View source for Sichuan

{{Short description|Province in Southwestern China}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Sichuan
| native_name        = {{lang|zh|四川}}
| other_name         = Szechwan
| translit_lang1     = Name
| translit_lang1_type = {{nobold|Chinese}}
| translit_lang1_info = {{lang|zh|四川省}} ({{tlit|zh|Sìchuān shěng}})
| translit_lang1_type1 = {{nobold|Abbreviation}}
| translit_lang1_info1 = SC{{\}}{{linktext|lang=zh-hans|川}} ({{tlit|zh|Chuān}})
| settlement_type    = [[Provinces of China|Province]]
| image_skyline      = {{Multiple image
| border = infobox
| total_width = 280
| image_style = border:1;
| perrow = 1/2/2
| image1 = 雪山下的成都市天际线 Chengdu skyline with snow capped mountains (cropped).jpg
| image2 = 1 huanglong 2.jpg
| image3 = Chengdu pandas eating.jpg
| image4 = Mount Emei - Sunrise above the clouds.jpg
| image5 = Leshan Giant Buddha (1).jpg
| caption1 = Skyline of [[Chengdu]]
| caption2 = [[Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area|Huanglong]]
| caption3 = [[Giant panda]]s
| caption4 = [[Mount Emei]]
| caption5 = [[Leshan Giant Buddha]]
}}

| image_map          = Sichuan in China (+all claims hatched).svg
| mapsize            = 275px
| map_caption        = Location of Sichuan in China
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[China]]
| seat_type          = Capital<br/>{{nobold|(and largest city)}}
| seat               = [[Chengdu]]
| parts_type         = Divisions
| parts_style        = para
| p1                 = 21 [[List of administrative divisions of Sichuan|prefectures]]
| p2                 = 181
| p3                 = 5011
| government_type    = [[Provinces of China|Province]]
| governing_body     = [[Sichuan Provincial People's Congress]]
| leader_title       = [[Party Secretary of Sichuan|Party Secretary]]
| leader_name        = [[Wang Xiaohui]]
| leader_title1      = [[Sichuan Provincial People's Congress|Congress]] chairman
| leader_name1       = Wang Xiaohui
| leader_title2      = [[Governor of Sichuan|Governor]]
| leader_name2       = [[Shi Xiaolin]]
| leader_title3      = [[Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference|Provincial CPPCC]] Chairwoman
| leader_name3       = [[Tian Xiangli]]
| leader_title4      = [[National People's Congress]] Representation
| leader_name4       = 147 deputies
| area_footnotes     = <ref name=mofcom>{{cite web |title=Doing Business in China – Survey |url=http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/zt_business/lanmub/ |publisher=Ministry Of Commerce, People's Republic Of China |access-date=5 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526181645/http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/zt_business/lanmub/ |archive-date=26 May 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 485000
| area_rank          = [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by area|5th]]
| elevation_max_m    = 7556
| elevation_max_point = [[Mount Gongga]]
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |date=11 May 2021 |title=Communiqué of the Seventh National Population Census (No. 3) |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202105/t20210510_1817188.html |access-date=11 May 2021 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |archive-date=1 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001130717/http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202105/t20210510_1817188.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| population_total   = 83,674,866
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_rank    = [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by population|5th]]
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_rank = [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by population density|22nd]]
| demographics_type1 = Demographics
| demographics1_title1 = Ethnic composition
| demographics1_info1 = {{ubl|[[Han Chinese|Han]]{{snd}}95%|[[Yi people|Yi]]{{snd}}2.6%|[[Tibetan people|Tibetan]]{{snd}}1.5%|[[Qiang people|Qiang]]{{snd}}0.4%|Others{{snd}}0.5%}}
| demographics1_title2 = Languages and dialects
| demographics1_info2 = {{hlist|[[Southwestern Mandarin]] ([[Sichuanese (language)|Sichuanese]])|[[Khams Tibetan]]|[[Hakka Chinese]]}}
|demographics_type2   = [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] {{normal|(2024)}}<ref name="China NBS GDP data">{{cite press release | url=https://data.stats.gov.cn/english| title=regional - annual by province - national accounts - gross regional product| publisher=China NBS|access-date=May 13, 2023}} see also {{cite web|url=https://www.sc.gov.cn/10462/10464/10797/2024/3/14/aef7f698a38246f8abedaf2cbad7b328.shtml |script-title=zh:2023年四川省国民经济和社会发展统计公报|publisher=sichuan.gov.cn|date=March 14, 2024|access-date=June 19, 2024|language=zh}}</ref>
|demographics2_title1 = Total
|demographics2_info1 = {{CNY|6,469 billion}} ([[List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP|5th]]; US$908 billion)
| demographics2_title2 = Per capita
| demographics2_info2 = {{CNY|77,333}} ([[List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP per capita|20th]]; US$10,859)
| iso_code           = CN-SC 
| blank4_name_sec2   = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{normal|(2022)}}
| blank4_info_sec2   = 0.762<ref name="SHDI">{{cite web |title=Human Development Indices (8.0)- China |url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/table/shdi/CHN/?levels=1+4&years=2022&interpolation=0&extrapolation=0 |access-date=23 September 2024 |website=Global Data Lab}}</ref> ([[List of Chinese administrative divisions by HDI|22nd]]){{snd}}{{color|#090|high}}
| website            = {{URL|www.sc.gov.cn}}
| official_name      = Province of Sichuan
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = Sichuan_(Chinese_characters).svg
| piccap = "Sichuan" in Chinese characters
| picupright = 0.4
| c = 四川
| l = "Four Plains"
| p = Sìchuān
| bpmf = {{bpmfsp|ㄙˋ|ㄔㄨㄢ}}
| w = {{tonesup|Szŭ4-chʻuan1}}
| myr = Sz̀-chwān
| sic = {{tonesup|Si4-cuan1}}
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|AUD|zh-Sichuan.ogg|si|4|.|ch|uan|1}}
| psp = Szechwan
| j = Sei3-cyun<1
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|s|ei|3|.|c|yun|1}}
| y = Sei-chyūn
| wuu = Sy<sup>3</sup>-tshoe<sup>1</sup>
| poj = Sù-chhoan
| tl = Sì-tshuan
| h = Si-tshôn
| tib = སི་ཁྲོན་
| wylie = si khron
| zwpy  = Sichoin
| othername = 
| lang1 = [[Nuosu language|Yi]]
| lang1_content = {{ubl|{{lang|ii|ꌧꍧ}}|{{tlit|ii|syp chuo}}}}
}}

'''Sichuan''',{{efn|{{IPAc-en|s|ɪ|tʃ|ˈ|w|ɑː|n}} <ref>{{Cite dictionary |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Sichuan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113014734/https://www.lexico.com/definition/sichuan |archive-date=13 January 2021 |title=Sichuan |dictionary=[[Lexico]] UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref> {{lang-zh|c={{Audio|Sichuan.ogg|四川|help=no}}}}, {{IPA|cmn|sɹ̩̂.ʈʂʰwán|lang}}; {{tlit|zh|Sìchuān}}; [[Sichuanese Pinyin|Sichuanese romanization]]: {{tlit|zh|Sïchuan}}}} [[Postal romanization|previously romanized]] as '''Szechwan''' or '''Szechuan''', is a [[Provinces of China|province]] in [[Southwestern China]], occupying the [[Sichuan Basin]] and [[Tibetan Plateau]]—between the [[Jinsha River]] to the west, the [[Daba Mountains]] to the north, and the [[Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau]] to the south. Its capital city is [[Chengdu]], and its population stands at 83&nbsp;million. Sichuan neighbors [[Qinghai]] and [[Gansu]] to the north, [[Shaanxi]] and [[Chongqing]] to the east, [[Guizhou]] and [[Yunnan]] to the south, and [[Tibet Autonomous Region|Tibet]] to the west.

During antiquity, Sichuan was home to the kingdoms of [[Ba (state)|Ba]] and [[Shu (kingdom)|Shu]] until their incorporation by the [[Qin (state)|Qin]]. During the [[Three Kingdoms]] era (220–280), [[Liu Bei]]'s state of [[Shu Han|Shu]] was based in Sichuan. The area was devastated in the 17th century by [[Zhang Xianzhong]]'s rebellion and the area's subsequent [[Qing dynasty|Manchu]] conquest. However, the area  recovered to become one of China's most productive by the 19th century. During [[World War II]], Chongqing served as the temporary capital of the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]], and was [[Bombing of Chongqing|heavily bombed]]. It was one of the last [[Mainland China|mainland]] areas captured by the [[People's Liberation Army]] during the [[Chinese Civil War]], and was divided into four parts from 1949 to 1952, with Chongqing restored two years later. It suffered gravely during the [[Great Chinese Famine]] (1959–1961) but remained China's [[List of Chinese provinces|most-populous province]] until Chongqing was again separated from it in 1997.

The [[Sichuanese people]] speak distinctive [[Sichuanese dialects|dialects]] of [[Mandarin Chinese]]. The [[Sichuan pepper]], with its distinctive flavor and numbing effect, is prominent in modern [[Sichuan cuisine]], featuring dishes, including [[Kung Pao chicken]] and [[mapo tofu]], that have become staples of Chinese cuisine around the world. 
There are many [[Giant panda|panda]] stations in the province and large reserves for these creatures, such as the [[Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding]].

Sichuan is the [[List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP|6th-largest provincial economy]] of China, the largest in [[Western China]], and the second-largest among inland provinces after [[Henan]]. As of 2021, its nominal GDP was {{CNY|5,385 billion}} (US$847.68 billion), ahead of that of Turkey ($815 billion).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-02-07 |title=Decoding China's 2021 GDP Growth Rate: A Look at Regional Numbers |url=https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-2021-gdp-performance-a-look-at-major-provinces-and-cities/ |access-date=2022-09-15 |website=China Briefing News |language=en |archive-date=19 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819091517/https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-2021-gdp-performance-a-look-at-major-provinces-and-cities/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=GDP Turkiye |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=TR&year_high_desc=true |access-date=2022-09-15 |publisher=World Bank |archive-date=15 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915041741/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=TR&year_high_desc=true |url-status=live}}</ref> If it were its own country, Sichuan would be the [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|18th-largest economy]] and [[List of countries and dependencies by population|19th-most populous]] as of 2021.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=GDP Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?year_high_desc=true |access-date=2022-09-15 |website=data.worldbank.org |archive-date=15 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915071456/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?year_high_desc=true |url-status=live}}</ref>

