The Most Underrated City in Sichuan: A Day Trip to Meishan

Mid-October in the Chengdu Plain is mild and clear, with osmanthus in the air — the perfect time to wander a small town. In Sichuan, there’s a little city that has the words “poetry and books” carved into its bones. Strangely, everything here revolves around one man who never made it back home. That place is Meishan (眉山), the hometown of Su Dongpo, Su Xun, and Su Zhe — father and sons. You can’t open a Chinese literary history book without running into Meishan. On this Meishan day trip, I spent one day exploring Dongpo’s hometown: seeing the sights, strolling the old streets, and eating well.

Why Meishan Matters

Meishan, called Meizhou in ancient times, was officially renamed Meishan in the first year of the Taiping Xingguo era of the Northern Song. What really put it on the map was the Song dynasty. A small western-Sichuan town with only 20,000-plus households produced 886 jinshi (imperial exam graduates) over 300 years — known as the “Eight Hundred Jinshi.” In the 1057 exam, 388 jinshi were selected nationwide, and Meizhou alone accounted for 13. Emperor Renzong of Song looked at the list and exclaimed, “All the studious scholars under heaven come from Meishan!” During the Northern Song, the Su family home on Shahu Street produced Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe — all three ranked among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. “The Su family’s writings dominate the world,” and Meizhou’s literary reputation spread far and wide.

Getting There from Chengdu

The fastest way from Chengdu to Meishan is the high-speed train — just 26 minutes to Meishan East Station, with buses from the station straight to the old town. Driving from Chengdu takes about 1 hour. The sights in Meishan’s urban area are close together; a taxi across districts costs just a dozen or so RMB.

One-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Depart Chengdu → Meishan → Sansu Ci Museum → Sansu Memorial Hall → Lunch at an old-town spot for Dongpo flavors → Meizhou Ancient City Wall Ruins Park → China Pickle Museum → Dongpo City Wetland Park, snap a photo at Yuanjing Tower, stroll by the lake at autumn dusk, return to Chengdu.

Sansu Ci Museum: Not a Shrine, a Family Home

📍 Address: 72 Shahu Xing South Section, Dongpo District, Meishan 🎫 Tickets: 40 RMB per person; free for seniors 60+, minors, military personnel with ID ⏰ Hours: 9:00–18:00, last entry 17:30

Sansu Ci was originally the family home of Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe. In the Southern Song it was converted into a shrine, destroyed in the late Ming wars, and rebuilt on the original site in the 4th year of the Kangxi reign (Qing dynasty). It’s a representative of western Sichuan classical gardens, a National First-Class Museum, and a key national cultural heritage site. The first thing you see at the gate: red walls, bamboo shadows, and withered lotus standing tall in the pond. In autumn, there are fewer visitors, a bit of coolness in the air, and the whole garden feels like home. This is the home where Su Shi lived for 26 years — every brick and tile holds memories of the young Dongpo. Take your time; 1.5–2 hours is about right.

Suggested route: Front Hall → Xiang Hall (main hall for honoring the three Su) → Su Family Old Well (where young Su Shi drew water) → Kuaiyu Pavilion → Ink-Washing Pool → East Garden Stele Corridor → Wanxiang Hall. The stele corridor holds many replicas of Su Shi’s calligraphy. When people read “May we all be blessed with longevity, though thousands of miles apart, we still share the moon’s beauty,” many linger for a long time.

If You’re Short on Time, Don’t Miss These

• Su Family Old Well: The family’s water source from a thousand years ago; the water is still clear and never dries up. The two osmanthus trees beside it — one golden, one silver — were planted by later generations in memory of the three Su. October hits right in their blooming season.
• Twin-Blossom Lychee: The lychee tree by the Ink-Washing Pool was planted by Qing dynasty literati in memory of Dongpo. The story goes: when he left home at 33, friends and family planted a lychee tree to send him off, saying they’d wait for him to come back and eat the fruit. The lychees turn red every year, but the man never returned.
• Wooden Rockery Hall: The original three peaks are gone; the current three-peak rockery was purchased and displayed by the head of Meishan Academy during the Daoguang reign of the Qing. One family, three geniuses; one hall, three peaks.
• Ink-Washing Pool: The small pool at the south end of the stele pavilion — the water still seems inky.

Sansu Memorial Hall: The Full Story of One Family, Three Masters

📍 Address: Next to Sansu Ci Scenic Area, adjacent to Sansu Ci 🎫 Tickets: Free; reserve with ID; closed Mondays (except holidays)

Many visitors miss this memorial hall, but it complements Sansu Ci perfectly. It’s the richest and most well-curated museum in China dedicated to Sansu culture, with 5,114 items (sets) in its collection, including 777 precious artifacts. The two-floor exhibition lays out the life paths of Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe — from Su Xun’s late start at 27, to the brothers passing the jinshi exam together, to Dongpo’s half-lifetime of official ups and downs. The family’s story of country and home unfolds step by step. After visiting Sansu Ci, come here to see the exhibits — only then can you truly understand the legend of “one family, three fathers and sons, all great writers.”

