China is a country with metropolises full of tall modern buildings with unique architecture and the buildings only keep on getting higher and higher, bigger and bigger. Chengdu is in particular home to some of the most magnificent architectural structures, and today we’ll look at five key landmark buildings and towers in the city that you should definitely take a selfie with.  1.         New Century Global Center Did you know Chengdu is home to the largest building in the world in terms of floor area? Located at no. 1700, North Section of Tianfu Avenue, Wuhou District, part of the Tianfu New Area, the structure covers an area of a staggering 1.76 million square meters and is 100 meters tall, 500 meters long and 400 meters wide. It’s a multipurpose building featuring a huge shopping mall, offices, hotels, conference rooms, cinema, an ice rink, a water park and much more. Construction of the global center began in 2010 and was completed in 2013, opening on the 1st July of that year. A fun fact is that the place is large enough to fit 20 Sydney Opera Houses and 3 Pentagons. The scale and development of the building represents the economic and rapid rise of Chengdu now and in years to come.    The overall shape and design of the building is based on ‘flying seagulls and undulating waves’ under the background of sunlight and water, you can definitely see this through the curves and lines of the structure. A great place to see the Global Center under the sunset is the nearby Jincheng Lake Park. Global Center is open 10:00 – 22:00 Monday to Sunday and you can take Metro line 1 to Jincheng Square station to get there.     2.         Chengdu 339 Television Tower An iconic part of the Chengdu skyline, the Chengdu TV tower soars into sky to 339-meteres high. Located at No. 168 Mengzhuiwan street, Chenghua District, the tower was completed in 2004 making it the tallest tower in Western China. It was primarily built for the TV and radio networks but has since expanded to include a revolving restaurant with a sublime 360 degree parnoramic view of the city. It has become a fixture of the tourism industry in Chengdu.     The revolving restaurant is at the height of 213 meters and takes about 40 minutes to rotate in a full circle so you can eat with a beautiful view. It’s a fine dining experience that provides Chinese and Western cuisines. A great way to get there and to observe the splendid vistas is to take the sightseeing observation elevator smoothly and safely all the way to the top within 1 minute. Don’t forget to watch the tower illuminate in different vibrant colours during the evening. At the foot of the tower is also a great shopping, entertainment and night life hotspot with shopping malls, restaurants, bars and clubs. During special occasions you’ll be lucky to see fireworks or lightshows explode from the top of the tower.  3.         Chengdu IFS (International Finance Square) Next is one of the must-visit places for tourists and visitors. The Chengdu IFS (Chengdu International Finance Square in full) is an international elite urban complex located in one of the most popular and widely known areas in the city, the core business and commercial district of Chunxi Road, situated on the intersection of two of the most busiest streets, Hongxing Road and Dacisi Road - one of the most fashionable places in town.    The building, one of the most advanced in western China, was constructed with an area of more than 760,000 square meters featuring a flagship shopping mall with many designer brands, high-class office building towers, luxury hotels and apartments. For its world leading architectural design, it received the world’s highest honor, the ‘VIVA Design and Development Award’ from the Internshional Council of Shopping Centers ICSC’ becoming the first commercial real estate project in China to do so.    If you go to the main entrance of Chengdu IFS, you will see the iconic giant panda sculpture climbing the outside wall with a curious and amiable personality and expression, pleasing and attracting the public’s attention. A friendly and welcoming image, it is an emblematic symbol of the city and province as the hometown of the pandas. You will no doubt want to take a picture. Take the elevator to the seventh floor and come out onto the terrace and sky garden where you can take your selfie with the Giant Panda.    4.         Tianfu IFC Twin Towers One of the more recent buildings on the list, having only been completed in 2018, however fastly becoming a synonymous feature of the city is the Tianfu International Finance City Twin Towers which stands at 222 metres high. It is the crowning feature of the Tianfu new area skyline. Two corporate office towers which are not for public entry. However you still get many people who come to the area just to see this wonderful piece of architecture. Especially now that the buildings dazzle with spectacular light shows each night and especially on occasions such as the Chinese New Year Spring Festival. It’s really worth going to see.    To get there, all you need to do is take the metro line 1 to Financial City, and as soon as you step out, you’ll be in awe of the towers before you.   5.         Jiutian Pagoda  Now, the oldest building on this list, is the 13-storey Jiutian Pagoda in the middle of the very scenic Tazishan Park, standing at 70 metres high. This is a great photo opportunity with more traditional Chinese architecture. The pagoda is a wonderful sight surrounded by the natural beauty of the park and also a distinctively recognizable part of the city, showcasing traditional Chinese elements in a modern bustling urban environment. The best time to visit would be spring when the flowers blossom and the teahouses are full with locals drinking tea with a glimpse of the tower. Or during an evening stroll when the tower lights up the night sky.    Built at the end of the Sui Dynasty (581 – 618) thousands of years ago, the pagoda was originally called Sanhua Tower and had been lost. However in 1997 the tower was finally reconstructed after two years, however it is still derelict and forbidden for entry and stands as a moument to ancient China. It’s current name was taken from the poem ‘Climbing the Sanhualou in Jincheng’ by famous Chinese poet Li Bai where he writes ‘to climb up and look at it today is like traveling in jiutian". *jiutian according to legend here means the highest point in the sky.    It's easy to visit, just take metro line 2 to Tazishan Park station and after a short walk you will find the entrance, entry is free.    …   That’s are five key landmark buildings in Chengdu. When you arrive be sure to visit and take a selfie and tag us on Facebook (@Teach Discover China) or Instagram (@TeachDiscoverChina_Official). If these sights have got you interested in coming over to teach English in China, this is the right place to be. Check out our jobs board at: https://www.teachdiscoverchina.com/index.php?m=&c=jobs&a=jobs_list     If you have any questions, contact us at [email protected], we’d love to hear from you :)