==<span class="anchor" id="Etymology"></span><span class="anchor" id="Names"></span> Names==
It is commonly assumed that the name ''Sichuan'' means 'four [[rivers of China|rivers]]'; in [[folk etymology]], this is usually taken to mean any four of the province's major rivers: [[Jialing River|Jialing]], [[Jinsha River|Jinsha]] (or the [[Yangtze]]), [[Wu River (Yangtze tributary)|Wu]], [[Min River (Sichuan)|Min]], and [[Tuo River|Tuo]].<ref name=ruf>{{citation |last=Ruf |first=Gregory Anthony |title=Pillars of the State: Laboring Families, Authority, and Community in Rural Sichuan, 1937–1991 |publisher=Columbia University Press |location=New York |year=1994 |page=68}}</ref><ref name=rowan>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JXYgAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA26 |title=Ancient Central China: Centers and Peripheries along the Yangzi River |first1=Rowan K. |last1=Flad |first2=Pochan |last2=Chen |page=26 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |date=21 January 2013 |isbn=978-0-521-89900-0 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WSr8EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA19 |title=The Great Land Groaned|author= Yefu |date= 2024 |page=19 |publisher=Bouden House |isbn=9798869264244 }}</ref> According to historical geographer [[Tan Qixiang]], 'four rivers' is an erroneous interpretation of the name.<ref name="谭其骧">{{cite journal |last1=Tan |first1=Qixiang |author-mask1=Tan Qixiang; |author2=王天良 |author3=邹逸麟 |author4=郑宝恒 |author5=胡菊兴 |year=1980 |script-title=zh:我国省区名称的来源 |trans-title=Etymology of our country's provinces |script-journal=zh:复旦学报(社会科学版) |issue=S1 |page=128 |author1-link=Tan Qixiang}}</ref> The name of the province is a contraction of the phrases 'Four Plain [[Circuit (administrative subdivision)|Circuits]]' ({{zhi|c=四川路|p=Sìchuān lù}}) and 'Four Circuits of Chuanxia' ({{zhi|c=川峽四路|p=chuānxiásìlù}}),<ref>{{cite book |author1=张学君 |script-title=zh:四川省志·卷首 |trans-title=Annals of Sichuan Province |volume=1 |location=Beijing |publisher=Fangzhi chubanshe |year=2003 |isbn=7-80122-933-9 |page=103}}</ref> referring to the division of the existing [[imperial China|imperial]] administrative circuit in the area into four during the [[Song dynasty|Northern Song dynasty]], which were [[Yi Province|Yizhou]], [[Lizhou District|Lizhou]], [[Zi Prefecture (Sichuan)|Zizhou]], and [[Kuizhou]].<ref>{{in lang|zh}}[http://www.people.com.cn/GB/shenghuo/1090/2435218.html Origin of the Names of China's Provinces] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427100058/http://www.people.com.cn/GB/shenghuo/1090/2435218.html |date=27 April 2016 }}, [[People's Daily Online]].</ref> The word ''chuan'' ({{lang|zh|川}}) here means 'plain', not its typical meaning of 'river' as popularly assumed.<ref>{{cite book |author=牛汝辰 |script-title=zh:中国地名掌故词典 |trans-title=Dictionary of Etymology of Chinese Places |location=Beijing |publisher=中国社会出版社 |year=2016 |isbn=978-7-5087-5238-9 |page=321 |language=zh}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author1=贾文毓 |author2=李引 |script-title=zh:中国地名辞源 |trans-title=Etymology of Chinese Places |location=Beijing |publisher=Huaxia Publishing House |year=2005 |isbn=7-5080-3790-1 |page=360 |language=zh}}</ref> In addition to its [[Postal Map Romanization|postal map]] and [[Wade–Giles]] forms, the name has also been irregularly romanized as ''Szű-chuan'' and ''Szechuen''.

In antiquity, the area of modern Sichuan including the now-separated Chongqing Municipality was known to the Chinese as ''Ba–Shu'', in reference to the [[states of ancient China|ancient state]] of [[Ba (state)|Ba]] and the [[Shu (kingdom)|ancient kingdom of Shu]] that once occupied the [[Sichuan Basin]]. ''Shu'' continued to be used to refer to the region to the present day; several states formed in the area used the same name, for example, the [[Shu Han|Shu]] of the [[Three Kingdoms]] period (220–280), and [[Former Shu]] and [[Later Shu]] of the [[Ten Kingdoms]] period (907–979).<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RcH7PLTz3OIC&pg=PA71 |title=Ancient Central China: Centers and Peripheries Along the Yangzi River |first1=Rowan K. |last1=Flad |first2=Pochan |last2=Chen |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-521-89900-0 |page=71 |access-date=15 January 2019 }}</ref> Currently, both characters for ''Shu'' and ''Chuan'' are common abbreviations for Sichuan.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://english.sc.gov.cn/SichuaninPerspective/BriefingaboutSichuan/200906/t20090624_770675.shtml |title=Historical Geographical Characteristics |publisher=General Office of Sichuan Provincial People's Government |access-date=16 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819023648/http://english.sc.gov.cn/SichuaninPerspective/BriefingaboutSichuan/200906/t20090624_770675.shtml |archive-date=19 August 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The region was formerly referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by [[Protestantism in Sichuan|Protestant missions]].

==History==
===Prehistory===
The [[Sichuan Basin]] and adjacent areas of the [[Yangtze]] watershed were a cradle of indigenous civilizations dating back to at least the 15th century&nbsp;BC, coinciding with the [[Shang dynasty|Shang]] in northern China. The region had its own distinct religious beliefs and worldview. The earliest excavated culture found therein is the [[Baodun culture]] ({{circa}}2700–1750 BC) excavated in the [[Chengdu Plain]].<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I3XG3H_WlM8C&pg=PT164 |title=A Companion to Chinese Archaeology |editor=Anne P. Underhill |chapter=Chapter 7: The Sichuan Basin Neolithic – The Baodun Culture |isbn=978-1-118-32578-0 |publisher=Wiley |year=2013 |access-date=16 January 2019 |archive-date=14 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114001150/https://books.google.com/books?id=I3XG3H_WlM8C&pg=PT164 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RcH7PLTz3OIC&pg=PA74 |title=Ancient Central China: Centers and Peripheries Along the Yangzi River |author=Rowan K. Flad |author2=Pochan Chen
 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-521-89900-0 |page=74 |access-date=16 January 2019 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126050941/https://books.google.com/books?id=RcH7PLTz3OIC&pg=PA74 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Ba and Shu Kingdoms===
[[File:三星堆出土青铜大立人像, 2017-09-17.jpg|thumb|upright|Bronze figure of a [[high priest]] from [[Sanxingdui]], dating from the [[Shu (kingdom)|Shu kingdom]]]]
[[File:太阳神鸟金箔片, 2017-09-17.jpg|thumb|[[Golden Sun Bird]] from [[Jinsha site]]]]
The most important native states were those of Ba and Shu.

[[Ba (state)|Ba]] stretched into Sichuan from the [[Han River (Shaanxi)|Han Valley]] in [[Shaanxi]] and [[Hubei]] down the [[Jialing River]] as far as its confluence with the [[Yangtze]] at [[Chongqing]].<ref name=kongzi>{{cite book |title=Ancient Sichuan and the Unification of China |author=Steven F. Sage |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VDIrG7h_VuQC&pg=PA2 |publisher=State University of New York Press |pages=2–3 |year=2006 |isbn=0-7914-1038-2 |access-date=10 March 2016 |archive-date=30 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130195606/https://books.google.com/books?id=VDIrG7h_VuQC&pg=PA2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Shu (kingdom)|Shu]] occupied the valley of the [[Min River (Sichuan)|Min]], including [[Chengdu]] and other areas of western Sichuan.<ref name=kongzi/> The existence of the early state of Shu was poorly recorded in the main historical records of China. It was, however, referred to in the ''[[Book of Documents]]'' as an ally of the Zhou.<ref>[http://ctext.org/shang-shu/speech-at-mu Shujing] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117022051/http://ctext.org/shang-shu/speech-at-mu |date=17 November 2015 }} Original text: {{lang|zh-hant|王曰：「嗟！我友邦塚君御事，司徒、司鄧、司空，亞旅、師氏，千夫長、百夫長，及庸，蜀、羌、髳、微、盧、彭、濮人。稱爾戈，比爾干，立爾矛，予其誓。」}}</ref> Accounts of Shu exist mainly as a mixture of mythological stories and historical legends recorded in local annals such as the ''[[Chronicles of Huayang]]'' compiled in the [[Jin dynasty (266–420)]],<ref name="sanxingdui">{{Cite book |last=Sanxingdui Museum |author2=Wu Weixi |author3=Zhu Yarong |title=The Sanxingdui site: mystical mask on ancient Shu Kingdom |publisher=[[:zh:五洲传播出版社|China Intercontinental Press]] |year=2006 |pages=7–8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O0UlsHXmv9IC |isbn=7-5085-0852-1 |access-date=10 March 2016 |archive-date=30 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130195603/https://books.google.com/books?id=O0UlsHXmv9IC |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |trans-title=[[Chronicles of Huayang]] |script-title=zh:華陽國志 |trans-chapter=Book 3 |script-chapter=zh:卷三 |author=Chang Qu |url=https://archive.org/stream/06061130.cn#page/n90/mode/2up |pages=90–91 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314081232/http://archive.org/stream/06061130.cn#page/n90/mode/2up |archive-date=14 March 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the Han-dynasty compilation ''{{ill|Chronicle of the Kings of Shu|zh|蜀王本紀}}''.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I3XG3H_WlM8C&pg=PT182 |title=A Companion to Chinese Archaeology |editor=Anne P. Underhill |chapter=Chapter 8: The Sanxingdui Culture of Sichuan |author=Sun Hua |isbn=978-1-118-32578-0 |publisher=Wiley |date=2013 |access-date=15 January 2019 |archive-date=17 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117130948/https://books.google.com/books?id=I3XG3H_WlM8C&pg=PT182 |url-status=live }}</ref> These contained folk stories such as that of {{ill|Duyu|lt=Emperor Duyu|zh|杜宇}} who taught the people agriculture and transformed himself into a cuckoo after his death.<ref name="perf"/> The existence of a highly developed civilization with an independent bronze industry in Sichuan was excavated in 1986 at a small village named [[Sanxingdui]] in [[Guanghan]], Sichuan.<ref name="perf">{{cite book |title=Ta Chʻeng, Great Perfection – Religion and Ethnicity in a Chinese Millennial Kingdom |author=Terry F. Kleeman |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FAJrw0yInnAC&pg=PA17 |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |year=1998 |isbn=0-8248-1800-8 |pages=17–19, 22 |access-date=10 March 2016 |archive-date=30 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130195605/https://books.google.com/books?id=FAJrw0yInnAC&pg=PA17 |url-status=live}}</ref> This site, believed to be an ancient city of Shu, was initially discovered by a local farmer in 1929 who found jade and stone artifacts. Excavations by archeologists yielded few significant finds until 1986 when two major sacrificial pits were found with spectacular bronze items as well as artifacts in jade, gold, earthenware, and stone.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sanxingdui Museum |author2=Wu Weixi |author3=Zhu Yarong |title=The Sanxingdui site: mystical mask on ancient Shu Kingdom |publisher=[[:zh:五洲传播出版社|China Intercontinental Press]] |year=2006 |pages=5–6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O0UlsHXmv9IC |isbn=7-5085-0852-1 |access-date=10 March 2016 |archive-date=30 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130195603/https://books.google.com/books?id=O0UlsHXmv9IC |url-status=live }}</ref> This and other discoveries in Sichuan contest the conventional historiography that the local culture and technology of Sichuan were undeveloped in comparison to the technologically and culturally "advanced" [[Yellow River]] valley of north-central China.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

===Qin dynasty===
The rulers of the expansionist state of [[Qin (state)|Qin]], based in present-day [[Gansu]] and [[Shaanxi]], were the first strategists to realize that the area's military importance matched its commercial and agricultural significance. The Sichuan basin is surrounded by the [[Hengduan Mountains]] to the west, the [[Qin Mountains]] to the north, and [[Yungui Plateau]] to the south. Since the Yangtze flows through the basin and then through the perilous Three Gorges to eastern and southern China, Sichuan was a staging area for amphibious military forces and a haven for political refugees.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

Qin armies finished their conquest of the kingdoms of Shu and Ba by 316 BC. Any written records and civil achievements of earlier kingdoms were destroyed. Qin administrators introduced improved agricultural technology. [[Li Bing (Qin)|Li Bing]], engineered the [[Dujiangyan irrigation system]] to control the [[Min River (Sichuan)|Min River]], a major [[tributary]] of the Yangtze. This innovative hydraulic system was composed of movable weirs which could be adjusted for high or low water flow according to the season, to either provide irrigation or prevent floods. The increased agricultural output and taxes made the area a source of provisions and men for Qin's unification of China.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