Meizhou Ancient City Wall Ruins Park: Meishan’s First Ruins Park

📍 Address: West side of Yihuan East Road, Dongpo District, not far from Sansu Ci 🎫 Tickets: Free

The Meizhou city wall was first built in the late Tang–Five Dynasties period (891 AD), repaired over many generations. After years of weathering, most of the surviving wall is from the Qing dynasty. What makes it different from other wall ruins: old and new are clearly distinguished — reinforced sections are deliberately not aged, so you can tell which dynasty’s bricks are which at a glance. Old trees growing on the wall are preserved in place, roots and bricks growing together. No need to linger long; a half-hour stroll is enough to feel the layout of ancient Meizhou.

China Pickle Museum: The Only One in the Country

📍 Address: 1 Shunjiang Avenue North Section, Dongpo District 🎫 Tickets: Free ⏰ Hours: 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30

Meishan is the “hometown of Chinese pickles” — I only just learned that, and I suspect many of you are the same. This is China’s first pickle-themed museum, presenting the full thousand-year pickle craft of Sichuan. From the history and culture of pickles to production and processing, all the way to tasting and experience — three thousand years of pickle heritage, clearly laid out. There’s a tasting area where you can try different flavors of Meishan pickles. After visiting, you’ll understand that pickles are the indispensable soul of Dongpo pork knuckle and Dongpo cuisine. 30–40 minutes is enough here.

Dongpo City Wetland Park & Yuanjing Tower: The Tower He Wrote About but Never Saw

📍 Address: 1 Binhu Road South Section 2, Dongpo District 🎫 Tickets: Free ⏰ Hours: Open all day; Yuanjing Tower lights up in the evening

Yuanjing Tower was first built in the first year of the Yuanfeng era of the Northern Song (1078), overseen by then-Meizhou governor Li Xisheng. After it was completed, locals wrote to Su Shi in Xuzhou asking him for a record — and that’s how “Record of Meizhou’s Yuanjing Tower” came to be. It’s the famous tower Dongpo wrote about but never climbed. The tower was destroyed and rebuilt several times; the current one was completed in 2004, with a main tower of 13 stories and 80 meters high — a Meishan landmark. The side buildings are named Chaoran Pavilion and Zuiyue Pavilion, part of one of the tallest antique-style building complexes in China. At dusk, the tower lights come on one by one — that’s when Yuanjing Tower is at its most colorful. The park is locals’ everyday back garden for walking and cycling, with no crowds — perfect for relaxing and clearing your head.

Meishan Local Food

The real highlight of a small town is its local food. Meishan’s culinary foundation is the word “Dongpo” — bold and hearty.

Dongpo Pork Knuckle (东坡肘子)

Meishan’s signature dish: select pork front knuckle, simmered slowly until the meat falls off the bone, then topped with a spoonful of glossy red sauce — savory-sweet, rich but not greasy. Recommended spots:

• Meizhou Dongpo (Sansu Ci branch) — must-orders: Yipin Dongpo Pork, Heritage Dongpo Pork Knuckle, Dongpo Chicken Tofu Pudding, Dongpo Pickles. Address: next to the west gate of Sansu Ci, Xiaxi Street, Dongpo District.
• Mawangzi Restaurant (century-old brand) — must-order: Dongpo Pork Knuckle. Address: 157 Erhuan East Road, Dongpo District.
• Dongpo Ten Bowls — popular with locals and visitors alike; the pork knuckle is the signature, and the spicy stir-fried chicken gizzards and old-crock pickles are worth ordering. Address: 108 Dadong Street (near Sansu Ci, walkable).

Bench Noodles (板凳面)

A 1983 old-brand shop where squatting on a stool to eat is the signature pose. The minced meat topping is stir-fried fresh daily, and the red oil is fragrant. The pork intestine rice noodles are also excellent — go for the red broth whether you order noodles or rice noodles. Address: 33 Tonghui Street.

Jinyu Liangfen (金玉凉粉)

A classic snack in Meishan’s old town: rice jelly with red oil and crushed peanuts — numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant. The steamed dumplings have thin skins and tender filling; the meat-filled glutinous rice balls wrap fresh pork and scallion, served in a broth of soy sauce and scallion — savory and juicy in one bite. Address: 8-10 Dadong Street, Dongpo District.

Li Yanjing Guokui (李眼镜锅盔)

Su Shi wrote, “Little cakes like chewing the moon, with flaky pastry and malt sugar inside” — this is that bite. The pastry is thin as paper, shatters at a touch, filled with sesame, rose, or salt-and-pepper — sweet or savory, both work. Address: about 100 meters east of the intersection of Qixian North Road and Suci Road, Dongpo District.

There’s also Ba Niang Rice Tofu, Jiujiu Doufunao (tofu pudding), Luo Bai Gao (rice cakes), and Niangjia Cai (home-style dishes) — so much food you couldn’t finish it all in days.

Where to Stay

Meishan is small — a day trip back to Chengdu is totally doable. If you want to slow down and stay overnight, I recommend hotels near Sansu Ci in the old town (walk out the door to Sansu Ci, easy to beat the crowds early) or around Yuanjing Tower (open the window to see the wetland park and the tower’s night view).

Travel Tips

📍 Location: Meishan urban area (Dongpo District), Sichuan. 🚗 Driving: Navigate to “Sansu Ci” or “Dongpo City Wetland Park”; about 1 hour from Chengdu. 🚌 Public transport: Take the high-speed train from Chengdu East Station to Meishan East Station — fastest 26 minutes, very frequent. From the station, buses or taxis to the old town are convenient.