The Land Ocean Tian Fu

The History of Huayang State · Shu Chronicles carries out a compliment about Chengdu. The compliment, which dates from the Han and Jin dynasties, says, “The fertile fields extend a thousand li and look like a land ocean.” People in ancient times thought that the ocean contained everything, and Chengdu was just like an ocean on land. The same book also presents the records quoted from the document dating from the Qin and Han dynasties. It says, “Because human beings control floods and droughts, people have no taste of famine, and no lean year occurs. This saying generally refers to Tian Fu.” Originally Tian Fu is the Heaven storehouse in which there are piles of numerous rare treasures.

Chengdu has been crowned with the laurel of Tian fu zhi guo (the land of abundance or the state of Tian Fu). However, during the Warring States Period the land of Tian Fu covered both Hanzhong plains and Bashu area. By the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Tian Fu referred to Shu area, and Hanzhong plains was called Jin Shu (Near Shu) instead. The Long Zhong Plan written by Zhu Geliang specially referred Shu, for the first time, to the state of Tian Fu. In 2007, Chinese National Geography held a nation-wide appraisal activity to choose the top ten “New Tian Fu,” which made an exciting stir. As a result, the Chengdu Plains came in first again through the appraisal.

Fine Food and Leisure City

At the beginning of 21st century Chengdu is turning to be more open now. As tourists at home and abroad make tour of Chengdu, they couldn’t help making varied compliments in the state of their pleasant tour intoxication. One of the compliments says “the city that once you have visited you never want to leave.” Sichuan food in Chengdu has been well-known for a long time. In addition, the tea culture is prevailing and local daily life is leisurely relaxed. Peasant Household Entertainment and Sightseeing originally started in Chengdu, thus number of Chengdu’s new titles came into being like “a fine food city,” “a leisure city” and so on.

The Mysterious City

The cultural relics, unearthed at San Xing Dui Ruins, have triggered varied issues about the civilization of the ancient Shu kingdoms. In 2002, the “Sun Bird,” made in gold foil, and other cultural objects were excavated from the Jin Sha Ruins, the northwest of Chengdu. Because the art of these objects is of a very high level, it has further initiated a deep and sacred respect for the civilization of the ancient Shu kingdom. Moreover, the Chengdu plains happen to be at latitude 30º N where the world’s four major ancient civilized countries, including China, India, ancient Babylon and Egypt, burst out the splendor of civilizations in the earliest ancient times. It is also at latitude 30º N where some mysterious objects and phenomena emerged. These include groups of Pyramids of ancient Egypt, the Sphinx, the frescos of “fire god and seed” in the driest Sahara Desert of North Africa, Bermuda Triangle in the Caribbean Sea, and the “garden in the sky” of ancient Babylon. For this reason Chengdu has another name called the Mysterious City at Latitude 30º N.

Major Historical Events

Well-Known City in the Country

Based on archaeologically unearthed relics and other ancient documents, scholars have confirmed that the roots of Chengdu’s civilization can be traced back over 4,500 years, the location of the city has remained unchanged for more than 3,000 years and it has been recognized as a city for around 2,300 years. In the Han Dynasty Chengdu was one of the five largest commercial cities in the whole country. In the Tang and Song dynasties the city was known as “Yi Zhou (Chengdu) Second Only to the City of Yang Zhou,” and “the First Famous City in China.” In the Han and Tang dynasties Chengdu remained as one of the top cities in the whole country.

Five Dynasties of Ancient Shu Kingdoms

The Chengdu Plains were the place where the ancient Shu culture grew, ancient Shu cities and towns developed, and ancient Shu states emerged. According to legend, there were five Shu kings by the names of Can Cong, Bo Guan, Yu Fu, Du Yu and Kai Ming who came to the throne in succession. Actually they were five major tribes that relied on different economical means. They existed respectively from the fishing and hunting era to the period of agro-farming and residence on the plains. The Can Cong tribe lived in “stone caves on the Mount Min Shan.” The Bo Guan and Yu Fu tribes arrived on Chengdu Plains. They traveled far and wide, looking for their final settlement. Gradually the migrating tribes took up their residence, and the places where they lived turned to be villages, and furthermore, these villages developed to be towns or even cities. By the Du Yu Period, the tribes turned to be a large state, with its territory that covered the land of Shu area. When the fifth King of the Kai Ming Dynasty (or the ninth King of the same Dynasty) came into power, he established a capital on the present base of Chengdu urban district.

