14 Days in Meishan

Su Xun (1009-1066), Su Shi (1037-1101) and Su Zhe (1039-1112) across the 106-mu shrine garden; Song Meishan produced 886 jinshi. Evening in the water streets.

1. meishan sansu shrine
2. meishan dongpo waterfront

An easy city day — the Dongpo wetland park paths, then the cherry exposition garden whose March bloom draws the whole city. Pickled-vegetable dishes show up on every menu.

1. meishan dongpo wetland
2. meishan cherry garden

South to Qingshen for the study cliffs of young Su Shi, the Huanyu pool, and the weaving halls behind the county's national bamboo-craft listing.

1. meishan zhongyan
2. meishan qingshen bamboo art

The 2,830-m tabletop of Hongya County on the Ya'an border — cableway up, the Lanxi waterfall of about 1,040 m, summit pools linked by boardwalks. Sleep on the mountain if skies hold.

1. meishan wawu mountain

Founded about 1140, the town strings stilt houses between two meeting rivers around the Zeng family compound; teahouses by the water keep the afternoon slow.

1. meishan liujiang old town

A gorge day out — pagodas and cliff carvings along the water, a short boat run, then the road back toward Meishan.

1. meishan caoyutan

East to Renshou County — the 1972 reservoir covers about 23.6 sq km with 72 islands. Boat loop, lakeside fish lunch, second night in Meishan.

1. meishan heilongtan

Since 2017 the excavations at the 1646 Jiangkou battle site have raised over 70,000 objects, gold seal included; the county museum displays them. Pengzu Hill adds the longevity legends.

1. meishan jiangkou archaeology site
2. meishan pengzu mountain

The hall first built in 1098-1100 for Huang Tingjian's rubbings of Du Fu and rebuilt in 2014, then the rammed-earth lanes of Xingfu village.

1. meishan daya hall
2. meishan xingfu ancient village

The Tang-era cliff figures of Niujiao Zhai, a national protected site since 2006, sit on a wooded hill above farmland — a quiet counterpoint to the big-name caves.

1. meishan niujiao grotto

Dongpo pickle holds a national geographic-indication mark, and the museum walks through the brine vats and the trade; a market afternoon rounds out the food side of Meishan.

1. meishan pickle museum
2. meishan city markets

An hour south into neighboring Leshan for the 71-m Buddha begun in 713 and finished about ninety years later; descend the nine-turn plank to river level.

1. leshan giant buddha

Fast rail north to Chengdu — Du Fu's thatched cottage, where the poet lived from 759 and wrote some 240 poems, and the Wuhou Shrine of the Three Kingdoms court; back to Meishan by evening.

1. chengdu dufu thatched cottage
2. chengdu wuhou shrine

A last waterfront walk and an early bowl of noodles, then the HSR from Meishan East toward Chengdu or Leshan.

1. meishan dongpo waterfront