Sugarcane, Stone Archways, and the River Between Two Cities
Neijiang sits on the Tuo River, midway between Chengdu and Chongqing, a city transformed by its relationship with sugar. Once a medieval salt-producing centre, it earned its nickname—the Sugar Capital of Sichuan—through the cultivation of sugarcane that defines its landscape and character. Today it is a place where industrial evolution meets genuine historical depth: stone archways from the Ming and Qing dynasties stand alongside modern temples, rock carvings from the Sui and Tang periods share space with contemporary art galleries, and the river itself has been dammed to create a 21-kilometre lake that now divides and animates the urban core. This is a city for those who want to understand China's interior without the overwhelming scale of its megacities.
What to See: Architecture and Devotion Across Centuries
The Longchang Ancient Archways, a short journey south of the city centre, are the most distinctive sight in the region. Seventeen stone archways—some memorial, some celebrating longevity or filial piety—line an old post road through Jinge Town, most dating from the Qing Dynasty. They are carved with inscriptions, historical figures, birds, and plants: intimate architectural statements that reflect the cultural values of their time. The complex is a National 4A-level attraction and receives protection as a Major Historical and Cultural Site.
Within the city itself, the Zizhong Confucian Temple and Martial Temple stand 100 metres apart in Zizhong County, both Qing Dynasty structures with glazed tile roofs typical of southern Chinese architecture. The Confucian Temple includes the Dacheng Hall, Chongsheng Shrine, Bell Tower, and Drum Tower arranged in a multi-courtyard layout; the Martial Temple comprises the Guansheng Hall, Wuxing Hall, and Sanyi Shrine. Together they demonstrate the "combined Confucian and Martial temple" architectural tradition and function as important research sites for understanding Confucian thought and practice.
Shengshui Temple, founded during the Tang Dynasty (860–874) and formerly known as Xingci Chan Monastery, covers 20,000 square metres on the banks of the Tuojiang River. One of Sichuan's eight major monastic complexes, it houses the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Mahavira Hall, Sutra Library, Yuanjue Hall, Ancient Great Compassion Hall, and Dharma Hall—a spatial arrangement that reflects centuries of Buddhist practice and devotion.
For rock carvings, Chonglong Mountain in Zizhong County preserves 160 niches containing 1,648 statues from the Sui and Tang dynasties, most accompanied by inscriptions spanning multiple historical periods. The Ming Dynasty Yongqing Temple houses over 1,700 cultural relics, including calligraphy steles and paintings. Salt God Temple in Luoquan Ancient Town, built in 1868, is the only temple in China dedicated to Guan Zhong as the Salt God; its 1,275 square metres and over 40 rooms blend Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian architectural styles and serve as a material archive of ancient salt production.
Daqian Garden and the Artist's Legacy
Neijiang is the hometown of Zhang Daqian, one of the twentieth century's most accomplished Chinese artists. Daqian Garden, in Dongxing District, is a cultural tourism park themed around painting, calligraphy, and historical relics spanning the Han to Qing dynasties. The Zhang Daqian Memorial Hall, set in a traditional Sichuan-style courtyard, traces the artist's life and achievements. The garden also includes Xilin Temple, a well-known nunnery built in the Southern Song Dynasty and noted for its winged roofs and colourful ridge carvings, as well as the Qiu Xiaoqiu Art Gallery, Wei Minglun Inscription Hall, and Ou Haonian Art Gallery. Entry is free.
Lakes, Grasslands, and Water: Movement and Leisure
Tiancheng Lake, created in 2009 by damming the Tuo River, stretches 21 kilometres through the central urban area, dividing the city into Dongxing and Shizhong districts. The lakeshore features fitness trails, waterfront platforms, water sports facilities, and capacity for dragon boat events. Boat tours allow visitors to move between the lake and the river, taking in views of Daqian Garden and the intersection of urban and natural scenery.
Southern Sichuan Grassland, a 4A-level attraction in Shizhong District, covers about 133 hectares and combines grassland wetlands, flower fields, leisure facilities, camping grounds, and sports areas into a diversified landscape. It functions as a comprehensive rural tourism complex offering sightseeing, dining, accommodation, cultural experiences, and educational programmes.
Guyu Lake, a man-made reservoir built in the 1970s and now a national wetland park, covers 5.4 square kilometres with a maximum depth of 27 metres. It is easily accessible from the city centre by bus and becomes a destination for migratory birds in winter. The lake area includes Confucius Park, Guyu Temple, and a visitor centre, with nearby homestays and rural tourism projects.
Shiban River, developed as a summer resort since 2022, stretches about 7 kilometres with a riverbed formed from natural rock and an average depth of 40–50 centimetres. With 98 per cent forest coverage and a cool climate, it offers 13 attractions including waterfalls and hiking trails.
Streets and Tastes: Dongxing Old Street
Dongxing Old Street, the city's only well-preserved old street, combines Ming and Qing architectural styles with modern commercial culture. The street is open around the clock and functions as the place to experience local teahouse traditions—notably the "Dragon Spitting Water" tea-brewing technique—and to sample snacks including fried mung bean cakes and fresh meat guokui. This is where the textures and flavours of daily life in Neijiang become tangible.
Nearby Towns: Luoquan and Weiyuan
Luoquan Ancient Town, located in Zizhong County to the southeast of the city, is a national 4A-level scenic spot focused on historical culture. Featuring Ming and Qing architecture and relics of the salt industry, it showcases traditional southern Sichuan settlement culture and local life. The Salt God Temple sits within this district.
Weiyuan County, a county under Neijiang's jurisdiction, offers rolling hills, ancient villages, fruit orchards, and the kind of scenic landscape typical of the southern Sichuan Basin. It is known for fig production and provides a relatively undeveloped, local travel experience away from city centres.
Getting There and Around
Neijiang North railway station, situated on the Chengdu–Chongqing intercity railway, is served by high-speed trains. The city is also a central node on the Neijiang–Kunming railway, and its geographic position in the southern Sichuan transport network makes it accessible from both Chengdu and Chongqing. Local buses connect attractions within the city and to nearby towns.
Begin Here
Whether you arrive for the Longchang archways, the Buddhist temples, the Ming and Qing temples of Zizhong, or simply to understand a city shaped by sugar, salt, and the careful preservation of its own history, Neijiang offers the kind of engagement with China's interior that rewards slow looking and genuine curiosity. Start with Dongxing Old Street, move to the river and the lake, then venture out to the archways and the mountain carvings. The city itself—its streets, its water, its layers of devotion and commerce—will reveal itself at your pace.