King Kai Ming Moves His Capital to Chengdu

According to legend, the fifth King of the Kai Ming Dynasty (or the ninth King of the same Dynasty) removed his capital to Chengdu because of his dream in which his city wall moved away. Based on archaeological excavation, the period of the unearthed 3,000-years-old Jin Sha Ruins occurred after the San Xing Dui Ruins. This discovery has provided with real evidence confirming the legendary removal of the capital to Chengdu. In 2000 a large-scale boat-shaped coffin graveyard was discovered in the Shang Ye Street of Chengdu. This graveyard belonged to the Kai Ming royal families at that time in the early Warring States Period. It indicates that the Kai Ming capital had been already located on the present base of Chengdu urban district. The Kai Ming Dynasty continued through 12 kinghood generations before it was destroyed by the Qin State.

The Qin State Conquered Ancient Shu Kingdom

In 316 B.C internal disorders occurred in the Shu Kingdom. The Shu king sent his troops to go on a punitive expedition against Marquis Ju. Ju fled to the Ba Kingdom. Then the Shu king sent his troops to attack the Ba Kingdom. The latter asked the Qin State for help. So King Hui of the Qin made use of this opportunity. He sent two generals, Zhang Yi and Shi Macuo, to attack the Shu Kingdom that died out and disappeared from then on. The kingdom’s descendants moved southward and established a state by the name of Wen Lang in the present north of Vietnam and the state king was called King An Yang.

Zhang Yi Builds Walls

Five years after the Qin State destroyed the Shu Kingdom in 33 B.C., Zhang Yi and Zhang Ruo began building walls around Chengdu. According to accurate records, it is considered as the beginning of Chengdu city construction, and as a city it has lasted for around 2,300 years. In addition, Zhang Yi and Zhang Ruo built another two towns in Pi Cheng and Lin Qiong. The towns were slightly small in scale and were in a triangle position with Chengdu.

Gong Sunshu Proclaims Himself Emperor

After Wang Mang usurped the Liu family’s throne and established a new dynasty, Gong Sunshu, an official who garrisoned Western Shu area, proclaimed himself emperor in 25 B.C. and started setting up a feudal separatist rule in Chengdu. He used “Long Xing” (the revitalization of the dragon) to be his reign title and “Cheng” to be his national name. The regime lasted for 12 years and then it was defeated by Emperor Guang Wu of the Han Dynasty.

The Origin of Chengdu City

On the Chengdu Plains the ancient city remains of the Bao Dun culture, being traced back over 4,500 years, is considered as the origin of Chengdu city. 3,000 years ago, in the era of the San Xing, Jin Sha and Shi Er Qiao Ruins, a largest and earliest ancient city emerged on the inner Chengdu Plains. From then on, the city never changed its location for 3,000 years and more. During the early Warring States Period Chengdu’s urban district turned to be the settlement of the Kai Ming Dynasty. Down to the late Warring States Period, King Hui Wen of the Qin State conquered Shu in 316 B.C. Afterwards Chengdu turned to be the seat of the local government of Shu prefecture, and at the same time Chengdu County had been established.

Evolution of Administrative Systems

For a span of over 2,000 years from the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, Chengdu remained as the seat of administrative divisions by the names of xian (county), jun ( prefecture), zhou (The name of jun had been replaced by zhou or fu during the Sui and Tang dynasties.), fu, lu (The regional size of each lu is almost the same as the one of a province), dao (In the Qing Dynasty, the dao had more administrative power than the prefecture “zhou,” but it was still held under control by the province.) and sheng (province). At intervals Chengdu turned to be the capital of separatist regimes that included Cheng Han, Shu Han, Da Cheng, Former Shu, Later Shu, and Da Xi. During the period of the Republic of China, Chengdu was still a provincial seat. In 1922, the Municipal Administration Office was established. In 1928, Chengdu Municipal Government was founded, and the city itself was under the jurisdiction of the provincial government. After the foundation of the People's Republic of China, the Western Sichuan Administration Office was established, and Chengdu became its seat. In 1952, when the provincial system was brought back, Chengdu turned to be the capital of Sichuan, and it remains in the same position ever since.

Chengdu’s Previous Names

The Origin of Its Name

The name of cheng du has remained unchanged for almost 2,500 years. Below are some explanations for the origin of it's name.

1. According to Around the World, an ancient Chinese geographic book published in the Song Dynasty, cheng du originated in the saying “it took a year to assemble and live in a compact community; the second year to become a county center; the third year to turn into a metropolis.” Literally it means, “Becoming a capital.” This is a most popular saying about its origin.

2. According to some modern scholars, there is another explanation to the origin. Cheng du came from the dialect of a Shu nationality. Cheng is a term of a nationality, while du refers to the place where the Cheng nationality lived.

