眉山市

Why this place

Meishan is the birthplace of Su Dongpo — Su Shi — the Song poet, painter and official who is probably the most universally loved figure in Chinese literary history. His family home and the memorial halls are the main reason to come.

What to see

• The Sansu Temple, the Su family residence and ancestral hall, in a park
• The Meishan bamboo weaving workshops — a local craft with an old tradition
• The Longquan and the surrounding Sichuan plain villages

What to eat

• Sichuan cooking; Meishan is known for its 'dongpo' dishes, named after the poet
• The local 'qingyi' dishes and the Sichuan pickle tradition

Best time

March–May and September–November