===Han dynasty===
[[File:Gao Yi Que2.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A stone-carved gate pillar, or ''[[que (tower)|que]]'', {{cvt|6|m}} in total height, located at the tomb of Gao Yi in Ya'an, Sichuan, built during the [[Eastern Han|Eastern Han dynasty]] (25–220 CE)]]
Sichuan was subjected to the autonomous control of kings named by the imperial family of the Han dynasty. During the 11 years hiatus between 25 and 36 AD, Sichuan was controlled by the [[Chengjia]] Kingdom. Following the declining central government of the [[Han dynasty]] in the second century, the Sichuan basin, surrounded by mountains and easily defensible, became a popular place for upstart generals to found kingdoms that challenged the authority of Yangtze Valley emperors over China.<ref name="Haw"/>
[[File:Warlords in 194.jpg|thumb|right|Warlords in China around 194; [[Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province]] meant he seized the positions of [[Liu Biao]] and [[Zhang Lu (Han dynasty)|Zhang Lu]] eventually]]

===Three Kingdoms===
In 221, during the partition following the fall of the [[Eastern Han]] – the era of the [[Three Kingdoms]] – [[Liu Bei]] founded the southwest kingdom of [[Shu Han]] ({{lang-zh|labels=no|t={{linktext|蜀|漢}}}}; 221–263) in parts of Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, with [[Chengdu]] as its capital. Shu-Han claimed to be the successor to the Han dynasty.<ref name="Haw">{{cite book |title=A Traveller's History of China |first=Stephen G |last=Haw |publisher=Interlink Books |year=2008 |page=83}}</ref>

In 263, the [[Cao Wei]] of North China [[Conquest of Shu by Wei|conquered]] the Kingdom of Shu-Han as a step on the path to reuniting China. [[Salt in Chinese history|Salt production]] becomes a major business in [[Ziliujing District]]. During the [[Six Dynasties]] period of Chinese disunity, Sichuan began to be populated by non-[[Han Chinese|Han]] ethnic minority peoples, owing to the migration of [[Gelao people]] from the [[Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau]] to the Sichuan basin.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

===Tang dynasty===
[[File:Leshan Giant Buddha (2).jpg|thumb|right|The [[Leshan Giant Buddha]], built during the latter half of the [[Tang dynasty]] (618–907).]]
Sichuan came under the firm control of a Chinese central government during the [[Sui dynasty]], but it was during the subsequent [[Tang dynasty]] that Sichuan regained its previous political and cultural prominence for which it was known during the Han. Chengdu became nationally known as a supplier of armies and the home of [[Du Fu]], who is sometimes called China's greatest poet. During the [[An Lushan Rebellion]] (755–763), [[Emperor Xuanzong of Tang]] fled from [[Chang'an]] to Sichuan which became his refuge. The region was torn by constant warfare and economic distress as it was besieged by the [[Tibetan Empire]].<ref name="Tara">{{cite book |title=The Territories of the People's Republic of China |first1=Tara |last1=Boland-Crewe |first2=David |last2=Lea |publisher=Psychology Press |year=2004 |pages=187–189}}</ref>

===Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms===
In the [[Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period]], Sichuan became the heart of the [[Former Shu|Shu kingdom]] with its capital in [[Chengdu]]. In 925, the kingdom was absorbed into [[Later Tang]] but would regain independence under [[Meng Zhixiang]] who founded [[Later Shu]] in 934. Later Shu would continue until 965 when it was absorbed by the [[Song dynasty|Song]].

===Song and Yuan dynasties===
During the [[Song dynasty]] (960–1279), [[Sichuanese people|Sichuanese]] was able to protect themselves from [[Tibetan people|Tibetan]] attacks with the help of the central government. There were rebellions against the Song by Li Shun in 994 and Wang Jun in 1000. Sichuan also saw cultural revivals like the great poets [[Su Xun]] ({{lang|zh-Hant|蘇洵}}), [[Su Shi]], and [[Su Zhe]].<ref name="Tara"/> Although paper currency was known in the Tang dynasty, in 1023 AD, the first true [[Banknote|paper money]] in human history ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=[[:zh:交子|交子]] |p=jiāozǐ}}) was issued in [[Chengdu]].<ref>Horesh Niv, 2012, "From Chengdu to Stockholm: A Comparative Study of the Emergence of Paper Money in East and West"</ref><ref>Hans G.Wiedemann & Gerhard Bayer, 1992, "Approach to ancient Chinese artifacts by means of thermal analysis", Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam</ref><ref>Pan Jixing, 1998, "On the origin of movable metal-type technique", Chinese Science Bulletin</ref>

It was also during the Song dynasty that the bulk of the native [[Ba (state)|Ba people]] of eastern Sichuan assimilated into the Han Chinese ethnicity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fei |first=Xiaotong |date=2017-12-18 |title=The formation and development of the Chinese nation with multi-ethnic groups |journal=International Journal of Anthropology and Ethnology |volume=1 |issue=1 |article-number=1 |doi=10.1186/s41257-017-0001-z |s2cid=256521035 |issn=2366-1003|doi-access=free }}</ref>

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Southern Song dynasty established coordinated defenses against the [[Mongols|Mongolian]] [[Yuan dynasty]], in Sichuan and [[Xiangzhou District, Xiangyang|Xiangyang]]. The Southern Song state monopolized the Sichuan [[tea]] industry to pay for warhorses, but this state intervention eventually brought devastation to the local economy.<ref>{{Cite book |title=A History of China |last=Roberts |first=John A.G. |isbn=978-0-230-34536-2 |series=Palgrave Essential Histories series |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rBpvOo_R854C |year=2011 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |page=109 | access-date = 15 November 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160604052529/https://books.google.com/books?id=rBpvOo_R854C | archive-date = 4 June 2016 | url-status = live}}</ref> The line of defense was finally broken through after the first use of [[firearm]]s in history during the six-year [[Battle of Xiangyang]], which ended in 1273. Allegedly there were a million pieces of unspecified types of skeleton bones belonging to war animals and both Song and Yuan soldiers who perished in the fighting over the city, although the figure may have been grossly exaggerated.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4MBZAAAAcAAJ&pg=PP728|script-title=zh:成都录|quote={{lang|zh|城中骸骨一百四十万}}|title=Yi jia tang cong shu|last1=Yu|first1=Songnian|year=1840|access-date=18 October 2020|archive-date=13 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513003121/https://books.google.com/books?id=4MBZAAAAcAAJ&pg=PP728|url-status=live}}</ref> The recorded number of families in Sichuan dropped from 2,640,000 families,<ref>{{lang|zh|李心傳}} [Li Xinchuan], "{{lang|zh-hant|建炎以來朝野雜記}}", {{lang|zh|文海出版公司}} [Wenhai Publishing Co.], 1967. 1st set, section 7, page 15</ref> as recorded from the census taken in 1162 AD, to 120,000 families<ref>{{lang|zh|李心傳}} [Li Xinchuan], "{{lang|zh-hant|建炎以來朝野雜記}}", {{lang|zh|文海出版公司}} [Wenhai Publishing Co.], 1967. 1st set, section 7, page 16</ref> in 1282 AD.<ref>C. P. Atwood-Encyclopedia of Mongolia and the Mongol Empire</ref> Possible causes include forced population transfer to nearby areas, evacuation to nearby provinces, census under-reporting or inaccuracy, and war-related deaths.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}
One instance of the deportation of Sichuanese civilians to Mongolia occurred in the aftermath of a battle in 1259 when more than 80,000 people were taken captive from one city in Sichuan and moved to Mongolia.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9SpADAAAQBAJ&pg=PA325 |title=State Power in China, 900–1325 |page=325 |isbn=978-0-295-99848-0 |last1=Ebrey |first1=Patricia Buckley |last2=Smith |first2=Paul Jakov |date=25 August 2016 |publisher=University of Washington Press |access-date=19 August 2019 |archive-date=12 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112095010/https://books.google.com/books?id=9SpADAAAQBAJ&pg=PA325 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Ming dynasty===
[[File:"Suchuen, Imperii Sinarum provincia sexta. " (22065652598).jpg|thumb|Map of {{lang|la|Suchuen}} (Sichuan) from [[Willem Blaeu|Willem]] and [[Joan Blaeu]]'s 1659 ''[[Atlas Maior|Geographia Blaviana]]''.]]
The Ming dynasty defeated [[Ming Yuzhen]]'s Xia polity which ruled Sichuan.<ref name="MoteTwitchett1988">{{cite book |author1=Frederick W. Mote |author2=Denis Twitchett |title=The Cambridge History of China: Volume 7, The Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tyhT9SZRLS8C&pg=PA125 |date=26 February 1988 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-24332-2 |pages=125–127 |access-date=2 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128142547/https://books.google.com/books?id=tyhT9SZRLS8C&pg=PA125 |archive-date=28 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[Ming dynasty]], major architectural works were created in Sichuan. Buddhism remained influential in the region. [[Bao'en Temple (Pingwu)|Bao'en Temple]] is a well-preserved 15th-century monastery complex built between 1440 and 1446 during the [[Emperor Yingzong of Ming|Zhengtong Emperor]]'s reign (1427–64). Dabei Hall enshrines a thousand-armed wooden image of [[Guanyin]] and Huayan Hall is a repository with a revolving [[sutra]] cabinet. The wall paintings, sculptures, and other ornamental details are masterpieces of the Ming period.<ref name="pan">{{cite book |first=Pan |last=Guxi |year=2002 |title=Chinese Architecture – The Yuan and Ming Dynasties |edition=English |publisher=Yale University Press |pages=[https://archive.org/details/chinesearchitect0000unse/page/245 245–246] |isbn=0-300-09559-7 |url=https://archive.org/details/chinesearchitect0000unse/page/245}}</ref>

In the middle of the 17th century, the peasant rebel leader [[Zhang Xianzhong]] (1606–1646) from [[Yan'an]], [[Shaanxi]] Province, nicknamed ''Yellow Tiger'', led his peasant troop from north China to the south and conquered Sichuan. Upon capturing it, he declared himself emperor of the Daxi dynasty ({{lang|zh|大西王朝}}). In response to the resistance from local elites, he massacred a large number of people in Sichuan, killing around one in three people.<ref>{{cite book|last=Dillon|first=Michael|title=China: A Cultural and Historical Dictionary|publisher=Routledge|year=1998 |isbn=978-0700704392 |page=379 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VA5tKw11K8YC&pg=PA379 }} from J.B. Parsons, The Peasant Rebellions of the Late Ming Dynasty (University of Arizona Press). 1970</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://app1.chinadaily.com.cn/star/2002/0411/cn8-3.html |title=Skeletons of massacre victims uncovered at construction site |date=11 April 2002 |publisher=[[Shanghai Star]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060422024601/http://app1.chinadaily.com.cn/star/2002/0411/cn8-3.html | archive-date = 22 April 2006 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> As a result of the massacre as well as years of turmoil during the [[Qing conquest of the Ming|Ming-Qing transition]], the population of Sichuan fell sharply, requiring massive resettlement of people from the neighboring [[Huguang Province]] (modern Hubei and Hunan) and other provinces during the Qing dynasty.<ref name="parsons">{{cite journal |title=The Culmination of a Chinese Peasant Rebellion: Chang Hsien-chung in Szechwan, 1644–46 |author=James B. Parsons |journal=The Journal of Asian Studies |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=387–400 |year=1957 |doi=10.2307/2941233 |jstor=2941233 |s2cid=162377335}}</ref><ref name="Dai"/><ref name="Dai2009">{{cite book |author=Yingcong Dai |title=The Sichuan Frontier and Tibet: Imperial Strategy in the Early Qing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DYHfVVAAf_kC&pg=PA16 |year=2009 |publisher=University of Washington Press |isbn=978-0-295-98952-5 |pages=16– |access-date=2 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128213258/https://books.google.com/books?id=DYHfVVAAf_kC&pg=PA16 |archive-date=28 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Qing dynasty===
{{see also|Hakka people#Sichuan}}
Sichuan was originally the origin of the Deng lineage until one of them was hired as an official in Guangdong during the Ming dynasty but during the Qing plan to increase the population in 1671 they came to Sichuan again. In 1904 [[Deng Xiaoping]] was born in Sichuan.<ref name="Dai2009 2">{{cite book |author=Yingcong Dai |title=The Sichuan Frontier and Tibet: Imperial Strategy in the Early Qing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DYHfVVAAf_kC&pg=PA25 |year=2009 |publisher=University of Washington Press |isbn=978-0-295-98952-5 |pages=25– |access-date=20 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128154047/https://books.google.com/books?id=DYHfVVAAf_kC&pg=PA25 |archive-date=28 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[Qing dynasty]], Sichuan was merged with [[Shaanxi]] and [[Shanxi]] to create "Shenzhuan" during 1680–1731 and 1735–1748.<ref name="Tara"/> The current borders of Sichuan (which then included [[Chongqing]]) were established in the early 18th century. In the aftermath of the [[Sino-Nepalese War]] on China's southwestern border, the Qing gave Sichuan's provincial government direct control over the minority-inhabited areas of Sichuan west of [[Kangding]], which had previously been handled by an [[amban]].<ref name="Dai">{{cite book |title=The Sichuan Frontier and Tibet: Imperial Strategy in the Early Qing |first=Yingcong |last=Dai |publisher=University of Washington Press |year=2009 |pages=19–26, 145}}</ref>

