S i c h u a n   P r o v i n c e   ( S h u   f o r   s h o r t )   i s   l o c a t e d   i n   s o u t h w e s t   C h i n a ,   c o v e r i n g   a n   a r e a   o f   5 3 7 , 0 0 0   s q u a r e   k i l o m e t e r s ,   a n d   w i t h   a   p o p u l a t i o n   o f   9 4 . 5   m i l l i o n .
 

I t s   e a s t e r n   p a r t   i s   t h e   S i c h u a n   B a s i n   s u r r o u n d e d   b y   l o f t y   m o u n t a i n s ,   w i t h   7 %   t e r r i t o r y   b e i n g   p l a i n   i n   t h e   b o t t o m ,   a n d   t h e   r e s t   h i l l y   l a n d   a n d   l o w   h i l l s .   I t s   w e s t   a r e a   i s   h i g h l a n d   o f   W e s t   S i c h u a n ,   a n d   t h e   n o r t h   a r e a ,   p a r t   o f   t h e   m a i n   b o d y   o f   Q i n g h a i   a n d   T i b e t   p l a t e a u ,   w h i l e   t h e   s o u t h   a r e a   i s   n o r t h e r n   s e c t i o n   o f   H e n g d u a n   M o u n t a i n   R a n g e s .   M o s t   o f   t h e   r i v e r s   b e l o n g   t o   t h e   Y a n g t z e   R i v e r   S y s t e m .   T h e   J i n s h a   R i v e r   r u n s   a c r o s s   S o u t h   S i c h u a n   f r o m   s o u t h w e s t   t o   n o r t h e a s t   u n t i l   Y i b i n   a n d   t h e n   c h a n g e s   i n t o   t h e   n a m e   o f   t h e   Y a n g t z e .   T h e   J a l i n g   R i v e r ,   M i n   R i v e r ,   T u o   R i v e r   a n d   W u j i a n g   R i v e r   f l o w   i n t o   t h e   Y a n g t z e   R i v e r   f r o m   b o t h   s o u t h   a n d   n o r t h   s i d e s .   T h e   S i c h u a n   B a s i n   a n d   W e s t   S i c h u a n   h a v e   s u b - t r o p i c a l   h u m i d   a n d   s u b - t r o p i c a l   h i g h l a n d   c l i m a t e   r e s p e c t i v e l y .   I t s   m a i n   m i n e r a l   d e p o s i t s   c o m p r i s e   i r o n ,   c o a l ,   n a t u r a l   g a s ,   p e t r o l e u m ,   w e l l   s a l t ,   a s b e s t o s ,   v a n a d i u m ,   t i t a n i u m ,   p h o s p h o r u s   e t c .   I t   a b o u n d s   i n   a g r i c u l t u r a l   a n d   w a t e r   r e s o u r c e s .
 

S i c h u a n ' s   m a j o r   i n d u s t r i a l   p r o d u c t s   a r e   m e t a l s ,   c o a l ,   p e t r o l e u m ,   m a c h i n e r y ,   e l e c t r i c   p o w e r ,   c h e m i c a l s ,   e l e c t r o n i c s ,   t e x t i l e s ,   f o o d s t u f f   e t c .   a m o n g   w h i c h   n a t u r a l   g a s ,   s a l t ,   c a n n e d   f o o d ,   b e v e r a g e ,   i r o n   a n d   s t e e l ,   p a p e r ,   f e r t i l i z e r ,   a l l o y e d   i r o n ,   m o t o r - c y c l e s ,   p o w e r - g e n e r a t i n g   e q u i p m e n t s   a n d   o t h e r s   s t a n d   i n   t h e   f o r e f r o n t   e i t h e r   i n   p r o d u c t i o n   o u t p u t   o r   i n   v a l u e   i n   C h i n a .   R i c e ,   w h e a t ,   c o t t o n ,   r a p e   s e e d s   a n d   r a w   s i l k   a r e   i t s   p r i n c i p a l   f a r m   p r o d u c e s .   S i c h u a n   i s   l i s t e d   a s   o n e   o f   C h i n a ' s   p r i m a r y   p r o d u c e r s   i n   o u t p u t   o f   r i c e ,   w h e a t ,   o i l - b e a r i n g   c r o p s , ,   m e a t ,   a n d   f r u i t ,   a n d   a l s o   h o l d   a   s i g n i f i c a n t   p l a c e   i n   p r o d u c t i o n   o f   t o n g   o i l ,   m e d i c i n a l   h e r b s ,   p i g s   a n d   c a t t l e .
 

R a i l w a y   p l a y s   m a j o r   r o l e   i n   S i c h u a n ' s   t r a n s p o r t ,   w h i l e   t h e r e   a r e   c o n v e n i e n t   h i g h w a y   a n d   i n l a n d - w a t e r   c o m m u n i c a t i o n s .
 

S i c h u a n   i s   g i f t e d   w i t h   l u s h   m o u n t a i n s   a n d   e x q u i s i t e   w a t e r s ,   a n d   a b o u n d s   i n   h i s t o r i c a l   a n d   c u l t u r a l   r e s o u r c e s .   I t s   m a i n   s c e n i c   s p o t s   a n d   h i s t o r i c a l   s i t e s   i n c l u d e   M o u n t   E m e i ,   H u a n g l i n g   T e m p l e ,   J i u z h a i g o u   a n d   G o l d e n   B u d d h a   M o u n t a i n .   A m o n g   i t s   c h i e f   f a m o u s   t r a d i t i o n a l   s p e c i a l t i e s   a r e   S i c h u a n   b r o c a d e   a n d   e m b r o i d e r y ,   b a m b o o   w a r e s ,   w i n e s   a n d   l i q u o r s   s u c h   a s   W u l i a n g y e ,   J i a n n a n c h u n   a n d   L u z h o u l a o j i a o . 

