Chengdu Soul Bites: Taoist Mysteries & Market Feasting

Begin your day with a visit to Qingyang Market, where you’ll feast like a local. Build your own chunjuan (spring rolls) with paper-thin wrappers，filled with crisp veggies, spicy dressings, and secret sauces. Crunch into golden guokui (pan-fried buns) paired with fiery wangji fat-intestine noodles, and sample smoky beef, sweet-skinned duck, and hand-pulled rice cakes. Next, head to Qingyang Palace, Sichuan’s holiest Daoist sanctuary. Rub the 300-year-old bronze “Twelve Zodiac Goat,” believed to heal ailments, and light incense to draw a “Lüzu Oracle Stick.” Decode ancient wisdom with resident Daoists and admire the architectural marvels, including the Bagua Pavilion with its 81 carved dragons. End your day by soaking in Chengdu’s “Baba Tea” culture. Lounge in bamboo chairs at a teahouse, sip jasmine gaiwan tea, and snack on sunflower seeds. Play mahjong, or nap in the shade—this is the art of “shufu” (comfort).

Please note that there will be a 10 RMB entry fee of Qingyang Palace.