As is known to all, there are many famous mountains in China and some of them belong to Sichuan Province. Today we’re going to find out more about three famous and beautiful mountains of the region which undoubtedly are the most popular choices for tourists on weekends and on holidays and which are more easily commutable to. These mountains offer the perfect escape from heat in the summer and the perfect opportunity to see snow scenery in the winter. Let’s begin our climb.    1.)        Mount Emei （峨眉山）   Arguably the most impressive mountain is Mount Emei. The 3,099-meter tall mountain is located in Sichuan Province in a city of the same name, Emeishan City. It is the highest of four sacred buddhist mountains in China making it an iconic landmark and well known as a place for enlightenment. Not only that it is also known as the origin of the famed Shaolin King-Fu with the Shaolin Monastery mentioned in sources from 16th and 17th centuries referring to martial arts being practiced in the monasteries on the mountain. This along with the outstanding natural scenery made Mount Emei a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.    It's a great pace for a nice relaxing hike through scenic walk trails passing many peaceful monastaries and temples, getting close to natural wildness along the way.  It is said that there are more than 5000 species of plants and over 2300 kinds of animals of which the cute cheeky and playful monkeys have become the most exciting to see due to their naughtiness and intelligence. You’ll see them swing from trees. A tip, don’t eat too close to these monkeys and hold your possessions tightly otherwise a monkey might be carrying your food or bag off to the sunset.    Emei Mountain can be visited in all four seasons with each season providing a unique experience. You can witness the blossom of the azaleas in spring, avoid the heat during the summer, see red maple leaves in the autumn, and enjoy the spectacular snow scenery in the winter. For a more comfortable hike, it’s recommended to go between April and October. Although for those who are not fond of hiking, cable car is always an option to reach the top. There are hotels at the bottom and peak of the mountain. So you can either wake up to the beautiful scenery or wake up relatively early and travel to the peak. Close by is also the amazing Leshan Giant Buddha sculpture in Leshan City. These two hotspots make a great double header of travelling.      2.)        Mount Qingcheng    Located in Dujiangyan City, Mount QingCheng is another irreverent mountain of Sichuan Province. It is regarded as the birthplace of Taoism and one of the most important Taoist religious sites in China. The mountain features 36 peaks and many Taoist monasteries and temples. Many of the essential elements of Taosim derived from teachings and practices of the temples that were built here during the Jin and Tang Dynasties. This is the place where the Yellow Emperor convened his studies. Now the area is also home to the Dujiangyan Giant Panda Center. Since 2000, Mount Qingcheng together with the close by Dujiangyan Irrigation system has become another of China’s many UNESCO World Heritage sites, another great double bill for travelling within Sichuan.    Mount Qingcheng is about 49km from Chengdu and is quite convenient to get to. Since aincent times, It has largely been known as one of the serenest mountains beneath heaven. Througought the year the whole mountain is covered with astonishingly beautiful evergreen forests that do not lose their colour. This is why it’s called ‘Qingcheng’ mountain as this literally translates as green mountain. The Mount Qingcheng scenic spot is divided into the front and back mountains and the altitude is not that high, providing a more comfortable hike, passing beautiful clear waterfalls, rivers, stone carvings and lush green plants. The front mountain is most popular and the main attraction featuring most of the temples, historical and cultural relics. The back mountain is even more tranquil with more beautiful natural scenery. Via both mountains you can enjoy the fresh air and great views. The more you go up the mountain, the cooler you feel with the comfort of the wind on your face providing a great escape from the heat of the summer.    When you go to Mount Qingcheng you will find that nature is truly the best gift for human beings. It is a journey for your eyes and heart. When you reach the top you will let go of everything and experience the comfort there.    There are also plenty of hotels and hostels near the entrance of the mountain and of course you can also take a cable car to the peak of the mountain if necessary.      3.)        Xiling Snow Mountain (西岭雪山)   Xiling Snow Mountain Scenic Park is located in Dayi County, 95km from Chengdu. With an altitude of 5,364m it is the highest peak within the Chengdu region. Covered with snow throughout the year, Xiling Snow Mountain is a great place to both experience natural beauty and for the excitement of winter sports. The scenic spot features the largest and best alpine ski resort in South China equipped with great facilities for skiing whether you’re a beginner or more advanced.    With its breathtaking views and scenery, Xiling Snow Mountain is another paradise for sightseers. Even the great famous ancient poet Du Fu wrote about this mountain when he described it as ‘Everlasting snow on the West Mountain viewed within a glance from my window. Ships from the Eastern Country gather around by the gate of my house.’    After travelling by bus to the foot of the mountain, you can find plenty of hotels, hostels and accommodation. You can buy cable car tickets to the middle of the mountain where the ski resort is or to the peak of the mountain where you feel like you’re standing on top of the world with the sea of white clouds in front of you.    …   Has this wetted your appetite to come to Sichuan and China? Join us to teach English in China and have an experience of a lifetime. Get in touch with us at [email protected] for more details or find your perfect job via ours jobs board: https://www.teachdiscoverchina.com/index.php?m=&c=jobs&a=jobs_list