14 Days in Mianyang

The Tang tower of about 656-660, now 99 m over the Fu River where three waters meet; Fule Hill carries the 211 Liu Bei-Liu Zhang meeting. Evening riverbanks.

1. mianyang yuewang tower
2. mianyang fule hill

Two Bombs, One Satellite program in the science museum; the nearly 2-m Eastern Han bronze money tree in the city museum.

1. mianyang science museum
2. mianyang city museum

A slow city day — park paths in the morning, and Mianyang's signature rice noodles at every meal; the old town markets close the loop.

1. mianyang fule hill
2. mianyang city markets

Qinglian town, Jiangyou — memorial halls, Longxi Yuan and the Taibai shrines where Li Bai (701-762) grew up. Overnight north.

1. mianyang libai memorial
2. mianyang qinglian town

Three sheer peaks with a rope-walk between two, the Tang Yunyan temple above, a limestone cave on the road back.

1. mianyang douyuan mountain
2. mianyang foye cave

The Wenchang ancestral temple, Jin-era origin and Yuan-Ming-Qing rebuilds, behind cypress rows of the old Shu road. Back to Mianyang at night.

1. mianyang qiqu temple

Southeast to Santai — Han cliff-tomb complexes by the Qijiang river town, national protected; Du Fu lodged here in Zi prefecture from 762 to 764.

1. mianyang qijiang ancient town

A factual, respectful visit — Qushan ruins site and memorial museum, then the rebuilt town's Banbaqiang craft street. Qiang embroidery and roasted mutton for dinner.

1. mianyang beichuan memorial
2. mianyang banba qiang street

The palace-style timber temple begun around 1440 — the palace in the deep mountains, a national protected complex; return east by evening.

1. mianyang baoen temple

Karst tors and hot-spring resorts in Anzhou for a rest day between the long runs.

1. mianyang luofu mountain

The lake resort north-east of town — boat decks, cycle paths and lakeside tea; an easy recharge before the neighbor days.

1. mianyang xianhai lake

Two hours north into neighboring Guangyuan — the Three-Kingdoms pass, its rebuilt gate tower, cliff plank paths and the walled old town of Zhaohua nearby; back at night.

1. guangyuan jianmen pass

Fast rail west to Chengdu — Du Fu's thatched cottage, where the poet lived from 759 and wrote some 240 poems, and the Three-Kingdoms Wuhou Shrine; evening train back to Mianyang.

1. chengdu dufu thatched cottage
2. chengdu wuhou shrine

A last market breakfast and a final bowl of rice noodles, then the HSR from Mianyang Station.

1. mianyang city markets