3. In addition, modern scholars believe that Chengdu gains its name after chao ju. The character “cheng” is the image of chao ju, which refers to a mode of human beings’ inhabitation in remote ancient times; the character “du” is the place where people gather together; cheng du is a seat where the chao ju clan resided. In short, Chengdu’s historical characteristics are quite uncommon in the world, with its location and its name that have remained unchanged for 3,000 years and for 2,500 years respectively.

Name-Carved Cultural Relics

The carving or typecasting of the Chinese characters “Chengdu” on cultural relics appeared as early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. In Qing Chuan and Yin Jin counties archeologists unearthed lacquerwares, which had marked brands or seals in the shape of “成”(cheng), “成屮”(cheng 屮) and “成亭”（cheng ting）. These characters suggested the places where the products were manufactured. Also the surface of a copper lance, unearthed in Yin Jin County, has Chinese characters “Chengdu.” In Qing Chuan County a copper dagger-axe was unearthed. It was produced by Shu Dong Gong Weapon Workshop in 277 BC, and “Chengdu,” the carved characters were on its surface.

The Elegant Names of Chengdu

During the period from the Qin to the Han dynasties Shu brocade was well-known all over the country. The brocade fabrics became very bright after these were rinsed in a river. Accordingly the river was called “Brocade-Rinsing River or “Brocade River” for short. In the Han Dynasty Jin Guan (brocade administration office) was set up near a city bridge for the purpose of taking charge of brocade workshops. Therefore, Chengdu was called “Jin Guan City” or “Jin City (brocade city)” for short.

The climate in Chengdu is suitable for the growth of flowers and trees. The hibiscus is the variety that local people love, and its flowers appear all over the city when the hibiscus blossoms. Du Fu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, said in one of his lost poems, “I ponder upon my bygone trips as if I were in dreams / Beyond the City of Hibiscus, water remains around and boundless.” Evidently even in the Tang Dynasty Chengdu did obtain a good name called Rong Cheng, the City of Hibiscus. Later, Meng Chang, the king of the Later Shu, had people plant hibiscus all over the city. By then, the good name really matched its reality.

Other Names of Chengdu

In 311B.C. the city wall around Chengdu officially began its construction. According to The Biography of Shu Kings and Emperors, in those days city walls often collapsed after its construction was completed. One day a big tortoise unexpectedly arrived. He circled around the city until he reached the southeast corner where he died of fatigue. So people restarted the city-wall construction along the route the big turtle passed by, and the newly built wall was a success. From then on Chengdu picked up another name “the City Where the Tortoise Reincarnates” or “the City of Tortoises” in its abbreviated form.

The Old Urban Districts of Chengdu

The Big City and the Mini City

The Mini City was the urban area emerged in the earliest period in Chengdu. It was called Shao because of its small size and early founding. The city was also the earliest market place or business section. The Big City was another section that came out after the Mini City. So it was called “Da” or “big.” In 311 B.C. Zhang Yi began building walls around Chengdu, which started to have a type of regular walls and street layout, similar to the urban planning and design of Xian Yang, capital of State of Qin. In terms of its initial function, the urban area fell into two parts, the west part being the Mini City business section and the east one being the Big City official administrative and residential area. The two cities co-existed until the Ming Dynasty. Afterwards another pattern of three-city co-existence emerged and it remained through the Ming to the Qing dynasties. The pattern of the two-city and then three-city co-existence remains a great characteristic of the city layout in Chengdu.

Two Rivers Surround The City

During the late Warring States Period, around 256 B.C, Li Bing, the governor of Shu Prefecture, constructed the Due Jiang Yan Irrigation System, which led the water of the Ming Jiang River down to the Chengdu Plains. This system includes two main inlet Canals, one being the Pi Jiang River and the other the Liu Jiang River. According to The History of Huayang State, the Pi Jiang River and the Liu Jiang River flowed through separate cannels, moved along the city’s southwest corner and then continued their flow eastwards, side by side until they reached Chengdu. At that time the two rivers were named “Chengdu Twin Rivers,” and this canal system existed more than one thousand years. In the late Tang Dynasty, the Nan Zhao Kingdom often invaded Chengdu, frequently leaving the local residents disturbed. In 876 Gao Pin, the newly appointed western Sichuan military commander, built another city called Luo City. His purpose was to consolidate the city defense. Originally the Pi Jiang River Canal extended towards the south of Chengdu. However, due to the new city’ construction, its river course was changed. Instead the river was diverged to flow around the north and the east of the city before it converged at He Jiang Ting Pavilion with the Liu Jiang River that flowed around the south of the city. As a result, the rivers flowed around Luo City, forming a river course pattern of “two rivers surrounding the city,” which still exist today.

