Chengdu

Chengdu (chŭng-d) or Chengtu, city (1994 est. pop. 1,932,800), capital of Sichuan prov., SW China, on the Min River. It is a port and the commercial center of the Chengdu plain, the main farming area of Sichuan. Its irrigation system dates back to the 2d cent. B.C. A transportation hub, it is the rail center for SE China. Products include textiles, processed foods, chemicals, machinery, railway equipment, aluminum, electronics, and paper. High-grade iron ore is mined at nearby Lugu. Chengdu, an old walled city, was in existence during the Ch'un-ch'iu period (770–475 B.C.). It was the capital of the Shu Han dynasty (3d cent. A.D.) and one of the earliest (9th cent. A.D.) printing centers in China. A cultural seat since ancient times, it is commonly called "little Beijing." Its numerous institutions of higher learning include Sichuan Univ., Chengdu Technical Univ., and two medical colleges. The cottage where Tu Fu wrote his poetry (8th cent.) was restored in 1955.

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Chengdu

 or Ch'eng-tu

City (pop., 2003 est.: 2,664,000), capital of Sichuan province, west-central China. It lies in the fertile Chengdu plain, the site of one of China's most ancient and successful irrigation systems, watered by the Min River. First set up in the late 3rd century BC, the system has survived and has enabled the area to support one of the densest agrarian populations in the world. Chengdu was the capital of various dynasties, and in the 10th century AD it was immensely prosperous; its merchants introduced the use of paper money, which spread throughout China under the Song dynasty. Chengdu was famous for its brocades and satins. The capital of Sichuan since 1368, it has remained a major administrative centre. Today it is a transportation and industrial hub, as well as an educational centre.