(Qingshen County Zhongyan Temple International Bamboo Art City Tour)

Meishan · Qingshen 2 Days 1 Night In-Depth Tour: Explore the cliff-carved Buddha images at Zhongyan Temple, the Zen sounds of Deyun Temple, the craftsmanship of the International Bamboo Art City, and the rare trees at Jiangwan Sacred Wood Park. A journey blending Buddhist Zen × Bamboo Art Aesthetics × Rare Wood Spirit × Riverside Slow Life. Hello, I am a travel blogger. This time, we delve into Meishan’s "Southern Gateway"—Qingshen County. This underestimated small town in western Sichuan holds many surprises: ✅ Zhongyan Temple—Su Dongpo’s first love site, millennium-old cliff carvings, an ancient mid-mountain temple nestled among clear waters and red cliffs ✅ Deyun Temple—a tranquil Zen courtyard with distant bell sounds, a little-known pure land for practice ✅ International Bamboo Art City—the hometown of Chinese bamboo weaving art, hands-on experience with intangible cultural heritage bamboo weaving ✅ Jiangwan Sacred Wood Park—thousands of years old petrified wood forest, the "underground forest museum" by the Min River This is a cultural, artistic, natural, and Zen-inspired light luxury micro-trip: 🔸 Stay at a riverside Zen-style guesthouse 🔸 Taste Qingshen bamboo feast (bamboo shoot chicken, bamboo fungus soup) 🔸 Learn a piece of Dongpo bamboo weaving 🔸 Night tour along the Min River, listen to the wind and enjoy the moon The entire budget is controlled within 8,000 RMB (2 people traveling, 4,000 RMB per person), suitable for culture lovers, families with children, photography travelers, and Zen beginners. In two days and one night, understand Qingshen— "Zen within bamboo, divinity hidden by the river." 【Itinerary Overview｜Four Attractions Connected · Cultural Slow Travel】 Day 1: Chengdu → Zhongyan Temple (1.5h) → Lunch → International Bamboo Art City (bamboo weaving experience) → Check-in at a Zen-style guesthouse near Jiangwan Sacred Wood Park → Evening tour of Jiangwan Sacred Wood Park night view Day 2: Early morning worship and bell listening at Deyun Temple → Lunch → Free activities or bamboo art DIY → Return to Chengdu ✅ Suggestions: - Avoid weekend mornings for fewer crowds and tranquility - Can be paired with Ruifeng Ancient Town (Su Dongpo’s study place) to add historical depth 【Budget Details Total about 7,680 RMB】 (2 people traveling, 3,840 RMB per person) Item Details Cost Transportation Round trip Chengdu + local taxis ¥1,200 – Self-driving Fuel + tolls ≈ ¥500 (round trip 240km) – Or high-speed train + taxi Chengdu East → Meishan East ¥28×2 + taxi to Zhongyan Temple ¥180×2 = ¥416 – Taxi between attractions Zhongyan Temple → Bamboo Art City → Jiangwan → Deyun Temple, about ¥300 Tickets Four major attractions ¥420 – Zhongyan Temple ¥45 × 2 = ¥90 (including ferry) – International Bamboo Art City ¥40 × 2 = ¥80 (including basic visit) – Jiangwan Sacred Wood Park ¥40 × 2 = ¥80 – Deyun Temple Free (donations optional) Bamboo Art Experience Intangible cultural heritage bamboo weaving course (materials + teaching + take-home work) ¥380 – Recommended projects: small bamboo basket, bamboo bookmark, Dongpo hat (30–60 minutes) Accommodation 1 night riverside Zen-style guesthouse ¥1,600 – Recommended: "Jiangwan · Zhuli Courtyard," "Sacred Wood Residence" (including breakfast, with tea room) Meals 3 meals + tea drinks for 2 days ¥1,880 – Lunch (Day 1) Zhongyan Temple vegetarian meal or Qingshen bamboo feast (bamboo shoot chicken, pickled pepper bamboo joints, bamboo fungus egg drop soup) for 2 ¥280 – Dinner Bamboo-themed custom dinner at guesthouse (bamboo tube rice, cured meat steamed bamboo shoots) ¥380 – Breakfast Provided by guesthouse ¥0 – Lunch (Day 2) Deyun Temple vegetarian meal or local farmhouse dishes ¥220 – Tea experience Bamboo tea room · Qingshen Mingqian tea ¥60 × 2 = ¥120 – Snacks and drinks Bamboo leaf tea bags, energy bars, fruit ¥300 Guide/Explanation Zhongyan Temple manual