10 Days in Mianyang

The Tang tower of about 656-660, now 99 m over the Fu River, and the hill that marks the 211 Liu Bei-Liu Zhang meeting. Riverside night walk.

1. mianyang yuewang tower
2. mianyang fule hill

Two Bombs, One Satellite exhibits; then the nearly 2-m Eastern Han bronze money tree from a cliff tomb.

1. mianyang science museum
2. mianyang city museum

Qinglian town, Jiangyou — where Li Bai (701-762) grew up. Overnight north for the mountain day.

1. mianyang libai memorial
2. mianyang qinglian town

Three sheer peaks, the rope-walk between two of them, the Tang Yunyan temple above, and a limestone cave on the road home.

1. mianyang douyuan mountain
2. mianyang foye cave

The Wenchang ancestral temple, Jin-era in origin and rebuilt under Yuan, Ming and Qing, stands behind cypress rows of the old Shu road. Overnight back in Mianyang or on to Santai.

1. mianyang qiqu temple

Southeast to Santai County — Han-era cliff tombs by the Qijiang river town, a national protected site; Du Fu lodged in Zi prefecture here from 762 to 764 and the old town keeps his memory in street names.

1. mianyang qijiang ancient town

A factual visit — the ruins of the old county seat at Qushan, the memorial museum beside it, and the rebuilt town's Qiang-craft Banbaqiang street. Quiet throughout.

1. mianyang beichuan memorial
2. mianyang banba qiang street

North to Pingwu County for the palace-style temple begun around 1440 in the Ming Zhengtong era, a national protected complex of timber halls known as the palace in the deep mountains. Return east by evening.

1. mianyang baoen temple

Two hours north into neighboring Guangyuan for the Shu-road pass of Three Kingdoms fame, its rebuilt gate tower and the cliff-side plank paths; an honest out-of-city day, back to Mianyang at night.

1. guangyuan jianmen pass

A slow final day among Anzhou's karst tors and hot springs, then the HSR from Mianyang Station toward Chengdu or Xi'an.

1. mianyang luofu mountain