Ziyang 3-Day Citywalk Guide: Stone Carving Capital's Pearl on the Tuo River

Ziyang — where the 35,000-year-old "Ziyang Man" skull fossil was unearthed, Sichuan's earliest human settlement trace. Anyue Stone Carvings are hailed as "China's Stone Carving Art Capital" — equal to Dazu Stone Carvings in academic stature but with almost no tourists, a truly "forgotten art treasure house." Pilu Cave's Purple Bamboo Guanyin is called the "Eastern Venus," a Song Dynasty stone carving masterpiece with the Bodhisattva in an elegant reclining pose. Reclining Buddha Temple's 23-meter Buddha is China's largest left-lying Buddha, serene and majestic. Marshal Chen Yi's hometown in Lezhi County commands deep respect. Ziyang is only 25 minutes from Chengdu by HSR — perfect for a deep weekend getaway. Three days exploring millennia-old stone carvings and a marshal's stories at a leisurely pace.

🌤️ Best Time: Spring/Autumn (Mar-May, Sep-Nov), 12-28°C

🚄 Getting There

Arrival

HSR: Ziyang Station/Ziyang North, Chengdu→Ziyang ~25min (¥20), Tianfu Airport→~20min
Driving: Chengdu-Ziyang Expressway, ~1h from Chengdu

Local Transport

Tip: Anyue stone carvings are scattered across Anyue County townships (~1h from city center), hiring a car is essential (¥200-300/day)

🏨 Where to Stay

Ziyang City Center: ¥100-250/night
Anyue County Town: ¥80-150/night

🍜 Must-Eat Food

Anyue Salted Meat (¥15-25/portion) — Anyue County traditional delicacy, unique curing process, savory and flavorful, fat and lean layered, perfect with rice
Lezhi BBQ (¥20-35/person) — Lezhi County's calling card! Pork belly + beef + chicken wings charcoal-grilled, sprinkled with chili powder + cumin, the soul of Lezhi people's late-night dining. Legend says Marshal Chen Yi loved it too
Linjiang Temple Doubanjiang (¥5-10/bottle) — Ziyang's century-old condiment, broad bean paste craft passed down for 100+ years, essential companion for Sichuan cooking
Anyue Lemon (¥3-5/jin) — "China's Lemon Capital"! Anyue produces 70% of China's lemons. Try lemon feast (lemon fish + lemon chicken + lemon duck), lemon drinks refreshingly tart
Ziyang Rice Noodles (¥6-10) — Similar to Mianyang rice noodles but distinct, bone broth + red oil base, silky smooth
Zhouli Heartbreak Jelly (¥5-8) — Anyue County Zhouli Town specialty, so spicy it makes you "heartbroken" (teary-eyed) but you can't stop — red oil + crushed peanuts + vinegar + garlic

Food Areas

Anyue County Town: Salted meat + lemon feast + heartbreak jelly
Lezhi County Town: BBQ strip (liveliest at night)

📅 3-Day Itinerary

🚶 Day 1: Anyue Stone Carvings Highlights (Full Day)

Full Day | Anyue Stone Carvings (Tickets ¥20-40 per site) "The Forgotten Art Treasure House" — academic stature equal to Dazu, but less than 1% of the tourist volume:

Morning: Pilu Cave (Ticket ¥20)

Purple Bamboo Guanyin: Called the "Eastern Venus," Song Dynasty stone carving masterpiece. Guanyin reclines elegantly in a purple bamboo grove, pose graceful and languid, robes draping, face compassionate. This Guanyin's aesthetic value is extraordinary, every detail meticulously carved
Song Dynasty stone carving group well-preserved overall, flowing lines

Afternoon: Reclining Buddha Temple (Ticket ¥20)

Reclining Buddha: China's largest left-lying Buddha, 23 meters long. Buddha lies serenely on his left side, smiling gently, drapery flowing. What makes this special is the "left-lying" position (most reclining Buddhas are right-lying), extremely rare
Cliff-carved sutras + 4,517 sculptures, massive scale

💡 Anyue stone carvings are scattered (Pilu Cave, Reclining Buddha Temple, Yuanjue Cave are in different townships), strongly recommend hiring a car to connect them (¥200-300/day). Almost no tourists, you can appreciate up close at your own pace.

🚶 Day 2: Marshal Chen Yi's Hometown + Yuanjue Cave + Anyue Town

8:30-12:00 | Marshal Chen Yi's Hometown (Free, Lezhi County) Birthplace of PRC Marshal Chen Yi:

Chen Yi Memorial Hall: Life exhibition + poetry exhibition, understanding this "poet marshal's" extraordinary life
Chen Yi's Childhood Home: Simple farmhouse courtyard where young Chen Yi grew up
Marshal's Garden: Pines and cypresses in the courtyard, solemn and respectful

14:00-16:30 | Yuanjue Cave (Ticket ¥20) Concentration of Anyue stone carving masterpieces:

Vase-Holding Guanyin: Graceful and dignified
Lotus-Hand Guanyin: Another exquisite Guanyin sculpture
1,033 Song Dynasty cliff sculptures distributed across two grottoes

17:00-19:00 | Anyue County Town Dinner Lemon feast (lemon fish + lemon chicken + cold-tossed lemon) + Anyue salted meat + heartbreak jelly — taste all of Anyue's flavors.

🚶 Day 3: Ziyang City + Departure

8:30-10:30 | Ziku Tower + Old Street Qing Dynasty character-burning tower in Ziyang city center (ancients burned used writing paper here, showing reverence for culture), surrounding old streets for a taste of small-city slow life.

11:00-12:30 | Linjiang Temple Doubanjiang Visit the century-old broad bean paste factory, learn traditional fermentation craft, buy authentic Linjiang Temple doubanjiang.

13:00+ | Departure Shopping: Anyue lemon products (dried lemon + lemon tea + lemon honey) + Linjiang Temple doubanjiang + Anyue salted meat (vacuum-packed). Ziyang Station, 25 minutes to Chengdu.

💰 Budget Reference (3 days/person)

Item	Budget	Comfort
Accommodation	¥150-250	¥300-500
Food	¥120-200	¥250-400
Tickets	¥40-80	¥40-80
Transport	¥100-300	¥200-400
Total	¥410-830	¥790-1,380

💡 Practical Tips

Anyue vs Dazu: Anyue is Dazu's "teacher" (earlier dating), but with less than 1% of the tourists. Appreciate up close without crowds
Car Hire: Stone carvings are scattered, hiring a car is the only practical way (¥200-300/day)
Purple Bamboo Guanyin: The absolute highlight of Anyue stone carvings, don't miss it. "Eastern Venus" title is well-deserved
Lemon Feast: Anyue is China's lemon capital, lemon fish + chicken + duck is a unique table experience
Lezhi BBQ: Only has atmosphere at night, recommend after 7pm
HSR Advantage: Only 25 minutes from Chengdu, perfect weekend short-trip destination

Sources: Ctrip, Mafengwo, Dianping