guide + Bamboo Art City instructor ¥320 – Zhongyan Temple guide ¥80 × 2 = ¥160 (deep understanding of Su Dongpo and Buddhist culture); – Bamboo art teaching included in experience fee Cultural Shopping Bamboo craft products, petrified wood ornaments, Qingshen tea gift boxes ¥800 – Recommended: small bamboo lamps, bamboo carved pen holders, ebony bookmarks Photography Supplies Tripod, waterproof bag, fill light (optional) ¥200 Contingency Fund Emergency taxi, incense, small gifts ¥880 Total ¥7,680 ✅ Entire trip controlled within 8,000 RMB, complete experience, affordable light luxury! 【Core Attractions In-Depth Analysis】 1️⃣ Zhongyan Temple | Su Dongpo’s first love site, the top mountain-water temple in western Sichuan History: Founded in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Su Shi studied here in his youth, befriended monk Zhiyuan, and the legendary site of his first love "Locust Flower Girl" Highlights: Cliff carvings: over 1,300 Buddha images from Tang to Song dynasties, largest "Maitreya Sitting Buddha" 10 meters high Eighteen Arhats Rock: carved on the mountain with varied expressions Fish Calling Pond: named by Su Shi, starting the tradition of literati gatherings Boat ride into the temple: cross the Min River tributary by boat, then climb the mountain, picturesque scenery Photo spots: ferry looking back at the temple, upward shots of Arhats rock, reflections in Fish Calling Pond 2️⃣ Deyun Temple Hidden Zen courtyard, bell sounds cleanse the heart Located in Ruifeng Town, Qingshen, few tourists, quiet incense Every morning at 5:30 AM there is morning chanting, peaceful to listen to Sutra Ancient towering trees, beautiful golden ginkgo in November Participate in sutra copying, meditation, vegetarian meals (advance booking required) Suitable for: meditation, clearing the mind, finding inner peace 3️⃣ International Bamboo Art City Hometown of Chinese bamboo weaving art Qingshen is the "Hometown of Chinese Bamboo Weaving," bamboo weaving is a national intangible cultural heritage Must experience: Watch masters weave live (such as the "Bamboo Panda") Make your own piece: bamboo bookmark (30 minutes), small bamboo basket (60 minutes) Visit the Bamboo Art Museum: evolution of bamboo utensils from ancient to modern Taking home your own work is the most meaningful travel souvenir 4️⃣ Jiangwan Sacred Wood Park Millennium tales of the underground forest The park displays hundreds of petrified wood (ebony), buried under the Min River for thousands of years, unearthed with dragon and beast shapes The largest piece is 28 meters long, weighs 80 tons, known as the "King of Sacred Wood" At night, lit up, ebony looks like ink jade, full of mystery Riverside trails for walking, stargazing, and listening to the wind Recommended: enter the park at dusk to photograph ebony silhouettes + river reflections 【Travel Tips】 Best seasons: March–May: spring blossoms, fresh green bamboo forests September–November: crisp autumn, golden ginkgo, beautiful ebony night scenes Clothing advice: Zhongyan Temple requires mountain climbing, wear comfortable sports shoes Riverside guesthouse, bring a light jacket for cool nights Pitfalls to avoid: Zhongyan Temple guide recommended to be manual, otherwise cultural background is hard to understand Bamboo art experience needs advance booking to avoid queues Respect monks at Deyun Temple, no casual photography Family friendly: Bamboo weaving experience suitable for children over 6 years old Jiangwan Sacred Wood Park is spacious, good for flying kites and sketching Summary in one sentence: In two days and one night, we heard Su Dongpo’s youthful thoughts at Zhongyan Temple, touched the silence of Zen at Deyun Temple, wove warmth at the fingertips in Bamboo Art City, and saw the traces of time in Sacred Wood Park. Qingshen, quietly has its own voice. Unpretentious, naturally shines. This is the most beautiful look of a small Chinese town.