A [[landslide dam]] on the [[Dadu River (Sichuan)|Dadu River]] caused by an earthquake gave way on 10 June 1786. The resulting flood killed 100,000 people.<ref>Schuster, R.L. and G. F. Wieczorek, "Landslide triggers and types" in ''Landslides: Proceedings of the First European Conference on Landslides'' 2002 A.A. Balkema Publishers. p.66 [https://books.google.com/books?id=psFSK_nUqqMC&dq=10+June+1786+dadu&pg=RA1-PA66] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031073437/https://books.google.com/books?id=psFSK_nUqqMC&pg=RA1-PA66&lpg=RA1-PA66&dq=10+June+1786+dadu&source=web&ots=baUnVQRMZA&sig=q7ExeDUuAmFl0JdFjZY0r-LthDc&hl=en|date=31 October 2015}}</ref>

===Republic of China===
[[File:Japanese bombing chinese main road.jpg|thumb|upright|Japanese bombers bombing a road in [[Chongqing]], then part of Sichuan province, during WW2]]
In the early 20th century, the newly founded [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] established the Chuanbian Special Administrative District ({{lang|zh-hant|川邊特別行政區}}) on the province's territories to the west of the [[Sichuan Basin]]. The Special District later became the province of [[Xikang]], incorporating the areas inhabited by [[Yi people|Yi]], [[Tibetan people|Tibetan]], and [[Qiang people|Qiang]] ethnic minorities to its west, and eastern part of today's [[Tibet Autonomous Region]].{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

In the 20th century, as [[Beijing]], [[Shanghai]], [[Nanjing]], and [[Wuhan]] had all been occupied by the Japanese during the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], the capital of the Republic of China had been temporarily relocated to [[Chongqing]], then a major city in Sichuan. An enduring legacy of this move is those nearby inland provinces, such as [[Shaanxi]], [[Gansu]], and [[Guizhou]], which previously never had [[History of education in China|modern Western-style universities]], began to be developed in this regard.<ref>{{cite book |title=Teachers' Schools and the Making of the Modern Chinese Nation-State, 1897–1937 |first=Xiaoping |last=Cong |publisher=UBC Press |year=2011 |page=203}}</ref> The difficulty of accessing the region overland from the eastern part of China and the foggy climate hindering the accuracy of the [[Sichuan invasion|Japanese bombing]] of the Sichuan Basin made the region the stronghold of [[Chiang Kai-shek]]'s [[Kuomintang]] government during 1938–45 and led to the [[Bombing of Chongqing]].{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

The [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] was soon followed by the resumed [[Chinese Civil War]], and the cities of East China are obtained by the Communists one after another, the Kuomintang government again tried to make Sichuan its stronghold on the mainland, although it already saw some Communist activity since it was one area on the road of the [[Long March]]. Chiang Kai-shek himself flew to Chongqing from [[Taiwan]] in November 1949 to lead the defense. But the same month Chongqing switched to the Communists, followed by Chengdu on 10 December. The Kuomintang general [[Wang Sheng (soldier)|Wang Sheng]] wanted to stay behind with his troops to continue the anticommunist guerilla war in Sichuan, but was recalled to Taiwan. Many of his soldiers made their way there as well, via [[Burma]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Marks |first=Thomas A. |title=Counterrevolution in China: Wang Sheng and the Kuomintang |publisher=Frank Cass |location=London |year=1998 |isbn=0-7146-4700-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=04QiOlNKQGEC&pg=PA116 |pages=116–117 |access-date=2 July 2020 |archive-date=2 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702194757/https://books.google.com/books?id=04QiOlNKQGEC&pg=PA116 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===People's Republic of China===
The People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, and it split Sichuan into four areas and separated Chongqing municipality. Sichuan was reconstituted in 1952, with Chongqing added in 1954, while the former [[Xikang]] province was split between [[Tibet Autonomous Region|Tibet]] in the west and Sichuan in the east.<ref name="Tara"/>

The province was deeply affected by the [[Great Chinese Famine]] of 1959–1961, during which period some 9.4 million people (13.07% of the population at the time) died.<ref name="cao">{{cite book |last1=Cao |first1=Shuji (曹树基) |script-title=zh:大饑荒：1959－1961年的中国人口 |trans-title=Great Famine: China's population from 1959 to 1961 |publisher=香港時代國際出版有限公司 |location=Hong Kong |language=zh-hant |year=2005}}</ref>

In 1978, when [[Deng Xiaoping]] took power, Sichuan was one of the first provinces to experiment with the market economic enterprise.

From 1955 until 1997, Sichuan had been China's most populous province; the population hit the 100 million mark shortly after the 1982 census figure of 99,730,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citypopulation.de/China-UA.html |title=Citypopulation.de:China |access-date=19 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704001241/http://www.citypopulation.de/China-UA.html |archive-date=4 July 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> This changed in 1997 when the [[Sub-provincial city]] of Chongqing as well as the three surrounding prefectures of [[Fuling]], [[Wanxian]], and [[Qianjiang District|Qianjiang]] were split off into the new [[Chongqing|Chongqing Municipality]]. The new municipality was formed to spearhead China's effort to economically develop its western provinces, as well as to coordinate the resettlement of residents from the reservoir areas of the [[Three Gorges Dam]] project.

In 1997, when Sichuan split, the sum of the two parts was recorded to be 114,720,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/statisticaldata/yearlydata/YB1998e/D4-3E.htm |title=National Statistics Agency Tables:4-3 Total Population and Birth Rate, Death Rate and Natural Growth Rate by Region (1997) |access-date=19 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113223314/http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/statisticaldata/yearlydata/YB1998e/D4-3E.htm |archive-date=13 November 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2010, Sichuan ranks as both the [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by area|3rd largest]] (the largest among Chinese [[List of People's Republic of China administrative divisions by population|provinces with a population greater than 50 million) and 4th most populous province]] in China.<ref name="bare_url">{{cite web |url=http://thechinaperspective.com/topics/province/sichuan-province/ |title=Sichuan Province: Economic News and Statistics for Sichuan's Economy |publisher=Thechinaperspective.com |access-date=2011-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008050304/http://thechinaperspective.com/topics/province/sichuan-province/ |archive-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On 12 May 2008, [[2008 Sichuan earthquake|an earthquake]] with a magnitude of 7.9/8.0 hit just {{cvt|79|km}} northwest of the provincial capital of Chengdu. Official figures recorded a death toll of over 87,000 people, and millions of people were left homeless.<ref name="data">{{cite news |url=http://news.sina.com.cn/pc/2008-05-13/326/651.html |date=2008-06-08 |access-date=2008-07-06 |title=Casualties of the Wenchuan Earthquake |publisher=[[Sina.com]] |language=zh-hans |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519003228/http://news.sina.com.cn/pc/2008-05-13/326/651.html |archive-date=19 May 2008 |url-status=live}}, and {{cite news |url=http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-07-06/162615881691.shtml |date=2008-07-06 |access-date=2008-07-07 |title=Wenchuan Earthquake has already caused 69,196 fatalities and 18,379 missing |publisher=[[Sina.com]] |language=zh-hans |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610125546/http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-07-06/162615881691.shtml |archive-date=10 June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Administrative divisions==
{{main|List of administrative divisions of Sichuan|List of township-level divisions of Sichuan}}
Sichuan consists of twenty-one [[prefecture-level division]]s: eighteen [[Prefecture-level city|prefecture-level cities]] (including a [[Sub-provincial divisions in the People's Republic of China|sub-provincial city]]) and three [[autonomous prefecture]]s:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto; width:90%; font-size:smaller; text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="9" |'''Administrative divisions of Sichuan'''
|-
| colspan="9" style="font-size:larger" | <div style="position: relative" class="center">
{{Image label begin|image=Administrative Division Sichuan.svg|width=702|link=|font-size=85%}} 
{{Image label|x=650|y=455|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Chengdu]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=735|y=615|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Zigong]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=410|y=905|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Panzhihua]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=860|y=680|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Luzhou]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=710|y=405|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Deyang]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=730|y=325|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Mianyang]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=845|y=270|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Guangyuan]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=820|y=460|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Suining]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=755|y=575|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Neijiang]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=630|y=625|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Leshan]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=885|y=390|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Nanchong]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=655|y=530|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Meishan]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=750|y=700|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Yibin]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=920|y=480|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Guang'an]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=1045|y=375|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Dazhou]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=540|y=540|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Ya'an]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=965|y=300|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Bazhong]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=785|y=520|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Ziyang]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=480|y=240|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture|Ngawa (Aba)<br />Tibetan and Qiang AP]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=280|y=460|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture|Garzê (Ganzi)<br />Tibetan AP]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=450|y=785|scale=702/1170|text='''[[Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture|Liangshan<br />Yi AP]]'''}}
{{Image label|x=880|y=575|scale=702/1170|text={{nobold|''[[Chongqing]]''}}}}
{{Image label end}}
</div>
|-
!! scope="col" rowspan="2" | [[Administrative division codes of the People's Republic of China|Division code]]<ref>{{cite web |language=zh-hans |url=http://files2.mca.gov.cn/cws/201502/20150225163817214.html |script-title=zh:中华人民共和国县以上行政区划代码 |publisher=[[Ministry of Civil Affairs]] |access-date=11 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402113603/http://files2.mca.gov.cn/cws/201502/20150225163817214.html |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>
!! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Division
!! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Area in km<sup>2</sup><ref name="nj2013">{{lang-zh}}{{cite book |language=zh-hans |author=Shenzhen Bureau of Statistics |publisher=[[:zh:中国统计出版社|China Statistics Print]] |script-title=zh:《深圳统计年鉴2014》 |url=http://www.sztj.gov.cn/nj2014/indexce.htm |access-date=2015-05-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184740/http://www.sztj.gov.cn/nj2014/indexce.htm |archive-date=12 May 2015 }}</ref>
!! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Population 2020<ref>{{cite web |language=zh-hans |url=https://www.gov.cn/guoqing/2021-05/13/content_5606149.htm |script-title=zh:第七次全国人口普查公报 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref>
!! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Seat
!! scope="col" colspan="4" | Divisions<ref>{{cite book |language=zh-hans |author=Ministry of Civil Affairs |script-title=zh:《中国民政统计年鉴2014》 |date=August 2014 |publisher=[[:zh:中国统计出版社|China Statistics Print]] |isbn=978-7-5037-7130-9 |author-link=Ministry of Civil Affairs}}</ref>
|-
!! scope="col" style="width:45px;"| [[District (China)|Districts]]
!! scope="col" style="width:45px;"| [[Counties of the People's Republic of China|Counties]]
!! scope="col" style="width:45px;"| [[Autonomous counties of the People's Republic of China|Aut. counties]]
!! scope="col" style="width:45px;"| [[County-level city|CL cities]]
|- style="font-weight: bold"
! 510000 !! Sichuan Province
| 485,000.00 || 83,674,866 || [[Chengdu]] city || 55 || 105 || 4 || 19
|- style="background:#98fb98;"
! 510100 !! [[Chengdu]] city
| 12,163.16 || 20,937,757 || [[Wuhou District]] || 12 || 3 || style="background:gray;"| || 5
|-
! 510300 !! [[Zigong]] city
| 4,373.13 || 2,489,256 || [[Ziliujing District]] || 4 || 2 || style="background:gray;"| || style="background:gray;"| 
|-
! 510400 !! [[Panzhihua]] city
| 7,423.42 || 1,212,203 || [[Dong District, Panzhihua|Dong District]] || 3 || 2 || style="background:gray;"| || style="background:gray;"| 
|-
! 510500 !! [[Luzhou]] city
| 12,233.58 || 4,254,149 || [[Jiangyang District]] || 3 || 4 || style="background:gray;"| || style="background:gray;"| 
|-
! 510600 !! [[Deyang]] city
| 5,951.55 || 3,456,161 || [[Jingyang District]] || 2 || 1 || style="background:gray;"| || 3
|-
! 510700 !! [[Mianyang]] city
| 20,267.46 || 4,868,243 || [[Fucheng District]] || 3 || 4 || 1 || 1
|-
! 510800 !! [[Guangyuan]] city
| 16,313.70 || 2,305,657 || [[Lizhou District]] || 3 || 4 || style="background:gray;"| || style="background:gray;"| 
|-
! 510900 !! [[Suining]] city
| 5,323.85 || 2,814,196 || [[Chuanshan District]] || 2 || 2 || style="background:gray;"| || 1
|-
! 511000 !! [[Neijiang]] city
| 5,385.33 || 3,140,678 || [[Shizhong District, Neijiang|Shizhong District]] || 2 || 2 || style="background:gray;"| || 1 
|-
! 511100 !! [[Leshan]] city
| 12,827.49 || 3,160,168 || [[Shizhong District, Leshan|Shizhong District]] || 4 || 4 || 2 || 1
|-
! 511300 !! [[Nanchong]] city
| 12,479.96 || 5,607,565 || [[Shunqing District]] || 3 || 5 || style="background:gray;"| || 1
|-
! 511400 !! [[Meishan]] city
| 7,173.82 || 2,955,219 || [[Dongpo District]] || 2 || 4 || style="background:gray;"| || style="background:gray;"| 
|-
! 511500 !! [[Yibin]] city
| 13,293.89 || 4,588,804 || [[Cuiping District]] || 3 || 7 || style="background:gray;"| || style="background:gray;"| 
|-
! 511600 !! [[Guang'an]] city
| 6,301.41 || 3,254,883 || [[Guang'an District]] || 2 || 3 || style="background:gray;"| || 1
|-
! 511700 !! [[Dazhou]] city
| 16,591.00 || 5,385,422 || [[Tongchuan District]] || 2 || 4 || style="background:gray;"| || 1
|-
! 511800 !! [[Ya'an]] city
| 15,213.28 || 1,434,603 || [[Yucheng District]] || 2 || 6 || style="background:gray;"| || style="background:gray;"| 
|-
! 511900 !! [[Bazhong]] city
| 12,301.26 || 2,712,894 || [[Bazhou District]] || 2 || 3 || style="background:gray;"| || style="background:gray;"| 
|-
! 512000 !! [[Ziyang]] city
| 7,962.56 || 2,308,631 || [[Yanjiang District]] || 1 || 2 || style="background:gray;"| || style="background:gray;"| 
|-
! 513200 !! [[Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture]]
| 82,383.32 || 822,587 || [[Barkam]] city || style="background:gray;"| || 12 || style="background:gray;"| || 1
|-
! 513300 !! [[Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture]]
| 147,681.37 || 1,107,431 || [[Kangding]] city || style="background:gray;"| || 17 || style="background:gray;"| || 1
|-
! 513400 !! [[Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture]]
| 60,422.67 || 4,858,359 || [[Xichang]] city || style="background:gray;"| || 14 || 1 || 2
|- 
| colspan = "12" | {{legend|#98FB98|[[Sub-provincial divisions in the People's Republic of China|Sub-provincial cities]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
|}

