Zigong

Zigong (自贡) is a city in East Sichuan.

• Zigong Dinosaur Museum, 268 Shenhaijing Road Section 4, Da'an District (大安区燊海井路4段268号) (The museum is just a few hundred metres from the East Bus Station; several local bus routes terminate here, including routes 7, 15, 35, 306 and 308, +86 813 580-1235. 08:30-17:30. Located on top of the Dashanpu Formation, China's most famous dinosaur fossil site, where hundreds of dinosaur fossils have been found since the 1970s. The museum was the first museum in China to be devoted exclusively to dinosaurs. The museum is quite large, covering a surface area of 25,000 m² and display area of 3600 m². Besides the usual displays, one can also view an excavation pit where fossils have been unearthed. ¥40.
• Zigong Salt History Museum, 107 Jiefang Road, Ziliujing District (自流井区解放路107号) (Take bus no. 2, 3, 11, 33, 34, 37 or 40 and get off at Shawan (沙湾), +86 813 220-2746. 08:30-17:30. The museum is housed inside what used to be a guild hall for salt merchants.The exquisite decor is representative of the wood and rock carving styles of the Qing dynasty. ¥20.
• Shenhai Well, 289 Da'an Street, Da'an District (大安区大安街289号) (There is a bus stop right outside the well, which is served by bus nos. 3, 5, 7, 31 and 35. But if coming from the Zigoing General Bus Station, it may be easier to catch bus no. 10 to Dagao Road (大高路) and walk from there, +86 813 5106214. 08:30-17:30 (summer), 08:30-17:00 (winter). The Shenhai Well is a one-kilometre-deep salt well that was constructed in 1835. It is the only traditional salt well in China that is still being used to this day. ¥27.
• China Lantern Museum, 6 Gongyuan Road, Zhonghua Road, Ziliujing District (自流井区中华路公园路6号) (Either take bus no. 8 or 802 and get off at Gongyuankou (公园口) or catch bus no. 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 31, 35, 37, 39, 301, 302, 305, 307 or 801 and get off at the Lantern Park (彩灯公园). Alternatively, you may wish to walk here form the Zigong Salt Museum, which is just 600 metres to the south, +86 813 2304003. 08:30-17:30. ¥40.

Zigong Dinosaur Museum, 268 Shenhaijing Road Section 4, Da'an District (大安区燊海井路4段268号) (The museum is just a few hundred metres from the East Bus Station; several local bus routes terminate here, including routes 7, 15, 35, 306 and 308, +86 813 580-1235. 08:30-17:30. Located on top of the Dashanpu Formation, China's most famous dinosaur fossil site, where hundreds of dinosaur fossils have been found since the 1970s. The museum was the first museum in China to be devoted exclusively to dinosaurs. The museum is quite large, covering a surface area of 25,000 m² and display area of 3600 m². Besides the usual displays, one can also view an excavation pit where fossils have been unearthed. ¥40.

Zigong Salt History Museum, 107 Jiefang Road, Ziliujing District (自流井区解放路107号) (Take bus no. 2, 3, 11, 33, 34, 37 or 40 and get off at Shawan (沙湾), +86 813 220-2746. 08:30-17:30. The museum is housed inside what used to be a guild hall for salt merchants.The exquisite decor is representative of the wood and rock carving styles of the Qing dynasty. ¥20.

Shenhai Well, 289 Da'an Street, Da'an District (大安区大安街289号) (There is a bus stop right outside the well, which is served by bus nos. 3, 5, 7, 31 and 35. But if coming from the Zigoing General Bus Station, it may be easier to catch bus no. 10 to Dagao Road (大高路) and walk from there, +86 813 5106214. 08:30-17:30 (summer), 08:30-17:00 (winter). The Shenhai Well is a one-kilometre-deep salt well that was constructed in 1835. It is the only traditional salt well in China that is still being used to this day. ¥27.

China Lantern Museum, 6 Gongyuan Road, Zhonghua Road, Ziliujing District (自流井区中华路公园路6号) (Either take bus no. 8 or 802 and get off at Gongyuankou (公园口) or catch bus no. 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 31, 35, 37, 39, 301, 302, 305, 307 or 801 and get off at the Lantern Park (彩灯公园). Alternatively, you may wish to walk here form the Zigong Salt Museum, which is just 600 metres to the south, +86 813 2304003. 08:30-17:30. ¥40.

• Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival, Lantern Park, 6 Gongyuan Road, Ziliujing District (自流井区公园路6号彩灯公园) (Either take bus no. 8 or 802 and get off at Gongyuankou (公园口) or catch bus no. 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 31, 35, 37, 39, 301, 302, 305, 307 or 801 and get off at the Lantern Park (彩灯公园). Alternatively, you may wish to walk here from the Zigong Salt Museum, which is 600 m to the south, +86 813 5861933. Traditionally, the Lantern Festival is held on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month. In Zigong the lanterns are on display for around two months, usually between January and March. During this period, the lights are switched on at 18:30 and turned off at 22:30. Zigong is arguably one of the best places in China to experience the Lantern Festival for it is here where the festival first originated. Fees vary from year to year and there are different prices for different days of the week. In 2019, the fee was ¥60 for entry between Monday and Thursday, ¥90 for entry between Friday and Sunday, and ¥130 for entry during the first 15 days of the first lunar month.

Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival, Lantern Park, 6 Gongyuan Road, Ziliujing District (自流井区公园路6号彩灯公园) (Either take bus no. 8 or 802 and get off at Gongyuankou (公园口) or catch bus no. 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 31, 35, 37, 39, 301, 302, 305, 307 or 801 and get off at the Lantern Park (彩灯公园). Alternatively, you may wish to walk here from the Zigong Salt Museum, which is 600 m to the south, +86 813 5861933. Traditionally, the Lantern Festival is held on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month. In Zigong the lanterns are on display for around two months, usually between January and March. During this period, the lights are switched on at 18:30 and turned off at 22:30. Zigong is arguably one of the best places in China to experience the Lantern Festival for it is here where the festival first originated. Fees vary from year to year and there are different prices for different days of the week. In 2019, the fee was ¥60 for entry between Monday and Thursday, ¥90 for entry between Friday and Sunday, and ¥130 for entry during the first 15 days of the first lunar month.

Zigong Food is one of a kind even in Sichuan, due to its rich culture and history. Some dishes found in Zigong are common to the Sichuan area (see Szechuan cuisine with local variations, and some are unique local recipes.

Various types of Dumpling or Wonton (served with hot oil and pepper paste) called chāo shǒu Sichuan Hot pot, called Chuan Chuan Xiang Twice Cooked Pork Pepper Beef Mapo doufu Diced Rabbit in Hot Pepper Oil Frog Hotpot Fried Eel with Hot Peppers Turtle Soup Duck in a Hot Pepper Oil Tea Infused Duck Sichuan DanDan Mian - spicyChinese noodles Various Types of Tea Babe Toufu (best in Fushun county and countryside) Unique dishes include:

Fried rice-field frog with fresh pepper (very spicy pepper) (This dish is illegal) Rice-field frog chicken soup (only a few family knows how to make this soup) Try the night food market along the roads (Tongxing Lu), and remember best food are cooked at local's home.