Dating back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.), Jinli Street in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, was one of the busiest of commercial boulevards of the Kingdom of Shu in ancient times, during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280). It is thus known as the “First Street of the Shu Kingdom.”
At the time of the Three Kingdoms Period, the production of the famous Shu brocade (a rich silk fabric with raised patterns in gold and silver) was centralized at the southern bank of the Jinjiang River in Chengdu, adjacent to the historical Temple of Marquis Wu. The area was originally known as Jinguan or Jinli, and during the later Tang and Song Dynasties, Jinli became another name for the city of Chengdu.
Chengdu was the capital city of the Kingdom of Shu (221-263). Due largely to the leadership of Zhuge Liang (an outstanding politician and strategist) and other personages of the Kingdom of Shu, the “Sanguo” (Three Kingdoms) culture took strong root here. And here still exists some of the richest of the remains of the Three Kingdoms Period.
The geography of the area is relatively simple. Adjacent to Jinli Street is the ancient Temple of Marquis Wu, while the Jinjiang River lies to the north and the Rainbow Bridge to the east. By combining the spirits and styles of the Qin, Han, Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Three Kingdoms Period, along with the folk customs of western Sichuan, Jinli has enriched the “Sanguo” culture.
Renovation of the street was completed at the end of 2004. Visitors from all over China and abroad gathered here in this ancient street to relax, take in the surroundings, and perhaps taste some of the local specialties.
