Chengdu

Tianfu Square

Central, on the metro, walkable to People's Park and shopping.

Chunxi Road

Shops, restaurants and nightlife within walking distance of Jinli Street.

Etiquette

• Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
• Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
• Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
• Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
• Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
• Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
• Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
• Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4

Scams and watch-outs

• Sichuan food is genuinely very spicy; ask for wēi là (mild) if you're not used to it.
• Pandas are most active and least drowsy in the early morning; book base tickets ahead and arrive at opening.
• Winter air quality is often poor due to the basin's low cloud cover; check an air-quality app if it affects you.
• Foreign visitors need a valid visa or transit exemption; confirm current rules with official sources.