Tourist attractions Guangyuan has a history of over 2,300 years. Since ancient times, it has been an important gateway to Sichuan, the former territory of the State of Ju, a strategic pass into Shu, a key town during the Three Kingdoms period, the hometown of Empress Wu Zetian, and an important part of the Sichuan–Shaanxi revolutionary base. Today, it is a popular
tourist city in Sichuan Province. Guangyuan has received numerous honors, including being recognized as a Demonstration Zone for the Integration of Agriculture, Science, and Education, a National Garden City, a National Hygienic City, an Outstanding Chinese Tourist City, a New-Type Industrialization Base, and the "Hometown of Hot Springs in China." The city is home to 9 national nature reserves, 18 provincial nature reserves, 8 national cultural heritage sites, and 17 provincial cultural heritage sites, making its tourism resources highly concentrated. Its famous tourist attractions include:
Jianmen Pass Scenic Area, located on the northern edge of the Sichuan Basin, is a famous natural mountain pass in China, named for its cliffs resembling swords and walls facing each other like a gate. During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, chancellor of Shu, built plank roads and set up guards here, calling it "Jian'ge." The Tang poet Li Bai praised it in Shu Dao Nan with the line, "One man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot open it," which made Jianmen Pass widely renowned. It was listed as one of the first national key scenic spots in 1982, designated a National AAAA-level scenic area in 2010, and included in the national 5A-level tourist attractions in 2015. The
Thousand-Buddha Cliff statue was first carved in the late Northern Wei period and reached its peak during the Tang dynasty. It now preserves around 950 niches and more than 7,000 statues, and has been listed as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site. Centered on the Dayun Grotto, the statues are densely arranged like a honeycomb, rising up to thirteen levels, reflecting the artistic style of Tang dynasty Buddhism. The site is designated as a National 4A-level tourist attraction.
Zhaohua Ancient Town, located in Zhaohua District, Guangyuan, Sichuan Province, is a National AAAA-level tourist attraction. It preserves numerous relics from the Three Kingdoms period and is regarded as one of the better-preserved ancient towns from that era, with historical and cultural significance as well as natural landscapes.
Qingxi Ancient Town was established during the Three Kingdoms period and retains Ming dynasty city walls and buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was an important pass on the Yinping Ancient Road, with preserved wengcheng-style gates and stone-paved streets. In 2013, it was designated a National 4A-level tourist attraction, and in 2020, it was included among Sichuan's cultural tourism characteristic towns. == Cuisine ==