Chengdu, the capital of China's southwest Sichuan Province, is famed for being the home of cute giant pandas. Located in the west of Sichuan Basin and in the center of Chengdu Plain, the city covers a total area of 12.3 thousand square kilometres (4,749 square miles) with a population of over 11 million. Benefiting from Dujiangyan Irrigation Project which was constructed in 256 B.C., Sichuan Province is reputed as the Heavenly State, Tian Fu Zhi Guo in Chinese, literally a place richly endowed with natural resources. Chengdu, as the capital, is extremely productive. The Min and Tuo Rivers, two branches of the Yangtze River, connected to 40 other rivers, supply an irrigation area of more than 700 square kilometres (270.27 square miles) with 150-180 million kilowatts of water. Consisting of abundant mineral resources, the land is extremely fertile.

成都(Chengdu)，简称蓉，四川省省会，中华人民共和国西南地区科技中心、商贸中心、金融中心和交通、通讯枢纽。成都历史悠久，有“天府之国”的美称。首批国家历史文化名城。成都古为蜀国地，秦并巴、蜀为蜀郡并建城，汉因织锦业发达专设锦官管理，故有“锦官城”之称，五代蜀时遍种芙蓉，故别称“芙蓉城”，1921年设市。成都是中国城址未变、延续至今最古老的城市之一（建于前311年），仅次于苏州（建于前514年）。成都是一个耐人寻味的地方，因其常年笼罩在雾霭之中,所以有着“雾都”的雅称。成都是一座让人流连忘返的城市，川菜、川剧、美女、惬意生活以及历史故事是她最吸引人的地方；在这块土地上，演绎过许多帝王将相的故事。刘备、诸葛亮、李白、杜甫、苏轼父子等在中国历史上叱咤风云的人物都与此地有着深厚的渊源。如今的成都，仍能看到庄严肃穆的武侯祠，书香漫溢的杜甫草堂，还有令人叹为观止的水利奇观。

To make sure you have enough time to prepare, please apply the visa as early as you can. For most attendees, it is easier to apply for a Tourist ("L") visa; an invitation letter is NOT required for obtaining a Tourist visa.

When entering mainland China you’ll need a pre-arranged visa (unless you’re from Japan, Brunei, or Singapore) which you can arrange at a Chinese embassy or consulate anywhere in the world. The most commonly issued visa is an L (Tourist) Visa which is valid for a duration scaling from 30 days to one year for visitors. Prices are always fluctuating but expect to pay between $60-$130 depending on current rates and your nationality. Other types of visas include:

• F (Short term work) Visa – Designated for business trips, interships, or short study. You’re formally required an invitation letter however you can bypass this stipulation by getting the visa in Hong Kong or Macau from one of many travel agencies.
  
• Z (Long term work) Visa – Multiple-entry, long duration visas which are for people employed full-time in China. Requires a lot of paperwork and a hospital visit for a physical examination.
  
• X (Student) Visa – Six month, one-year, or longer duration depending on the length of your study commitment.
• L (Tourist) Visa – 30 to 90 day durations, generally for multiple entry, from anywhere from one year to ten years, depending on your nationality and the type of visa which you request. The length of your tourist visa will depend on your specific circumstances, and luck is often a factor.

With the visa rules and regulations changing as often as they do, you’re best off contacting a Chinese consulate directly to make sure you’re getting totally accurate information. To give you an idea of the fluctuations, a year ago tourist visas weren’t being issued and now they’ve resumed operation including up to one-year duration.

For more information check the Chinese Embassy website in your country