Du Fu Thatched Cottage 杜甫草堂Dù Fǔ Cǎotáng

Bamboo groves and plum blossom where Du Fu, China's 'Poet-Sage', once lived

Best time: Mar–May, Sep–Nov; plum blossom around Jan–Feb
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Days to budget: Half a day
Stay in: Chengdu
Region: Sichuan
Type: Culture
Listed as: 4A scenic area, National heritage site

Why go to Du Fu Thatched Cottage

This leafy park in western Chengdu honours Du Fu, the Tang-dynasty poet revered in China as the 'Poet-Sage', on the banks of the Huanhua Stream where he made his home. Paths wind through bamboo groves and plum trees to memorial halls, a gallery of great Chinese poets and a reconstructed thatched hut laid out as his study, bedroom and kitchen. It is one of the calmest places in the city to spend a morning.

The story

Du Fu moved to Chengdu in 759 and built a thatched hut by the stream. In about four years here he wrote some 240 poems, among them a famous lament for the autumn gale that tore the thatch from his roof. The original hut is long gone, and today's halls date mostly from Ming and Qing restorations.

What to see at Du Fu Thatched Cottage

Poetry-History Hall 诗史堂: The central hall of the old site, with a large statue of Du Fu. The name reflects the idea that his verse records the Tang era.
Chaimen (Brushwood Gate) 柴门: The simple gate, named after a phrase in Du Fu's poem 'Ye Lao'. It leads on to the shrine and the cottage.
Gongbu Shrine 工部祠: A shrine to the poet, who is often called Du Gongbu from his court title. It stands on the central axis.
Thatched Hut and Shaoling Stele Pavilion 少陵草堂碑亭: The stele pavilion beside the reconstructed hut is the garden's emblem.
Plum Garden 梅园: The garden zone, lovely during plum blossom in Jan–Feb and quiet in other seasons.

How to visit Du Fu Thatched Cottage

Enter by the main gate and follow the central axis through the Dajie, Poetry-History Hall, the brushwood gate and the Gongbu Shrine, then bear east to the hut, stele pavilion and Plum Garden. The north gate is closer to the Metro. Two hours covers the highlights and a longer morning lets you sit in the garden.

How to get to Du Fu Thatched Cottage

Du Fu Thatched Cottage (Dufu Caotang) station on Metro Line 13, opened in December 2025, is a few minutes' walk from the north gate. Caotang Beilu station on Line 4 is about 15 minutes away on foot.

Where to stay

Stay in central Chengdu around Chunxi Road or Tianfu Square, or in the Qingyang district near Wenshu Monastery. Both are a short ride from the cottage by taxi or metro.

What to eat

Zhong dumplings 钟水饺: Boiled pork dumplings in a sweet, spicy red-oil sauce, a classic Chengdu snack.
Fuqi feipian 夫妻肺片: Sliced beef and offal dressed in chilli oil and numbing pepper, a Chengdu cold dish.

Tips for visiting Du Fu Thatched Cottage

Book through the museum's official WeChat account, or buy a ticket at the service window with your passport; the museum is open every day.
On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year (Renri), poets and locals gather for a ceremony honouring Du Fu, a custom the museum revived in 1992.
Come on a weekday morning; national holidays bring very large crowds.

Nearby

Kuanzhai Alley 宽窄巷子 under 10 km
Three restored Qing-era lanes of courtyard gateways, teahouses and Sichuan snacks
Wuhou Shrine & Jinli Street 武侯祠与锦里 under 10 km
Cypress-shaded halls honouring Three Kingdoms heroes, with a bustling snack lane next door
People's Park & Heming Teahouse 人民公园与鹤鸣茶社 under 10 km
Bamboo chairs, jasmine tea and roving ear cleaners in Chengdu's favourite park
Wenshu Monastery 文殊院 under 10 km
An active Buddhist monastery of incense-filled courtyards, a teahouse and vegetarian food
Chengdu Giant Panda Base 成都大熊猫繁育研究基地 10 km
Watch giant pandas munch bamboo and tumble about among the trees
Luodai Ancient Town 洛带古镇 30 km
A Hakka market town on Chengdu's edge, with grand guild halls built by Qing-era settlers

Also within 30 km: Tomb of Wang Jian 王建墓（永陵） (under 10 km), Jinsha Site Museum 金沙遗址博物馆 (under 10 km), Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Chengdu 平安桥天主教堂 (under 10 km), Early Buildings of Sichuan University (Huaxiba) 四川大学早期建筑 (under 10 km), Shuijingfang Distillery Site 水井街酒坊遗址 (under 10 km), Happy Valley Chengdu 成都欢乐谷 (under 10 km).

On the map

Open Du Fu Thatched Cottage on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Open Du Fu Thatched Cottage on the map