The Zi Cheng City, the Luo Cheng City and the Yang Ma Cheng City

The Zi Cheng City (son city) was another name of the Big City in the Sui and Tang dynasties. The Luo Cheng City was the result of the expansion of the Zi Cheng City in the late Tang Dynasty when Gao Pin changed the water courses of the two rivers. The character luo refers to “hold with a net,” and therefore any city with a pair of walls is usually called “Luo Cheng City.” Meng Zhixiang of the Late Shu State again expanded the area lying beyond Luo Cheng City and constructed a larger and wider city wall. The third newly city was named Yang Ma Cheng City (sheep and horse city). However, the new wall construction project started so hurriedly that the quality assurance failed. Consequently the newly built wall soon collapsed and disappeared

The Imperial City

In 1390, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang assigned his thirteenth son Zhu Chuan to the Shu King’s post. Afterwards Zhu Chuan came to Chengdu and lived here. The Shu King’s residence that began to be built as early as 5 years ago was completed at the moment when Zhu Chuan arrived. The construction appeared mighty and had a grand exterior. Therefore, common people named it Imperial City. Its brick wall around the residence was 5 m. in height; its perimeter was 4,500 m. in length; the wall itself was called Screen Wall. The site of the present-day Tian Fu Square and Hou Zi Gate area used to be the center of the Shu King’s Residence that year.

Good reputations of Chengdu in ancient and modern times

No Daily Life Worries

The Book of the Earlier Han Dynasty · Geography Chronicles evaluates the Shu prefecture as it records the prefecture’s facts and events. It says, “People eat rice and fish. There is no crop failure year and no daily life worries.” The irrigation system ensures the Chengdu Plains to keep away floods and droughts so that people neither have the taste of famine-year hunger nor worries in their daily life.

成都口岸实施144小时过境免签政策

144-hour Transit Visa Exemption Policy for Foreign Travelers from Designated Countries at Chengdu Entry Port

经国务院批准，自2019年1月1日起，成都开始实施部分国家外国人144小时过境免签政策，来自53个国家的外国人，持有效国际旅行证件和144小时内确定日期、座位前往第三国（地区）联程客票，可以从成都航空口岸免签入境，在成都市免签停留144小时。届时，成都口岸部分国家外国人过境免签时限将由原来的72小时延长至144小时,进一步便利外国人过境转机并来蓉进行旅游和商务活动。

With the approval of the State Council, since January 1, 2019, Chengdu will implement the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. Foreigners from 53 countries, who hold valid international travel documents and a connecting flight ticket bound for a third country (region) with a fixed seat and a fixed date within 144 hours, can enter via Chengdu Airport and stay in Chengdu for 144 hours, visa free. The extension from 72 to 144 hours will further facilitate foreigners' transit and transfer and their traveling and business in Chengdu.

一、什么是144小时过境免签政策？

What is the 144-hour visa-free transit policy?

144小时过境免签政策是指：来自53个国家的外国人，持有效国际旅行证件和144小时内确定日期、座位前往第三国（地区）联程客票，可以从成都航空口岸免签入境，在成都市免签停留144小时。

According to 144-hour visa-free transit policy, foreigners from 53 countries, who holdvalid international travel documents and a connecting flight ticket bound for athird country (region) with a fixed seat and a fixed date within 144 hours, canenter via Chengdu air ports and stay in Chengdu for 144 hours, visa free.

二、适用144小时过境免签政策的国家名单

List of Countries Applicable for 144-hour Visa-free Transit Policy

1、欧洲申根签证协议国家（25个）

European Countries under Schengen Visa Agreement (25)

奥地利、比利时、捷克、丹麦、爱沙尼亚、芬兰、法国、德国、希腊、匈牙利、冰岛、意大利、拉脱维亚、立陶宛、卢森堡、马耳他、荷兰、波兰、葡萄牙、斯洛伐克、斯洛文尼亚、西班牙、瑞典、瑞士、摩纳哥。

Austria, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Monaco.

2、欧洲其他国家（14个）

Other EuropeanCountries (14)

俄罗斯、英国、爱尔兰、塞浦路斯、保加利亚、罗马尼亚、乌克兰、塞尔维亚、克罗地亚、波黑、黑山、马其顿、阿尔巴尼亚、白俄罗斯。

Russia，UK，Ireland，Cyprus，Bulgaria，Romania，Ukraine,Serbia，Croatia，Bosnia and Herzegovina，Montenegro, Macedonia，Albania，and Belarus. 