As a local girl, before you come to visit our city, i'd like to tell you some basic information of Chengdu!

By the end of 2015, the first 7-star hotel in the whole middle and western of China ---Versace Suits, will be open.
From Chengdu to Chongqing, the time for the train will be shortened as 1 hour.

The expressway from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou will be put into use, by that time, it will only take about 5 hours’ driving to be arrived.

Among the top 10 Best Cities in Asia, there are 6 of them in China, while Chengdu ranks the third place after Beijing and Shanghai.

In December of 2014, the worldwide Muji flagstore opened in Taigu Alley of Chengdu, over 3000 quare meters with 4 floors, it is the biggest flagstore in the world.

Ikea is going to open the second one in Chengdu, which makes Chengdu the 3rd city which has two Ikeas after Beijing and Shanghai.

From January to June of 2014, Chengdu people had spent over 25 trillion on restaurants, so if you like delicious foods, come to Chengdu!

The chairman of China Rabbit Science Association showed the media some datas about rabbits in Chengdu. Around the world, the rabbit output is 2 million tons per year, the rabbit output in China takes 30% of it, which is about 600,000 tons per year, while 70% of it will be consumed in Sichuan, which is about 420,000 tons per year. In China, each rabbit is sold as 2kg, which means every year, people in Sichuan will consume about 20 million of rabbits, while among these rabbits, 90% of them will be consumed in Chengdu. All in all, people from Chengdu will eat about 20 million rabbits’ heads. 

Among the 31 capital and central-governed cities in China, Chengdu is said to be the 4th best city to enjoy in China, while the first in the whole middle and western of China. There are 9,264 teahouses and 1,302 stick-foods snack bars in Chengdu. Sichuan is the origin of world tea, while every year, the tea drunk by Chengdu people can fill 7 West Lakes in China.

Chengdu foods are so famous, that when Michelle Obama came to Chengdu, she finished 3 bowls of beancurd jelly with 3 crispy breads with beef. Chancellor Merkel bought some thick broad-bean sauce made in Pi’xian County home. David Camerom spoke highly of Chengdu hotpot.

There are 2,344 KTVs ,1.129 book stores in Chengdu, as long as you are in the downtown, within 1 square kilometer, you can find great entertainments. You can find a snack bar within 3 minutes’ walk, a supermarket or shopping mall within 5 minutes’ walk, a cinema within at most 6 metro stops. 

Chengdu is the third city after Beijing and Shanghai in China for consuming luxurious products.

Talking about Hotpot, many Chinese outside Sichuan and Chongqing will think Hotpot is a symbol for Chongqing. It is true, that hotpot was originally from Chongqing, but Chengdu is the place where hotpot has been developed and famous.
So what is on earth the difference between Chengdu hotpot and Chongqing hotpot? I will uncover this veil for you.

Impression of Hotpot
Chengdu Hotpot:
Hotpot in Chengdu is quite gentle compared with the flavor of Chongqing hotpot. Not too greasy, not too spicy, eat and chat with your families or friends, while some other snacks will be served as well. We let the soup boil in the pot, never hurry, and help each other to take foods, which is just like a happy get-together with families or friends!
Chongqing Hotpot:
Chongqing hotpot is not spicy by the flavor, but also, looks spicy too. Because of the personality of people from Chongqing, they eat faster and also talk louder. Even the air in these restaurants will be full of the aroma of bull oil from the pot.

Sauces for Hotpot:
Chengdu Hotpot:
The flavor of Chengdu hotpot is gentle and smooth, instead of using bull oil as the base of the pot, people in Chengdu prefer rapeseed oil with fresh chili and Sichuan pepper inside it.
Chongqing Hotpot:
Chongqing hotpot has a very thick flavor, they use a lot of bull oil as the base of the pot, together with dry chili and Sichuan Pepper, which make the whole pot have a quite exciting spice in your mouth!

Dishes for Hotpot:
Chengdu Hotpot:
Chengdu hotpot can be a reflection of the local people’s life in Chengdu, exquisite and enjoyable, people can choose whatever kinds of foods they like to cook, such as non-traditional sea foods, thin steak and vegetables and so on, dishes are all put in delicate plates with nice placing. The price is higher than Chongqing Hotpot.
Chongqing Hotpot:
Chongqing hotpot restaurants still keep their original and traditional flavor, dishes as board muscle, beef tripe and duck intestine are must-ordered by Chongqing People.

Service for Hotpot:
Chengdu Hotpot:
Chengdu people like to enjoy life, so people from Chengdu also like to enjoy the service from hotpot restaurants. Generally there will be main dining hall and a lot of private rooms with beautiful waitresses with uniforms to serve for the customers, they will give you an antiseptic towel and cover your clothes and bags from the oil before you start to eat, and serve you some chewing gums after meal.
Chongqing Hotpot:
Chongqing people don’t really pay attention to the service in these hotpot restaurants correspondingly, the hotpot restaurants don’t spend much effort on service too, but this is mainly because of their personality, hot-temper, casual and straight-forward, so waitresses won’t come to serve customers voluntarily unless customers call them, which makes the meal more casual among people.

So these are some common difference between the two, now which one you would like to try?