{|class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style="text-font:90%; width:auto; text-align:center; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
|-
! colspan="5" |Administrative divisions in Chinese and varieties of romanizations
|-
! English !! Chinese !! Pinyin !! Sichuanese Romanzation
|-
| '''Sichuan Province''' || {{lang|zh|四川省}} || '''Sìchuān Shěng''' || '''si4 cuan1 sen3'''
|-
| [[Chengdu]] city || {{lang|zh|成都市}} || Chéngdū Shì || cen2 du1 si4
|-
| [[Zigong]] city || {{lang|zh|自贡市}} || Zìgòng Shì || 
|-
| [[Panzhihua]] city || {{lang|zh|攀枝花市}} || Pānzhīhuā Shì || 
|-
| [[Luzhou]] city || {{lang|zh|泸州市}} || Lúzhōu Shì || nu2 zou1 si4
|-
| [[Deyang]] city || {{lang|zh|德阳市}} || Déyáng Shì || 
|-
| [[Mianyang]] city || {{lang|zh|绵阳市}} || Miányáng Shì || 
|-
| [[Guangyuan]] city || {{lang|zh|广元市}} || Guǎngyuán Shì || 
|-
| [[Suining]] city || {{lang|zh|遂宁市}} || Sùiníng Shì || xu4 nin2 si4
|-
| [[Neijiang]] city || {{lang|zh|内江市}} || Nèijiāng Shì || nui4 jiang1 si4
|-
| [[Leshan]] city || {{lang|zh|乐山市}} || Lèshān Shì || 
|-
| [[Nanchong]] city || {{lang|zh|南充市}} || Nánchōng Shì || lan2 cong1 si4
|-
| [[Meishan]] city || {{lang|zh|眉山市}} || Méishān Shì || mi2 san1 si4
|-
| [[Yibin]] city || {{lang|zh|宜宾市}} || Yíbīn Shì || ni2 bin1 si4
|-
| [[Guang'an]] city || {{lang|zh|广安市}} || Guǎng'ān Shì || 
|-
| [[Dazhou]] city || {{lang|zh|达州市}} || Dázhōu Shì || 
|-
| [[Ya'an]] city || {{lang|zh|雅安市}} || Yǎ'ān Shì || 
|-
| [[Bazhong]] city || {{lang|zh|巴中市}} || Bāzhōng Shì || 
|-
| [[Ziyang]] city || {{lang|zh|资阳市}} |
| [[Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture]] || {{lang|zh|阿坝藏族羌族自治州}} || Ābà Zangzú Qiāngzú Zìzhìzhōu || 
|-
| [[Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture]] || {{lang|zh|甘孜藏族自治州}} || Gānzī Zangzú Zìzhìzhōu || 
|-
| [[Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture]] || {{lang|zh|凉山彝族自治州}} || Liángshān Yízú Zìzhìzhōu || 
|}

The twenty [[Prefectures of the People's Republic of China|prefectures]] of Sichuan are subdivided into 183 [[county-level division]]s (53 [[District of China|district]]s, 17 [[county-level cities]], 109 [[County (People's Republic of China)|counties]], and 4 [[Autonomous counties of the People's Republic of China|autonomous counties]]). At the end of the year 2017, the total population is 83.02 million.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/ndsj/2018/indexch.htm |title=中国统计年鉴—2018 |access-date=28 January 2019 |archive-date=6 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106192400/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/ndsj/2018/indexch.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Urban areas ===
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size:90%;"
! colspan=5 | Population by urban areas of prefecture & county cities
|-
! # !! Cities !! style="background-color: #aaaaff;"| 2020 Urban area<ref name="2020PRCcensus">{{cite book |author=国务院人口普查办公室、国家统计局人口和社会科技统计司编 |date=2022 |script-title=zh:中国2020年人口普查分县资料 |location=Beijing |publisher=[[:zh:中国统计出版社|China Statistics Print]] |isbn=978-7-5037-9772-9}}</ref> !! style="background-color: #aaaaff;"| 2010 Urban area<ref name="2010PRCcensus">{{cite book |author=国务院人口普查办公室、国家统计局人口和社会科技统计司编 |date=2012 |script-title=zh:中国2010年人口普查分县资料 |location=Beijing |publisher=[[:zh:中国统计出版社|China Statistics Print]] |isbn=978-7-5037-6659-6}}</ref> !! style="background-color: #ffaaaa;" | 2020 City proper
|-
|1||'''[[Chengdu]]'''{{efn|name=Jianyang}}||13,568,357||6,316,922{{efn|name=Chengdu|New districts established after 2010 census: [[Shuangliu District|Shuangliu (Shuangliu County)]], [[Pidu District|Pidu (Pixian County)]], [[Xinjin, Chengdu|Xinjin (Xinjin County)]]. These new districts not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}}||20,937,757
|-
|2||[[Mianyang]]||1,549,499||967,007{{efn|name=Mianyang|New district established after 2010 census: [[Anzhou District|Anzhou (Anxian County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}}||4,868,243
|-
|3||[[Yibin]]||1,290,555||549,650{{efn|name=Yibin|New districts established after 2010 census: [[Nanxi District, Yibin|Nanxi (Nanxi County)]], [[Xuzhou District|Xuzhou (Yibin County)]]. These new districts not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}}||4,588,804
|-
|4||[[Nanchong]]||1,254,455||890,402||5,607,565
|-
|5||[[Luzhou]]||1,128,479||742,274||4,254,149
|-
|6||[[Dazhou]]||1,112,996||379,467{{efn|name=Dazhou|New district established after 2010 census: [[Dachuan District|Dachuan (Daxian County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}}||5,385,422
|-
|7||[[Zigong]]||868,565||666,204||2,489,256
|-
|8||[[Suining]]||829,356||549,826||2,814,196
|-
|9||[[Leshan]]||819,038||678,752||3,160,168
|-
|10||[[Meishan]]||732,757||347,546{{efn|name=Meishan|New district established after 2010 census: [[Pengshan District|Pengshan (Pengshan County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}}||2,955,219
|-
|11||[[Deyang]]||716,820||530,122{{efn|name=Deyang|New district established after 2010 census: [[Luojiang District, Deyang|Luojiang (Luojiang County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}}||3,456,161
|-
|12||[[Panzhihua]]||686,063||631,258||1,212,203
|-
|13||[[Xichang]]||636,367||466,732||{{small|''part of [[Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture|Liangshan Prefecture]]''}}
|-
|14||[[Neijiang]]||615,845||586,445||3,140,678
|-
|15||[[Jianyang, Sichuan|Jianyang]]||591,224||365,386||{{small|''see Chengdu''}}{{efn|name=Jianyang|Jianyang CLC was transferred from Ziyang PLC to Chengdu PLC's jurisdiction after 2010 census.}}
|-
|16||[[Guangyuan]]||556,842||407,756||2,305,657
|-
|17||[[Bazhong]]||549,128||477,235||2,712,894
|-
|18||[[Guang'an]]||485,180||317,502||3,254,883
|-
|19||[[Ziyang]]{{efn|name=Jianyang}}||462,287||376,387||2,308,631
|-
|20||[[Shehong]]||442,852||bgcolor="lightgrey"|{{efn|name=Shehong|Shehong County is currently known as Shehong CLC after 2010 census.}}||{{small|''see Suining''}}
|-
|21||[[Dujiangyan City|Dujiangyan]]||436,619||317,627||{{small|''see Chengdu''}}
|-
|22||[[Chongzhou]]||391,259||206,448||{{small|''see Chengdu''}}
|-
|23||[[Jiangyou]]||387,892||312,154||{{small|''see Mianyang''}}
|-
|24||[[Pengzhou]]||383,409||263,199||{{small|''see Chengdu''}}
|-
|25||[[Guanghan]]||368,933||235,872||{{small|''see Deyang''}}
|-
|26||[[Ya'an]]||343,062||208,940{{efn|name=Ya'an|New district established after 2010 census: [[Mingshan District, Ya'an|Mingshan (Mingshan County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}}||1,434,603
|-
|27||[[Qionglai City|Qionglai]]||322,777||190,099||{{small|''see Chengdu''}}
|-
|28||[[Langzhong]]||303,044||242,535||{{small|''see Nanchong''}}
|-
|29||[[Longchang]]||275,419||bgcolor="lightgrey"|{{efn|name=Longchang|Longchang County is currently known as Longchang CLC after 2010 census.}}||{{small|''see Neijiang''}}
|-
|30||[[Emeishan City|Emeishan]]||252,682||220,349||{{small|''see Leshan''}}
|-
|31||[[Mianzhu]]||232,761||192,001||{{small|''see Deyang''}}
|-
|32||[[Shifang]]||223,320||187,473||{{small|''see Deyang''}}
|-
|33||[[Wanyuan]]||172,148||129,617||{{small|''see Dazhou''}}
|-
|34||[[Huaying]]||145,959||119,228||{{small|''see Guang'an''}}
|-
|35||[[Kangding]]||69,728||bgcolor="lightgrey"|{{efn|name=Kangding|Kangding County is currently known as Kangding CLC after 2010 census.}}||{{small|''part of [[Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture|Garzê Prefecture]]''}}
|-
|36||[[Barkam]]||31,405||bgcolor="lightgrey"|{{efn|name=Barkam|Barkam County is currently known as Barkam CLC after 2010 census.}}||{{small|''part of [[Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture|Ngawa Prefecture]]''}}
|}
{{notelist}}

