07/13 Cities of China series (continued)
“Chengdu lies in the southwest of China, in the center of the West-Sichuan Basin. At an average 500 meters above the sea level, the city with its surrounding area of 12 thousand square kilometers-with an average annual temperature of 15.5 degrees centigrade, an average rainfall of 997 millimeters, and 26.4 billion cubic meters in water resources—is known to the world for its beautiful land and its mild climate.
“Its history can be traced back to over 4,000 years ago from the present day by the recent archeological discovery at the Jinsha excavation site. Its fame as the “Land of Abundance” and a city with a unique culture has been supported by the engineering ingenuity of the Dujiangyan Irrigation system, by the brilliance and imagination of Li Bai, the great poet who “raised the cup to invite Moon for a drink,” and his ancient and modern peers such as Shu Shi, Ba Jin and Guo Moruo, all literary figures with world-renown, and by the industry and wisdom of its people.”
—Ge Hong Lin, Mayor of Chengdu City, capital of Sichuan Province, central China, with urban population of 7,123,697.