3、美洲国家（6个）

Countries of Americas (6)

美国、加拿大、巴西、墨西哥、阿根廷、智利。

U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. 

4、大洋洲国家（2个）

Oceania Countries (2)

澳大利亚、新西兰。

Australia and New Zealand.

5、亚洲国家（6个）

Asian Countries (6)

韩国、日本、新加坡、文莱、阿联酋、卡塔尔。

Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, The United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

三、办理要求

How to apply

外国人申请过境免签政策应当具备以下条件：

Foreigners who apply for 144-hour visa-free transit status should meet the following requirements:

1、符合规定范围国家的公民（目前包括53个国家），并持有本人能证明其国籍身份的有效国际旅行证件

They must be citizens from one of the 53 eligible countries specified. They must hold valid international travel documents certifying their nationality and identity.

2、持有144小时内已确定日期、座位的前往第三国或地区的联程客票或者相关证明

They must have a valid airplane passenger ticket for connecting travel to a third country or region. The ticket for travel must specify the traveler has a confirmed seat and that the departure time is within 144 hours.

3、入出口岸：成都航空口岸

Port of entry and exit: Chengdu Airport.

四、双语咨询服务热线

Bilingual hotline

成都市公安局出入境管理局开通了24小时中英双语咨询服务热线：18030695002，提供144小时过境免签政策的相关业务咨询服务。

Exit and Entry Administration Division of Chengdu Public Security Bureau has set up a hotline in both Chinese and English to provide 24-hour consultation—18030695002.

五、注意事项

Notices

1、停留144小时自入境次日0时起计算

144-hours stay begins from 00:00 on the next day of entry.

2、成都市行政区域内停留

Stay in the administrative districts of Chengdu only.

值得注意的是，享受144小时过境免签政策的部分国家外国人，从成都航空口岸入境后，停留范围仅限于成都市行政区域。

It is worth noting that the foreigners under the 144-hour visa-free transit policy shall only be allowed to stay in the administrative districts of Chengdu after their entering via Chengdu Airport.

3、出发国A→成都B→第三国C

Departure Country A→Chengdu B→Third Country C

享受144小时过境免签政策的部分国家外国人，从成都航空口岸入境，离开时需从成都航空口岸出境，飞往第三国（地区）。出发国A和第三国C必须为不同的国家或地区。

The foreigners under this policy who enter via Chengdu Airport shall fly to a third country (region) via the same airport. Departure country A and the third country C shall not be the same one.

六、配套服务

Supporting Service

为了让过境免签外国人在成都期间享受更多优质服务，目前，成都已做好144小时过境免签政策实施的有关准备工作。四川省边防总队将推行配套政策、便利通关、精细服务“三个靠前”举措，对过境免签外国人提供优质、便捷、高效的出入境通关服务。成都双流国际机场将推进智慧中转平台建设，为过境免签外国人提供丰富多样的中转增值服务。成都市口岸物流办将结合“14+48+30”的国际航线网络总体规划，协调启动国际航站楼优化改造工程，提升国际旅客通关效率和服务水平。成都市旅游局开展了主题宣传活动，对144小时过境免签政策进行宣传，并将联手携程推出精品旅游线路向全球发布。成都文旅集团将推出“古蜀文化”等系列主题产品及成都旅游PASS卡，实现“一卡在手、玩转成都”。成都市商务委将推进标识性消费场景建设,优化商业消费环境，满足国内外游客多样化、多层次消费需求。

To provide the above mentioned foreigners with better service during their stay in Chengdu, So far, Chengdu is ready for the implementation of the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. Border Defense General Squad of Sichuan is taking three preparatory measures of matching policies, clearance facilitation and targeted service to provide quality, convenient and efficient service for foreigners under this policy. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is promoting the construction of a smart transit platform to provide rich and varied value-added services for visa-free foreigners. Basing on the "14+48+30" general plan for international airline network, Chengdu Port Logistics Office is coordinating and launching the upgrading project on international terminal building to enhance the clearance efficiency and to provide better service for cross-border travelers. Chengdu Tourism Bureau is launching a theme promotion campaign to publicize the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, and will promote jointly with Ctrip boutique travel routes to the world. Chengdu Culture and Tourism Group is promoting a series of theme products such as "Ancient Shu Culture” and Chengdu Travel PASS Card which covers all major scenic spots in Chengdu. City Municipal Commission of Commerce is promoting the construction of model consumption scenarios to optimize the consumption environment and meet the diverse and multi-level consumption needs of domestic and foreign tourists.