==Geography and biodiversity==
Sichuan consists of two geographically very distinct parts. The eastern part of the province is mostly within the fertile [[Sichuan basin]] (which is shared by Sichuan with Chongqing Municipality). The western Sichuan consists of numerous mountain ranges forming the easternmost part of the [[Tibetan Plateau]], which are known generically as the [[Hengduan Mountains]]. One of these ranges, the [[Daxue Mountains]], contains the highest point of the province [[Gongga Shan]], at {{cvt|7556|m|ft}} above sea level. The mountains are formed by the collision of the Tibetan Plateau with the [[Yangtze Plate]]. Faults here include the [[Longmenshan Fault]] which ruptured during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Other mountain ranges surround the Sichuan Basin from north, east, and south. Among them are the [[Daba Mountains]], in the province's northeast.

The [[Yangtze River]] and its tributaries flow through the mountains of western Sichuan and the Sichuan Basin; thus, the province is upstream of the great cities that stand along the Yangtze River further to the east, such as [[Chongqing]], [[Wuhan]], [[Nanjing]], and [[Shanghai]]. One of the major tributaries of the Yangtze within the province is the [[Min River (Sichuan)|Min River]] of central Sichuan, which joins the Yangtze at [[Yibin]]. There are also a number of other rivers, such as the [[Jialing River]], [[Tuo River]], [[Yalong River]], [[Wu River (Yangtze tributary)|Wu River]], and [[Jinsha River]], and any four of the various rivers are often grouped as the "four rivers" that the name of Sichuan is commonly and mistakenly believed to mean.<ref name=ruf /><ref name=rowan />

Sichuan borders [[Qinghai]] to the northwest, [[Gansu]] to the north, [[Shaanxi]] to the northeast, [[Chongqing]] to the east, [[Guizhou]] to the southeast, [[Yunnan]] to the south, and the [[Tibet Autonomous Region]] to the west.

<gallery heights="150px" perrow="4" mode="packed">
File:Larix potaninii trees Huluhai.jpg|''[[Larix potaninii]]'' in fall.
File:1 Seda facing south.jpg|[[Garzê Prefecture]]
File:Zitong-sichuan-china.jpg|[[Zitong County]]
File:A Typical Linpan unit in Pi County.jpg|[[Linpan in Chengdu Plain]] is a well-known landmark in [[Chengdu Plain]], Sichuan.
</gallery>

===Giant panda===
[[File:Chengdu-pandas-d10.jpg|thumb|[[Giant panda]]s eating bamboo in [[Chengdu]], Sichuan]]

[[Giant panda]]s live in [[Bamboo|bamboo forests]] and low mountainous areas such as the [[Min Mountains|Minshan Mountains]] in Sichuan.<ref>[https://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/giant_panda/panda/where_panda_lives_habitat/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501161518/http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/giant_panda/panda/where_panda_lives_habitat/|date=1 May 2018}}, Survey in Minshang Mountains by Michel</ref> The majority of the panda population lives in Sichuan, with their range spreading into [[Shaanxi]] and [[Gansu]]. As it is abundant where they live, pandas' diet consists of 99% bamboo, with small other plants, or small animals consisting of the other 1%. As the panda is native to China, they have become a national [[symbol]] of China.<ref>[http://www.spiritanimal.info/panda-spirit-animal/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424202525/http://www.spiritanimal.info/panda-spirit-animal/|date=24 April 2018}}, Panda Symbolism by Elena Harris.</ref>

===Climate===
[[File:Koppen-Geiger Map v2 CHN Sichuan 1991–2020.svg|alt=Köppen–Geiger climate classification map at 1-km resolution for Sichuan (China) for 1991–2020|thumb|Köppen climate classification map of Sichuan]]
Due to great differences in terrain, the climate of the province is highly variable. In general, it has strong [[monsoon]]al influences, with rainfall heavily concentrated in the summer. Under the [[Köppen climate classification]], the [[Sichuan Basin]] (including [[Chengdu]]) in the eastern half of the province experiences a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cwa'' or ''Cfa''), with long, hot, wet summers and short, mild to cool, dry, and cloudy winters. Consequently, it has China's lowest sunshine totals.

The western region has mountainous areas producing a cooler but sunnier climate. Having cool to very cold winters and mild summers, temperatures generally decrease with greater elevation. Due to high altitude and inland location, the far northwestern areas like [[Garzê County]] and [[Zoigê County]] exhibit a [[subalpine climate]] (Köppen ''Dwc'') or even an [[alpine climate]] (''ETH''), featuring frigid winters down to {{convert|&minus;30|°C|disp=or}} and even cold summer nights. The region is geologically active with landslides and earthquakes. Average elevation ranges from {{convert|2,000|to|3,500|m|ft|-2|disp=or}}; average temperatures range from {{convert|0|to|15|°C|°F|disp=or}}.<ref name=TibetansSichuan>{{cite journal |title=Study on Rural Poverty in Ecologically Fragile Areas-A Case Study of the Tibetan Areas in Sichuan Province |journal=Asian Agricultural Research |year=2012 |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=27–31, 61 |url=http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/133098/2/06.PDF |access-date=26 March 2013 |author=Lan Hong-xing |publisher=USA-China Science and Culture Media Corporation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513063229/http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/133098/2/06.PDF |archive-date=13 May 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The southern part of the province, including Panzhihua and Xichang, has a sunny climate with short, very mild winters and very warm to hot summers.

==Politics==
{{main|Politics of Sichuan|List of current Chinese provincial leaders}}
The politics of Sichuan is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in [[mainland China]].

The [[governor of Sichuan]] is the highest-ranking official in the People's Government of Sichuan. However, in the province's dual party-government governing system, the Governor has less power than the [[Party Secretary of Sichuan]], colloquially termed the "Sichuan CCP Party Chief".

=== Governance ===
The [[Sichuan Provincial Prison Administrative Bureau]] is the main corrections agency in Sichuan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=机关简介——四川省监狱管理局 |url=https://jyglj.sc.gov.cn/scjyglj/znzz/jiguanjianjie.shtml |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=jyglj.sc.gov.cn}}</ref>

The {{Ill|Sichuan Provincial Public Security Department|zh|四川省公安厅}} is the primary law enforcement agency in Sichuan. It has a SWAT unit, a forestry unit, an anti-drug unit, an economic crime unit, a food safety unit and an investigation unit.<ref name=":3">[http://gat.sc.gov.cn/scgat/c105715/2022/9/9/41753ec879064ceab9ef1f88a77e370f/files/2021%E5%B9%B4%E5%9B%9B%E5%B7%9D%E7%9C%81%E5%85%AC%E5%AE%89%E5%8E%85%EF%BC%88%E6%9C%AC%E7%BA%A7%EF%BC%89%E5%8D%95%E4%BD%8D%E5%86%B3%E7%AE%97(%E4%BF%AE%E6%94%B92023-9.21)-20230922095132927.pdf 2021 年度四川省公安厅（本级）单位决算] [2021 Sichuan Provincial Public Security Department Budget], retrieved 12/3/2025</ref> In 2021, the agency had a budget of 45.8 million [[Renminbi]].<ref name=":3" />

On July 10, 2017, the Sichuan Provincial Public Security Department established the [[Sichuan Provincial Expressways Public Security Bureau]] ({{Lang-zh|c=四川高速公路公安局}}), a provincial [[Highway patrol]] agency.<ref>{{Cite web |title=四川成立高速公路公安局 分片区对高速公路具体管理- 四川省人民政府网站 |url=https://www.sc.gov.cn/10462/10464/10797/2017/7/10/10427716.shtml |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=www.sc.gov.cn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=四川省公安厅高速公路公安局正式成立 - 中国警察网络电视 |url=https://v.cpd.com.cn/content/0/418.html |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=v.cpd.com.cn}}</ref>
[[File:CSK181.jpg|thumb|A [[CSK-181]] of the People's Armed Police Sichuan Corps]]
The {{Ill|People's Armed Police Sichuan Corps|zh|中国人民武装警察部队四川省总队}} provides paramilitary law enforcement and disaster relief services within Sichuan province.<ref>{{Cite web |title=解放军和武警部队官兵、民兵协助地方做好受灾群众安置工作 - 中华人民共和国国防部 |url=http://www.mod.gov.cn/gfbw/jsxd/16369115.html |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=www.mod.gov.cn}}</ref> The [[People's Armed Police Yibin Detachment|Yibin Detachment]] was deployed for disaster relief during the {{Ill|2025 Junlian Landslides|zh|2025年筠连县山体滑坡事件}} of February 8, 2025 in [[Junlian County]], [[Yibin]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Weichao |date=2025-02-08 |title=PAP Soldiers Rush to Rescue in Landslide-hit Village |url=http://eng.mod.gov.cn/xb/News_213114/Videos/16368514.html |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=Chinese Ministry of National Defense}}</ref>

The Sichuan Provincial Fire and Rescue Department ({{Lang-zh|c=四川省消防救援总队}}) is in charge of firefighting and rescue duties within the province.<ref>{{Cite web |title=四川消防救援总队 |url=https://sc.119.gov.cn/scxfjyzd/gkxx/gkxx.shtml |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=sc.119.gov.cn}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:IFS Chengdu logo and Tower 2.jpg|thumb|right|Chengdu IFS]]
[[File:Tianfu Financial Center 2.jpg|thumb|[[Tianfu New Area]]]]

Sichuan is the [[List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP|6th-largest provincial economy]] of China, the largest in [[Western China]] and the second largest among inland provinces after [[Henan]]. As of 2021, its nominal GDP was 5,385 billion yuan (US$847.68 billion), ahead of the GDP of Turkey of 815 billion.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Compared to a country, it would be the [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|18th-largest economy]] as well as the [[List of countries and dependencies by population|19th most populous]] as of 2021.<ref name=":1" /> As of 2021, its nominal GDP per capita was 64,357 RMB (US$10,120).<ref name=":0" /> In 2021, the per capita net income of rural residents was 17,575 yuan (US$2760). The per capita [[disposable income]] of the urbanites averaged 41,444 yuan (US$6510).

