• Dufu Thatched Cottage

• Name in Chinese characters: 杜甫草堂
• Name in Pinyin: Dù Fǔ Cǎo Táng
• 
  

  General Overview

  

  The Dufu Thatched Cottage site on the outskirts of Chengdu is well worth a visit for those interested in Chinese culture and literature.

  

  The cottage itself is a modern mock-up showing various reproduction artefacts from Dufu's life, whilst a series of paths and water courses snake around the grounds, connecting the great boulders scattered around the site. On each one is engraved and painted in red one of Dufu's verses, next to which you can pose for a photo with an endless stream of beaming Chinese day-trippers, whilst from speakers hidden amongst the undergrowth, solemn voices recite his poetry. Were this the cottage of English poet Wordsworth, a host of concrete daffodils singing in twee, high pitched voices, the poem of the same name, might seem in keeping with the rest of the theme

  However, it is clear to any visitor the high regard in which the Tang Dynasty poet and his works are held. For a man whose life ambition was to be a civil servant, destiny had other plans, thwarting him twice, when he failed his first entrance exams, and then again as the An-Lushan rebellion engulfed the country. The events that followed the rebellion eventually led him to Chengdu, where he wrote some of his most famous works.

  In fact, the bareness of the reproduction cottage itself reflects the hardship of the family and of the times when Dufu lived, something touched upon frequently in the poems, though with humility and no bitterness.

  It was only after his life that his fame grew to be included amongst the greatest of Chinese poets, with the current location of the cottage being something of a tourist attraction for over 200 years. There are some archaeological ruins on the site to attest to this fact, though it takes a leap of the imagination to conclude these are the ruins of the actual 8th century cottage.

  Attractions For Visitors

  

  The site contains much more than a reconstruction of the original Dufu Thatched Cottage though, of course, that is what attracts most of the attention.

  

  The Sage Pool with its ever-hungry carp is pleasant to sit beside, especially in the heat of summer.

  The various exhibitions are of interest as they have English explanations of Dufu's life and achievements. They also contain some magnificent sculptures.

  Few will be able to appreciate the poetic aspects of the site such as the Hall of Odes as little has been translated into English. However, the hall is still worth a visit, to see the rare Song Dynasty books with Dufu's poetry carved meticulously on wood.

  The ambience of the gardens and the classical Chinese features give ample opportunity for interest and photographs. The Chinese Bonsai (pinyin, penzai) Garden (shown on the map as Miniature Garden) is always a favourite; a place where many locals gather and relax.

  

  The Dufu Thatched Cottage is open from 08:00 - 18:00 daily.

  
  
  
• 
  
  

  ---

  
  
  

• Current Comments

  2 comments so far (post your own)

  Hi Tilly
  
  We did - but the works do not always translate so well and, without a lengthy explanation, it is difficult to show the genius. We assume that those with a deeper interest will search and be able to find the level of explanation that they desire.

  Posted by China Journeys on Fri 30 Mar, 2012

  Have you thought about putting some of Dufu's poetry here?

  Posted by Tilly on Fri 30 Mar, 2012

  Leave your comment:
  Name:
  Email:
  Comments:
  Please note: comments may take some time to appear, typically about one hour.
  We try to respond to all comments within 24 hours. There may be times when this is not possible.
  Anti-spam check. Please type the single digit indicated by the text number below:
  Four:
  	Note: Emails will not be visible or used in any way, and are not required. Please keep comments relevant. Any content deemed inappropriate or offensive may be edited and/or deleted. No HTML code is allowed. Line breaks will be converted automatically. Please use BBCode to format your text.

  ---

  If you like this, please spread the word

  Bookmark this on Delicious

  
  
  

Get Recommendations

• The Meridian Line

  

  We head from the seat of power in the north, Beijing, to the very different south. We see a mix of urban and rural life giving us a glimpse at the changes that are taking place in this fascinating country.

  Full holiday details ...

  From £ 1,950
• Yunnan And Yangtse

  

  This journey combines the excitement of discovery in remote Yunnan with a comfortable Yangtse Cruise and a comprehensive look at the most popular sites.

  Full holiday details ...

  From £ 3,290
• Red Star Express

  

  This quick journey is for those who have only one week and want to see the highlights. We visit the three most popular cities: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai.

  Full holiday details ...

  From £ 1,250
• Ancient Capitals

  

  We use the 6 ancient capitals as an excuse to explore the country. Each capital has developed differently and the contrasts help us to understand something of the real China.

  Full holiday details ...

  From £ 1,925

24/7 Sales Support:
   UK +44 (0)844 567 0953
   USA +1-877-526-3979