Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, lies in the hinterland of the Chengdu Plain, in central Sichuan. Covering a total land area of 12,400 square kilometers, Chengdu has a jurisdiction of over 7 districts, 4 cities and 8 counties. By the end of 1999, the population of Chengdu had reached 10.036 million, of which 3.30 million were urban residents. Chengdu enjoys a long history. 2,500 years ago, Kaiming IX, king of ancient Shu in the Zhou Dynasty (11th century 　 256BC), started to set up the capital in Chengdu. "A town was built in this area in the first year and the capital in the second year, so the ancestor named the city as Chengdu, which means to become a capital. Later on, Chengdu gradually became one of the most important centers of politics, economy and culture in China. It has been the capital for the feudal dynasties five times and twice for the peasant uprising regimes, known as Dashu and Daxi. As early as in the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD)), Chengdu began to enjoy the fame of one of the Top Five Capitals. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Chengdu was reputed as the Yang (Yangzhou) first, yi (Chengdu) second; it had by then became the economic center just after Yangzhou. In the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-8AD), brocades produced in Chengdu were very popular in China. So Chengdu was also called the City of Brocade. In the Five Kingdoms Period (907-960), Mengchang, king of the Houshu Kingdom, decreed to plant hibiscuses on the protective wall of the city, so Chengdu was also called the City of Hibiscus. As one of China's famous historical and cultural cities, Chengdu enjoys rich tourist resources. 15,500 years ago, a well-known poet in the Jin Kingdom, Zuo Si extolled Chengdu as lofty and pretty. This city has also gained the eulogium by both Li Bai, the poet immortal and Du Fu, the poet sage. With rich cultural heritage and beautiful scenic spots, Chengdu is a peaceful and prosperous city.

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