Sichuan has been historically known as the "Province of Abundance". It is one of the major agricultural production bases of China. Grain, including rice and wheat, is the major product with output that ranked first in China in 1999. Commercial crops include citrus fruits, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, peaches, and grapes. Sichuan also had the largest output of pork among all the provinces and the second largest output of silkworm cocoons in 1999. Sichuan is rich in mineral resources. It has more than 132 kinds of proven underground mineral resources including vanadium, titanium, and lithium is the largest in China. The Panxi region alone possesses 13.3% of the reserves of iron, 93% of titanium, 69% of vanadium, and 83% of cobalt in the whole country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tdctrade.com/mktprof/china/mpsic.htm |title=SICHUAN PROVINCE (hktdc.com) |access-date=5 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208093813/http://www.tdctrade.com/mktprof/china/mpsic.htm |archive-date=8 February 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref> Sichuan also possesses China's largest proven natural gas reserves (such as the [[Dazhou gas field|Dazhou]] and [[Yuanba gas field]]s), the majority of which are transported to more developed eastern regions.<ref name="bare_url" />

Sichuan is one of the major industrial centers of China. It was a major recipient of China's investment in industrial capacity during the [[Third Front (China)|Third Front]] campaign.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Lan |first=Xiaohuan |title=How China Works: An Introduction to China's State-led Economic Development |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |year=2024 |isbn=978-981-97-0079-0 |translator-last=Topp |translator-first=Gary |doi=10.1007/978-981-97-0080-6}}</ref>{{Rp|page=298}} In addition to heavy industries such as coal, energy, iron, and steel, the province has also established a light industrial sector comprising building materials, wood processing, food, and silk processing. [[Chengdu]] and [[Mianyang]] are the production centers for textiles and electronics products. [[Deyang]], [[Panzhihua]], and [[Yibin]] are the production centers for machinery, metallurgical industries, and wine, respectively. Sichuan's wine production accounted for 21.9% of the country's total production in 2000.

Great strides have been made in developing Sichuan into a modern hi-tech industrial base, by encouraging both domestic and foreign investments in electronics and information technology (such as software), machinery and metallurgy (including automobiles), hydropower, pharmaceutical, food and beverage industries.

The auto industry is an important and key sector of the machinery industry in Sichuan. Most of the auto manufacturing companies are located in Chengdu, Mianyang, [[Nanchong]], and [[Luzhou]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inimr-ri.nsf/en/gr111906e.html |title=International Market Research – AUTO PARTS INDUSTRY IN SICHUAN AND CHONGQING |access-date=5 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060626154234/http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inimr-ri.nsf/en/gr111906e.html |archive-date=26 June 2006 }}</ref>

Other important industries in Sichuan include [[aerospace]] and defense (military) industries. A number of China's rockets ([[Long March rocket]]s) and [[satellite]]s were launched from the [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center]], located in the city of [[Xichang]].

Sichuan's landscapes and rich historical relics have also made the province a center for tourism.

The [[Three Gorges Dam]], the largest [[dam]] ever constructed, was built on the [[Yangtze River]] in nearby [[Hubei]] province to control flooding in the Sichuan Basin, neighboring [[Yunnan]] province, and downstream. The plan is hailed by some as China's efforts to shift towards alternative energy sources and to further develop its industrial and commercial bases, but has been denounced for mass resettlement, loss of archeological sites, and ecological damage.

===Economic development zones===

==== Chengdu Hi-tech Comprehensive Free Trade Zone ====
Chengdu Hi-tech Comprehensive Free Trade Zone was established with the approval of the [[State Council of the People's Republic of China|State Council]] on October 18, 2010, and passed the national acceptance on February 25, 2011. It was officially operated in May 2011. Chengdu High-tech Comprehensive Free Trade Zone is integrated and expanded from the former Chengdu Export Processing Zone and Chengdu Bonded Logistics Center. it is located in the Chengdu West High-tech Industrial Development Zone, with an area of 4.68 square kilometers and divided into three areas A, B, and C. The industries focus on notebook computer manufacturing, tablet computer manufacturing, wafer manufacturing, chip packaging testing, electronic components, precision machining, and the biopharmaceutical industry. Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Free Trade Zone has attracted the top 500 multinational enterprises such as Intel, Foxconn, Texas Instruments, Dell, Morse, and so on.

In 2020, the Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Free Trade Zone achieved a total import and export volume of 549.1 billion yuan (including the Shuangliu Sub-zone), accounting for 68% of the province's total foreign trade import and export volume, ranking first in the national comprehensive insurance zone import and export volume for three consecutive years.

====Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone====
Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone ({{lang-zh|s=成都经济技术开发区|hp=Chéngdū jīngjì jìshù kāifā qū|links=no}}) was approved as state-level development zone in February 2000. The zone now has a developed area of {{cvt|10.25|km2|}} and a planned area of {{cvt|26|km2|}}. Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone (CETDZ) lies {{cvt|13.6|km|}} east of Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province and the hub of transportation and communication in southwest China. The zone has attracted investors and developers from more than 20 countries to carry out their projects there. Industries encouraged in the zone include mechanical, electronic, new building materials, medicine, and food processing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/chengdu-economic-technology-development-zone/ |title=Chengdu Economic & Technological Development Zone |publisher=RightSite.asia |access-date=2011-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507150656/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/chengdu-economic-technology-development-zone |archive-date=7 May 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Chengdu Export Processing Zone====
Chengdu [[Export Processing Zone]] ({{lang-zh|s=成都出口加工区|hp=Chéngdū chūkǒu jiāgōng qū|links=no}})) was ratified by the State Council as one of the first 15 export processing zones in the country in April 2000. In 2002, the state ratified the establishment of the Sichuan Chengdu Export Processing West Zone with a planned area of {{cvt|1.5|km2|}}, located inside the west region of the Chengdu Hi-tech Zone.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/chengdu-export-processing-zone/ |title=Chengdu Export Processing Zone |publisher=RightSite.asia |access-date=2011-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505062609/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/chengdu-export-processing-zone |archive-date=5 May 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone====
[[File:S. Renmin Road.jpg|thumb|South Renmin Road, Chengdu]]
Established in 1988, Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone ({{lang-zh|s=成都高新技术产业开发区|hp=Chéngdū Gāoxīn Jìshù Chǎnyè Kāifā Qū|links=no}}) was approved as one of the first national hi-tech development zones in 1991. In 2000, it was open to [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation|APEC]] and has been recognized as a national advanced hi-tech development zone in successive assessment activities held by China's Ministry of Science and Technology. It ranks 5th among the 53 national hi-tech development zones in China in terms of comprehensive strength.

Chengdu Hi-tech Development Zone covers an area of {{cvt|82.5|km2|}}, consisting of South Park and West Park. By relying on the city sub-center, which is under construction, South Park is focusing on creating a modernized industrial park of science and technology with scientific and technological innovation, incubation R&D, modern service industry, and Headquarters economy playing leading roles. Priority has been given to the development of the software industry. Located on both sides of the "Chengdu-Dujiangyan-Jiuzhaigou" golden tourism channel, the West Park aims at building a comprehensive industrial park targeting industrial clustering with complete supportive functions. West Park gives priority to three major industries i.e. electronic information, biomedicine, and precision machinery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/chengdu-hi-tech-industrial-development-zone/ |title=Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone |publisher=RightSite.asia |access-date=2011-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620200717/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/chengdu-hi-tech-industrial-development-zone |archive-date=20 June 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Mianyang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone====
Mianyang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone was established in 1992, with a planned area of {{cvt|43|km2|}}. The zone is situated 96 kilometers away from Chengdu and is {{cvt|8|km|}} away from Mianyang Airport. Since its establishment, the zone accumulated 177.4 billion yuan of industrial output, 46.2 billion yuan of gross domestic product, and fiscal revenue of 6.768 billion yuan. There are more than 136 high-tech enterprises in the zone and they accounted for more than 90% of the total industrial output.

The zone is a leader in the electronic information industry, biological medicine, new materials, and the production of motor vehicles and parts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/mianyang-hi-tech-industrial-development-zone/ |title=RightSite.asia {{!}} Mianyang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone |access-date=21 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505065743/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/mianyang-hi-tech-industrial-development-zone |archive-date=5 May 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Transportation==
[[File:卡萨湖.jpg|thumb|[[China National Highway 318|Sichuan–Tibet Highway]] passes by Lake Kasa in [[Luhuo County]].]]

For millennia, Sichuan's rugged and riverine landscape presented enormous challenges to the development of transportation infrastructure, and the lack of roads out of the Sichuan Basin contributed to the region's isolation. Since the 1950s, numerous highways and railways have been built through the Qinling in the north and the Bashan in the east. Dozens of bridges [[Yangtze River bridges and tunnels|across the Yangtze]] and its tributaries to the south and west have brought greater connectivity with Yunnan and Tibet.

===Airports===
[[Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport]] is the 4th-busiest airport in mainland China. It was among the world's top 30 busiest airports in 2015, and the busiest in western and central China. It was also the fifth-busiest airport in terms of cargo traffic in China in 2013. Chengdu airport is the hub of [[Sichuan Airlines]], [[Chengdu Airlines]], [[Shenzhen Airlines]], [[Tibet Airlines]], [[China Southern Airlines]], [[China Eastern Airlines]], [[Lucky Air]], and [[Air China]]. Alongside Shuangliu Airport, [[Chengdu Tianfu International Airport]] has opened in 2021.

Chengdu airports are also 144-hour transit visa-free airports for foreigners from 53 countries.

===Expressways===
On 3 November 2007, the Sichuan Transportation Bureau announced that the [[G93 Chengyu Ring Expressway|Suining-Chongqing Expressway]] was completed after three years of construction. After the completion of the Chongqing section of the road, the {{cvt|36.64|km|}} expressway connected [[G42 Shanghai–Chengdu Expressway|Chengdu-Nanchong Expressway]] and formed the shortest expressway from [[Chengdu]] to [[Chongqing]]. The new expressway is {{cvt|50|km|}} shorter than the pre-existing road between Chengdu and Chongqing; thus journey time between the two cities was reduced by an hour, now taking two and a half hours. The Sui-Yu Expressway is a four-lane overpass with a speed limit of {{cvt|80|km/h|}}. The total investment was 1.045 billion [[Chinese yuan|yuan]].

===Rail===
[[China Railway Chengdu Group]] is headquartered in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, managing railway systems in Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou. Sichuan's major railways in Sichuan include the [[Baoji–Chengdu railway|Baoji–Chengdu]], [[Chengdu–Chongqing railway|Chengdu–Chongqing]], [[Chengdu–Kunming Railway|Chengdu–Kunming]], [[Neijiang–Kunming Railway|Neijiang–Kunming]], Suining–Chongqing, and Chengdu–Dazhou railways. [[High-speed rail]]ways in Sichuan include the [[Chengdu–Chongqing high-speed railway]], [[Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway|Xi'an-Chengdu high-speed railway]], [[Chengdu–Guiyang high-speed railway|Chengdu-Guiyang high-speed railway]], and Chengdu–Kunming high-speed railway. A suburban railway [[Chengdu–Dujiangyan intercity railway|connects Chengdu and Dujiangyan]].

