Southwest China’s largest metropolis and one of its greenest big cities has a population of 21 million. Chengdu exemplifies Beijing’s quest to modernize the country’s vast interior and is the lynchpin of an emerging eco-friendly mega-region in Sichuan province.

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Scenic mountains ring the fertile basin of Sichuan province, a land known for its agricultural abundance and famous cuisine of chili-infused sauces and spicy hot pot. Its capital has been continuously inhabited for more than 3,000 years, the only major city in China to have an unchanged name and location throughout the imperial, republican, and communist eras–a history that remains remarkably well preserved.

In the second century BC, Chengdu was one of Earth’s largest civilizations, with 350,000 inhabitants. In the 11th century, the world’s first widely used paper money was created here. Unfortunately, things turned bleak in the 1500s when its residents were nearly all destroyed by a murderous Mongol invasion. For decades afterward, Chengdu remained so sparsely populated that wild tigers freely roamed its streets.

During the Chinese Civil War in 1949, Chengdu was the last stronghold in the country for the forces of Chiang Kai-shek’s Republic of China before their evacuation to Taiwan. In spite of its short-lived status as the capital, the city attracted loyal business people, workers, and academics–an influx of talent that founded many of the industries and institutions that continue to make Chengdu the premiere cultural and economic center of Southwest China.

In the year 2000, Beijing launched the “Open Up The West Program” to encourage immigration from its wealthy coastal regions and spread prosperity to its 12 poorest areas in the west. As an established metropolis, Chengdu has been a major winner under the policy. Its population has doubled over the last 25 years while becoming one of China’s most dynamic cities. Between 2010 and 2022 105 highrises over 100 meters were completed, catapulting it to 12th on the list of the world’s tallest metropolises. But high-density construction is happening all across China. What’s special about Chengdu is the amount of land local officials have set aside for parks, paths, and athletic facilities, an effort to make it as livable as possible.

President Xi has officially designated it China’s Park City Demonstration Area. Municipal leaders even brought in experts from the United Nations to better understand how ecological development can solve some of Chengdu’s most pressing challenges. One ultimate goal is to create the world’s largest continuous network of paths by 2050 by reserving 500 meters on either side of its largest ring highway, a project that will eventually produce 188 square kilometers of parks.

Chapters:
0:00 Welcome to Chengdu
0:23 Geography of Sichuan province
0:54 History of Chengdu
2:00 Chengdu's emergence
2:39 Becoming a megacity
3:20 World's largest network of paths
4:02 World's Largest Building: New Century Global Center
5:10 China's emerging megaregions
5:55 The emerging Chengdu-Chongqing megaregion
6:37 Dirty air
6:54 Water, drought, and electricity crisis

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