Qingcheng
One of China's four sacred Taoist mountains, birthplace of the Taoist "Way of the Celestial Masters" (142 AD). Forested paths, pavilions, Taoist temples. ¥90. 1 hour from Chengdu.
Sanxingdui Museum
Three thousand years of bronze masks with protruding eyes, a 2.62-meter standing figure, and a 4-meter sacred tree — all from a civilization that left zero written records, displayed in a 54,400 m² museum that opened July 2023 in Guanghan, 40 km north of Chengdu. Budget 3-4 hours and ¥72 (as of 2026); book ahead or you will not get in.
Shuangliu District
成都双流国际机场所在地，距市中心约20公里。彭镇老茶馆（百年历史）体验老成都生活。免费参观。距双流机场约15分钟车程。建议2-3小时，上午去老茶馆最有氛围。
Sichuan Opera Show (Face Changing)
四川传统文化体验，川剧变脸、吐火、滚灯。演出约70分钟。蜀风雅韵或芙蓉国粹。必去指数★★★★
Taiping Street
成都老街，民国风情，全长约400米，清末民国砖木结构建筑。免费参观，全天开放，商铺约10:00-20:00。地铁2号线东门大桥站B口步行10分钟。更清静小资，比宽窄巷子人少。
Wenshu Monastery
成都最完整佛教寺院，始建于隋605-618年（1400+年历史），面积2万余平方米。免费参观，08:00-17:00。清代古建筑群，素斋和茶馆是亮点。地铁1号线文殊院站K口步行5分钟。
Wolong Panda Reserve
四川最大熊猫保护区，野生熊猫栖息地。距成都约130公里，需要一整天。自然探索推荐。必去指数★★★★
Wolong Giant Panda Nature Reserve
The original wild panda reserve — 200,000 hectares of bamboo forest, 150+ wild pandas. Volunteer programs available. 1.5 hours from Chengdu. ¥90. Full day.
Wuhou Shrine (Temple of the Marquis of Wu)
China's most famous Three Kingdoms memorial — dedicated to Zhuge Liang, the master strategist of Shu Han. Ming Dynasty architecture, 1,800-year-old cypress trees. ¥60.
Museums in Chengdu
Chengdu Museum
Chengdu's city-level museum at Tianfu Square — documenting the Shu (蜀) civilization, the ancient Jinsha (金沙) site, and the Panda (熊猫) conservation. Free.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
The world's largest panda breeding center — 150+ giant pandas in a natural forest habitat, plus red pandas. ¥58.
Sichuan Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine
A small but dense university museum with 3,000+ TCM artifacts covering Sichuan herbal medicine — plan 60–90 minutes and skip the gift-shop photo backdrop.
Jinsha Site Museum
The 3,000-year-old "Sun and Immortal Bird" gold disc — one of China's most iconic artifacts — and the sister civilization to Sanxingdui. ¥80. An active archaeological site with a beautiful park.
Sichuan Cuisine Museum
The world's only museum where you can eat your way through 4,000 years of Sichuan food history — and make your own Pixian chili bean paste.
Sichuan Museum
Sichuan's premier provincial museum at the edge of People's Park — strong in Three Kingdoms Shu culture, Tibetan Buddhist art, ancient Shu (三星堆) civilization, and earthquake memorial from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Free.