Ya'an

        The city of Ya'an lies on the western fringe of the Sichuan basin and has long been the gatewaythat connects the Tibetan Autonomous Region with the rest of China. Any land trade from Tibet or beyond would have had to stop in Ya'an before they could continue on to the rest of China.

        Like many cities located on the Sichuan basin, Ya'an also grows and produces tea that is famous throughout China. The tea that was grown in Ya'an was extremely special though, because during the Tang Dynasty the imperial family only drank tea from Ya'an. Ya'an is also famous for its traditional Chinese medicine and it is also where the first panda to go to the West was from.

Shangli

        The ShangliAncient Village is about a three hour drive from Chengdu and is located on the Yalong River at the base of a mountain range. It has been named one of the Popular Historical and Cultural Towns in Sichuan. Shangli has a rich history and is located in a beautiful setting.

        The ancient village of Shangli has a history of over 200 hundred years and where many locals still live in traditional houses made of wood and bamboo. Historically, Shangli was also an important hub for the South Silk Road and was a stopping point during the Long March.