Meishan 3-Day Citywalk Guide: Three Su Poets' Hometown

Meishan — hometown of literary giant Su Dongpo (Su Shi). "One family, three father and sons, all literary giants" — Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe occupy three of the eight seats in the Tang and Song Eight Great Prose Masters. Three Su Shrine is their former residence turned memorial hall. Wawu Mountain is hailed as "China's Most Beautiful Table Mountain" — its 11 km² flat summit like a tabletop, with spectacular sea of clouds. Liujiang Ancient Town is misty as an ink painting, with century-old trees shading stilt houses. Dongpo Pork Elbow and Dongpo Meat have spread worldwide. Three days of poetry, calligraphy, and mountain scenery in pursuit of the Three Su legacy.

🌤️ Best Time to Visit

Spring (Mar-May): Peach blossoms + rapeseed flowers, Three Su Shrine lush green, 15-25°C
Autumn (Sep-Nov): Clear skies, Wawu Mountain colorful forests, 15-28°C — Recommended!
Summer (Jun-Aug): Mountain escape at Wawu Mountain + Liujiang Ancient Town, 20-30°C
Winter (Dec-Feb): Indoor visits at Three Su Shrine and museums, 5-12°C

🚄 Getting There

Arrival

HSR: Meishan East Station, Chengdu→Meishan ~30min (¥25 2nd class), Chongqing→~1.5h (¥100)
Intercity Train: Frequent C-series trains from Chengdu South, ¥15-20
Driving: Chengdu-Meishan Expressway, ~1h from Chengdu

Local Transport

Bus: ¥1-2
Taxi: Starting fare ¥5
Tip: Wawu Mountain and Liujiang are in Hongya County (~2h from city); hire a car or take bus

🏨 Where to Stay

Dongpo District (City Center): Near Three Su Shrine and wetland park, ¥100-250/night
Liujiang Ancient Town: Riverside guesthouses, ¥80-180/night
Wawu Mountain Base: Resort hotels, ¥200-500/night

🍜 Must-Eat Food — Dongpo's Culinary Legacy

Dongpo Pork Elbow (¥40-60/portion) — The legendary dish invented by Su Dongpo! Pork elbow slow-braised 3+ hours, skin gelatinous, meat tender, bones falling off, rich sweet-savory sauce. Most authentic at Dongpo District old restaurants
Dongpo Meat (¥25-40) — Pork belly cut into cubes, slow-braised with yellow wine + soy sauce + rock sugar, glossy red as agate, melts in your mouth
Meishan Pickled Vegetables (¥5-10) — One of Sichuan pickle's birthplaces. Rouge radish, young ginger, yardlong beans — sour, spicy, crisp
Pengshan Sweet-Skinned Duck (¥25-40/whole) — Pengshan District specialty, duck skin brushed with sugar glaze and roasted, sweet outside, tender inside, better cold
Heilongtan Fish Feast (¥40-60/person) — Fresh fish from Heilongtan Reservoir: claypot fish head + boiled fish + cold-tossed fish skin
Renshou Sesame Cake (¥5-10/box) — Traditional pastry, rich sesame flavor, perfect with tea
Meishan Cold Jelly (¥5-8) — Ice jelly or cold cake with brown sugar syrup, summer heat relief

Food Areas

Near Three Su Shrine: Dongpo Pork Elbow + Dongpo Meat restaurants
Pengshan District: Sweet-skinned duck strip
Liujiang Ancient Town: Farmhouse cuisine + tofu pudding + cured meat

📅 3-Day Itinerary

🚶 Day 1: Three Su Shrine + Dongpo Wetland Park

8:30-12:00 | Three Su Shrine (Ticket ¥40) The former residence of Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe converted into a memorial hall, national key cultural relic:

Xiang Hall: Statues of the Three Su, feel the "three geniuses in one family" awe
Qixian Hall: Exhibitions of the Three Su's lives and literary achievements
Wooden Rockery Hall: Original Su family artifact, millennium-old trees
Stele Corridor: Inscriptions by scholars through the ages, including Su Shi's authentic stone carvings
Ancient Well + Old Trees: The well the Su family supposedly drank from still exists, thousand-year ginkgo trees shade the courtyard
Dongpo Culture Exhibition: Su Dongpo's dramatic life — from Hanlin Scholar to exile in Hainan

💡 Ancient trees create natural shade, cool even in summer. Allow 2.5-3 hours.

