Tang-era poet Du Fu's reconstructed garden residence — sacred site of Chinese classical poetry and a tranquil bamboo park.
At a glance
- What it is
- Heritage Site
- Also known as
- 杜甫草堂 (Dù Fǔ Cǎotáng)
- Opening hours
- 8 AM – 6 PM
- Time needed
- 2-3 hours
- Best time to visit
- Spring (March-May) for plum/peach blossoms; 9-11 AM
- Getting there
- Metro to the door
- English
- Some English signage
- Cards accepted
- Visa, Mastercard
- Entry
- Walk-in — no booking
- Wi-Fi
- No public Wi-Fi
- Address
- 38 Qinghua Rd, Qingyang District, Chengdu · 青羊区青华路 38 号
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Highlights
- Original Cottage SiteReconstructed but on Tang foundations
- Stele Forest (碑林)Du Fu's poems carved by famous calligraphers
- Plum GardenMarch bloom; iconic Chinese-garden vista
What Chinese travelers actually do here
Distilled from Chinese-language travel notes — the practical tips most English guides miss.
- ▸Visit in early spring, roughly March to May, when the plum and peach blossoms turn the garden into the classic vista.
- ▸Morning around 9 to 11 AM gives soft light over the ponds and bamboo before tour groups arrive.
- ▸The Stele Forest of carved poems is often skipped, yet it is the most atmospheric corner for calligraphy lovers.
- ▸There is no public WiFi here, so download maps and any Du Fu poem translations before you enter.
- ▸The plum garden by the work-hall shrine is the strongest single photo composition in the whole park.
- ▸It is an easy pairing with nearby Qingyang Palace, about 1.5 km away, for a half-day in the same district.
- ▸Rainy days actually suit this garden; mist over the bamboo and ponds looks better than harsh sun.
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What travelers say (5 reviews)
Frequently asked questions about Du Fu Thatched Cottage
- Who was Du Fu and why is the Thatched Cottage important?
- Du Fu (712 to 770 CE) is one of China's greatest classical poets, often compared to Shakespeare. He lived here in exile from 759 to 765 and wrote over 240 poems on this site. For Chinese visitors it is close to sacred ground, and even if you don't read his work, the grounds are a beautiful 25-hectare garden park with steles and bamboo.
- Is the thatched cottage the original building?
- No. The original cottage burned down several times over the centuries. The Tang-style buildings you see are 1985 reconstructions built on the original foundations, so the location is authentic even if the structures are not. The appeal is the setting, the poetry museum, and the gardens rather than ancient architecture itself.
- How much time should I plan for Du Fu Thatched Cottage?
- Allow two to three hours. Entry is around 50 RMB. The site combines a poetry museum, the reconstructed cottage, ponds, bamboo groves, ancient plum trees, and a stele forest of poems carved in stone. Calligraphy fans should budget extra time for the steles, while casual visitors can stroll the gardens more quickly.
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