Shu Roads

The ancient plank roads between Qin and Shu, with Jianmen Pass, Cuiyun Corridor, Langzhong Ancient City and the red leaves of Guangwu Mountain.

"The road to Shu is hard, harder than climbing to the sky." The Shu Roads refer generally to the ancient routes that crossed the Qinling and Daba Mountains to link the Guanzhong Plain with the Sichuan Basin, chiefly the Jinniu Road, Micang Road and Lychee Road. Today's travelers mostly follow the Jinniu Road: starting from Hanzhong, passing Ningqiang, the Mingyue Gorge plank road, Thousand-Buddha Cliff and Huangze Temple in Guangyuan, then reaching the formidable cliffs of Jianmen Pass, where "one man can hold the gate," and the ancient cypresses of Cuiyun Corridor, and continuing south to Li Bai's hometown in Jiangyou and to Mianyang. Along the Micang Road, Guangwu Mountain is famed for its autumn red leaves, and Langzhong Ancient City, one of China's four best-preserved ancient cities, rewards slow exploration of the Zhang Fei Temple, the Imperial Examination Hall and the fengshui layout of the Jialing River. You can plan a 5–7-day loop of Hanzhong – Guangyuan – Jianmen Pass – Langzhong – Guangwu Mountain; the Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway puts Guangyuan within 2–3 hours of both Chengdu and Xi'an. Sites related to the Three Kingdoms are concentrated here, ideal for culture and history lovers; in the rainy season, watch for landslides in the mountains. The local food is distinctive too: Guangyuan's Empress Wu steamed cold noodles, Langzhong's Zhang Fei beef and Baoning vinegar, and Hanzhong's hot rice noodles are all worth trying; travelers interested in Three Kingdoms history can also add the Tomb of Zhuge Liang in Mianxian, Dingjun Mountain and Zhaohua Ancient City.

Destinations

Itineraries