Chengdu Dujiangyan, Mar 2026

By Beatrice Wong
April 12, 2026
7:30 pm
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My trip to see the pear blossoms was a bit disappointing. The flowers bloomed way earlier than usual and were almost all gone in less than a week. What made things worse was the area where my hotel in the mountains was lost power at 9:30pm and the hotel (not cheap) didn’t have backup generators. I shortened my trip and headed back towards Chengdu and visited the Dujiangyan’s 都江堰 “Blue Tears” 藍眼淚, saw some azaleas (dujuans) at Wuyou Valley 無憂谷 and visited an internet celebrity bookstore, Zhongshuge 中書閣.

Dujiangyan 都江堰 is an ancient hydraulic engineering system in Dujiangyan City just outside of Chengdu. Originally constructed around 256 BC by the State of Qin as an irrigation and flood control project, it is still in use today. The “Blue Tears” at Dujiangyan is a night lighting effect near Nanqiao Bridge (South Bridge) where after dark, underwater lights turn on and shine through the fast-moving river.

Nanqiao Bridge (South Bridge) at Dujiangyan

Dujiangyan’s 都江堰 “Blue Tears” 藍眼淚

Dujiangyan’s 都江堰 “Blue Tears” 藍眼淚

Wenfeng Pagoda 文峰塔 overlooking Dujiangyan’s 都江堰 “Blue Tears” 藍眼淚

Dujiangyan’s 都江堰 “Blue Tears” 藍眼淚

I heard that there is a place called Wuyou Flower Valley 無憂花谷 close to Dujiangyan with acres of dujuan flowers or azaleas so I went to check it out. There are some azaleas already blooming but not to the scale I had imagined. After all, the azalea season has just begun.

Wuyou Flower Valley 無憂花谷

Wuyou Flower Valley 無憂花谷

Wuyou Flower Valley 無憂花谷

Wuyou Flower Valley 無憂花谷

Wuyou Flower Valley 無憂花谷

Wuyou Flower Valley 無憂花谷

The Dujiangyan Zhongshuge 中書閣 is a surreal bookstore, famous for its “infinite” shelves, mirrored ceilings, and, archways. Ingenious design. Stop by for a quick coffee if you are in the area.