12:30-13:30 | Lunch: Dongpo Pork Elbow + Dongpo Meat Restaurants outside Three Su Shrine, ¥40-60/person. Order both elbow and meat, pair with Meishan pickles.

14:30-17:30 | Dongpo Urban Wetland Park (Free) Meishan's green lung, themed around Su Dongpo's poetry:

Dongpo Lake: Open waters, boat rental (¥30/hour)
Poetry Corridor: Lakeside walkway carved with Su Dongpo's poems
Lotus Area (summer): Large lotus ponds in full bloom
Musical Fountain: 8pm fountain show

18:00-20:00 | Dongpo Impression Water Street New commercial-cultural district with faux-ancient architecture + water features + lights. Great for photos and dinner.

🚶 Day 2: Wawu Mountain (Full Day Nature)

7:00-18:00 | Wawu Mountain (Ticket ¥80 + shuttle ¥40, Hongya County, ~2h from city) "China's Most Beautiful Table Mountain," summit plateau 11 km² flat as a tabletop:

Going Up:

Cable Car (¥80 round trip): Bird's-eye view of primeval forest in clouds
Or Hike (~3-4 hours): Through primeval forest and waterfall groups

Summit Highlights:

Sea of Clouds (good weather): Standing at the table mountain's edge watching clouds surge below — like a fairy realm
Azalea Sea (Apr-May): Mountains covered in red and white azaleas
Yuanyang Pool: Alpine wetland on the summit, water birds nesting
Primeval Forest Trails: Towering ancient trees + moss + ferns, pristine atmosphere
Waterfall Groups: Multiple waterfalls cascading from the summit's edges

💡 Summit elevation 2870m, 15°C+ cooler than city, bring jacket. Weather changes fast, bring rain gear. Allow 6-7 hours.

🚶 Day 3: Liujiang Ancient Town + Heilongtan + Departure

8:30-12:00 | Liujiang Ancient Town (Free, Hongya County, ~1h from Wawu) One of Western Sichuan's best-preserved ancient towns, misty as an ink painting:

Century-old Trees: Thousand-year banyan and yellow buttonwood trees requiring several people to embrace
Stilt Houses: Western Sichuan stilt houses along Huaxi River, wooden structures with gray tiles
Zeng Family Mansion: Qing Dynasty merchant's residence with exquisite carvings
Flagstone Long Street: Polished bluestone pavement, old wooden-door shops on both sides
Huaxi River: Clear water flowing through town, water wheels slowly turning

💡 The town has a slow pace, perfect for tea-sipping and daydreaming. 2-3 hours sufficient.

12:00-13:00 | Liujiang Lunch Ancient town farmhouse: cured meat + tofu pudding + rattan pepper fish, ¥25-40/person.

14:00-16:00 | Heilongtan Scenic Area (Free, Renshou County, on the way back) "First Sea of Western Sichuan," 70 km² artificial lake:

Thousand-island lake scenery, emerald waters stretching to the horizon
Lake fish feast (¥40-60/person)
Dam observation deck for panoramic views

16:30+ | Departure Buy Pengshan sweet-skinned duck + Renshou sesame cakes as souvenirs. Meishan East Station.

💰 Budget Reference (3 days/person)

Item	Budget	Comfort
Accommodation	¥200-350	¥400-800
Food	¥150-250	¥300-500
Tickets	¥160-200	¥160-200
Transport	¥150-300	¥300-600
Total	¥660-1,100	¥1,160-2,100

💡 Practical Tips

Three Su Shrine: Morning visits best, fewer people, ancient trees provide cool shade
Dongpo Pork Elbow: Must pair with rice — the sauce mixed with rice is the soul of the dish
Wawu Mountain Cloud Sea: Not every day — autumn and after rain clearing are best. Follow "Wawu Mountain" WeChat for weather
Liujiang Ancient Town: Best in light rain — the misty atmosphere is its most beautiful look
Sweet-Skinned Duck: "Pan's Sweet Duck" in Pengshan is most famous, vacuum-packed for travel
Heilongtan: Flexible stop on the return journey
Driving: City attractions reachable by taxi; Wawu/Liujiang need self-driving or car hire (¥300-400/day)

Sources: Ctrip, Mafengwo, Dianping