==Demographics==
[[File:Yi-Minority.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Yi people|Yi]] are the largest ethnic minority group in Sichuan.]]
{{Historical Populations
|title       = Historical population
|width       = 16em
|state       = collapsed
|footnote    = Chongqing was part of Sichuan Province until 1939 and 1954 to 1997.<br />[[Xikang|Xikang Province]] dissolved in 1955 and parts were incorporated into Sichuan Province.
|1912<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:1912年中国人口 |url=http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo2.html |access-date=6 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032922/http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo2.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |48,130,000
|1928<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:1928年中国人口 |url=http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo3.htm |access-date=6 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032924/http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo3.htm |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |47,992,000
|1936–37<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:1936–37年中国人口 |url=http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo4.htm |access-date=6 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032925/http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo4.htm |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |52,706,000
|1947<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:1947年全国人口 |url=http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo5.htm |access-date=6 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913053600/http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo5.htm |archive-date=13 September 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> |47,437,000
|1954<ref name="census1954">{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16767.htm |script-title=zh:中华人民共和国国家统计局关于第一次全国人口调查登记结果的公报 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805174810/http://www.stats.gov.cn/TJGB/RKPCGB/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16767.htm |archive-date=5 August 2009}}</ref> |62,303,999
|1964<ref name="census1964">{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16768.htm |script-title=zh:第二次全国人口普查结果的几项主要统计数字 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914173158/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16768.htm |archive-date=14 September 2012}}</ref> |67,956,490
|1982<ref name="census1982">{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16769.htm |script-title=zh:中华人民共和国国家统计局关于一九八二年人口普查主要数字的公报 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510075429/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16769.htm |archive-date=10 May 2012}}</ref> |99,713,310
|1990<ref name="census1990">{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16772.htm |script-title=zh:中华人民共和国国家统计局关于一九九〇年人口普查主要数据的公报 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619002216/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16772.htm |archive-date=19 June 2012}}</ref> |107,218,173
|2000<ref name="census2000">{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020331_15435.htm |script-title=zh:现将2000年第五次全国人口普查快速汇总的人口地区分布数据公布如下 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829052024/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020331_15435.htm |archive-date=29 August 2012}}</ref> |82,348,296
|2010<ref name="census2010">{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/newsandcomingevents/t20110429_402722516.htm |title=Communiqué of the National Bureau of Statistics of People's Republic of China on Major Figures of the 2010 Population Census |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727021210/http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/newsandcomingevents/t20110429_402722516.htm |archive-date=27 July 2013}}</ref> 
|80,418,200
|2020<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/china-society-census-takeaways-idUSL4N2MY2I6 |title=FACTBOX-Key takeaways from China's 2020 population census |newspaper=Reuters |date=11 May 2021 |access-date=26 July 2021 |archive-date=5 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105133445/https://www.reuters.com/article/china-society-census-takeaways-idUSL4N2MY2I6 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|83,674,866
}}
The majority of the province's population is [[Han Chinese]] (95% of the provincial population), who are found scattered throughout the region except for the far western areas. Thus, significant minorities of [[Tibetan people|Tibetan]], [[Yi people|Yi]], [[Qiang people|Qiang]], and [[Nakhi people]] reside in the western portion that is impacted by inclement weather and natural disasters, environmentally fragile, and impoverished. Sichuan's capital of [[Chengdu]] is home to a large community of Tibetans, with 30,000 permanent Tibetan residents and up to 200,000 Tibetan [[floating population]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2012-03/14/c_131467409_2.htm |title=Tibetans leave home to seek new opportunities |date=2012-03-14 |access-date=2014-01-04 |publisher=Xinhua |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407225031/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2012-03/14/c_131467409_2.htm |archive-date=7 April 2012 }}</ref> The [[Eastern Lipo]], included with either the Yi or the [[Lisu people]], as well as the [[A-Hmao]], also are among the ethnic groups of the provinces.

Sichuan was China's [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by population|most populous province]] before [[Chongqing]] became a directly controlled municipality; it is currently the fourth most populous, after Guangdong, Shandong, and Henan. As of 1832, Sichuan was the most populous of the 18 provinces in China, with an estimated population at that time of 21 million.<ref name=Roberts1>{{cite book |last=Roberts |first=Edmund |title=Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat |year=1837 |publisher=Harper & Brothers |location=New York |page=123 |url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/7317/view/1/123/ |access-date=16 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016074209/http://www.wdl.org/en/item/7317/view/1/123/ |archive-date=16 October 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> It was the third [[List of first-level administrative divisions by population|most populous sub-national entity]] in the world, after [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]], and the [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic]] until 1991, when the [[Soviet Union]] was dissolved. It is also one of the only eight subnational divisions to ever reach 100 million people (Uttar Pradesh, Russian RSFSR, [[Maharashtra]], Sichuan, [[Bihar]], [[Shandong]], [[Guangdong]], and [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]). It is currently ranked 10th.

===Religion===
{{See also|Christianity in Sichuan|Islam in Sichuan|Zoroastrianism in Sichuan|Qiang folk religion}}
{{Pie chart
|caption = Religion in Sichuan<ref name="Wang2015">China General Social Survey (CGSS) 2009, Chinese Spiritual Life Survey (CSLS) 2007. Report by: [https://baylor-ir.tdl.org/baylor-ir/bitstream/handle/2104/9326/WANG-THESIS-2015.pdf?sequence=1 Xiuhua Wang (2015, p. 15)] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925123928/https://baylor-ir.tdl.org/baylor-ir/bitstream/handle/2104/9326/WANG-THESIS-2015.pdf?sequence=1 |date=25 September 2015 }}</ref>{{refn|group=note|Some of the data collected by the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) of 2009 and by the Chinese Spiritual Life Survey (CSLS) of 2007 have been reported and assembled by Xiuhua Wang (2015)<ref name="Wang2015"/> in order to confront the proportion of people identifying with two similar social structures: ① Christian churches, and ② the traditional Chinese religion of the lineage (i. e. people believing and worshiping ancestral deities of [[Chinese lineage associations|lineage "churches"]] and [[ancestral shrine]]s). Data for other religions with a significant presence in China (deity cults, Buddhism, Taoism, folk religious sects, Islam, et al.) were not reported by Wang and come from different sources.}}
|label1 = [[Chinese folk religion|Chinese religion]] (also including [[Confucianism|Confucians]], [[Taoism|Taoists]] and [[Chinese salvationist religions|sects]] other than  I-Kuan Tao, or [[irreligion|irreligious]] people
|value1 = 71.31
|color1 = #C00000
|label2 = [[Buddhism]]{{refn|group=note|Based on a 2006 survey of the distribution of Buddhist institutions in China,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ji |first1=Zhe |url=http://www.fjzd.org/news/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=2268 |trans-title=Three Decades of Revival: Basic Data on Contemporary Chinese Buddhism |script-title=zh:复兴三十年：当代中国佛教的基本数据 |website=fjzd.org [China Buddhism System Research Center] |language=zh-hans |date=2011 |access-date=18 September 2016 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427135345/http://www.fjzd.org/news/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=2268 |archive-date=27 April 2017 }}</ref> assuming that the percentage of institutions per capita is consistent with the percentage of Buddhists (which has been proved so by data on other regions), the Buddhist religion would account for between 10% and 20% (≈15%) of the population of Sichuan.}}
|value2 = 15
|color2 = Yellow
|label3 = [[Chinese ancestral religion]]
|value3 = 10.6
|color3 = DarkSlateBlue
|label4 = [[Yiguandao]]<ref name=YiguandaoSichuan>''Tokyo Sentaku'' [in Japanese]. 1 June 1999. "Cult Groups Seen Shaking Party Leadership" (FBIS-CHI-1999-0614 1 June 1999/WNC). Cited in: ecoi.net, ''[https://www.ecoi.net/local_link/171890/288221_de.html The Tian Dao (Yi Guan Dao, Yiguandao, Yi Guandao) sect and treatment of believers by the authorities] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009213708/https://www.ecoi.net/local_link/171890/288221_de.html |date=9 October 2016 }}''. [CHN32887.E] [ID 171890].</ref>
|value4 = 2.4
|color4 = Chartreuse
|label5 = [[Christianity in Sichuan|Christianity]]
|value5 = 0.68
|color5 = DodgerBlue
|label6 = [[Islam in Sichuan|Islam]]{{refn|group=note|As of 2010 there are 11,200 Muslims in Sichuan.<ref name="2010-Islam">Min Junqing. ''The Present Situation and Characteristics of Contemporary Islam in China''. JISMOR, 8. [https://doors.doshisha.ac.jp/duar/repository/ir/18185/r002000080004.pdf 2010 Islam by province, page 29] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427140204/https://doors.doshisha.ac.jp/duar/repository/ir/18185/r002000080004.pdf |date=27 April 2017 }}. Data from: Yang Zongde, ''Study on Current Muslim Population in China'', Jinan Muslim, 2, 2010.</ref>}}
|value6 = 0.1
|color6 = Green
}}

[[File:Ashoka's Buddha Statue, Sichuan Museum.png|thumb|left|upright|"[[Ashoka]]-type Buddha", 551 AD. An early example of Sichuanese Buddhist art with heavy Indian influence.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Howard |first=Angela F. |date=2008 |title=Pluralism of Styles in Sixth-Century China: A Reaffirmation of Indian Models |journal=[[Freer Gallery of Art#Scholarship|Ars Orientalis]] |volume=35 |pages=67–94 |jstor=25481908}}</ref>]]
The predominant religions in Sichuan are [[Chinese folk religion]]s, [[Taoism|Taoist traditions]], and [[Chinese Buddhism]]. According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 10.6% of the population believes and is involved in [[Chinese ancestral religion|cults of ancestors]], while 0.68% of the population identifies as [[Christianity in Sichuan|Christian]].<ref name="Wang2015"/> According to the Japanese publication ''Tokyo Sentaku'' in 1999, there were 2 million members of [[Yiguandao]] (Tiandao) in Sichuan, equal to 2.4% of the province's population.<ref name=YiguandaoSichuan/>

The reports did not give figures for other types of religion; the vast majority may be either irreligious or involved in Chinese folk religion, Buddhism, etc. [[Tibetan Buddhism]] is widespread, especially in areas inhabited by ethnic Tibetans. Sichuan is one of the cradles of the early [[Zhengyi Taoism|Heavenly Masters' Taoist religious movements]].

According to "Vestiges of Zoroastrianism in Medieval Sichuan" by Yao Chongxin, professor at Sun Yat-sen University, [[Zoroastrianism]] flourished during the period of [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] (618–907), [[Former Shu]] (907–925), [[Later Shu]] (934–965), and [[Song dynasty|Song]] (960–1279).<ref>{{cite book |last=Yao |first=Chongxin |editor-last1=Cheng |editor-first1=A-tsai |editor-last2=Wang |editor-first2=Chuan |date=1 October 2010 |chapter=唐宋時期巴蜀地區的火祆教遺痕 |trans-chapter=Vestiges of Zoroastrianism in Medieval Sichuan |title=張廣達先生八十華誕祝壽論文集 |trans-title=Papers in Celebration of the 80th Birthday of Zhang Guangda |language=zh-hant |location=New Taipei |publisher=Sin Wen Feng Publisher |pages=997–1028 |isbn=978-957-17-2120-0}}</ref>

A [[Chabad house|Chabad Jewish Center]] was established in [[Chengdu]] in 2012, after moving five times, a permanent location was secured at [[Wuhou District]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jewishchengdu.com/ |title=About Our Community: Building Dedication |author=|date=|website=jewishchengdu.com |access-date=30 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chabadchengdu.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/2042598/jewish/Address-and-Directions.htm |title=Chabad Jewish Center of Chengdu: Address and Directions |author= |date=|website=chabadchengdu.com |access-date=30 September 2023}}</ref>

<gallery caption="Religious sites in Sichuan">
File:Huanglong Sichuan China Multicolored-ponds-04.jpg|View of the Temple of the Yellow Dragon (Chinese Buddhism) in [[Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area|Huanglong]].
File:Litang8.jpg|Statues of buddhas at Litang Monastery of the Tibetan tradition.
File:Main altar before Shangqing Temple on Qingchengshan, in Chengdu, Sichuan.jpg|A pavilion of the Shangqing Temple (Taoist) in Qingchengshan, [[Chengdu]].
File:China - Mount Emei - EmeiShan - Sichuan 11.jpg|Golden Temple of [[Mount Emei]] (Chinese Buddhism).
File:巴巴寺.JPG|[[Baba Mosque]], a [[Menhuan|Chinese]] [[Sufism|Sufi]] mosque in [[Langzhong]].
File:Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Chengdu.png|[[Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Chengdu]] ([[Catholic Church in Sichuan|Catholic]])
File:St John's Cathedral, Paoning.jpg|[[St John's Cathedral, Langzhong]] ([[History of Anglicanism in Sichuan|Anglican]])
File:成都恩光堂.jpg|[[Sï-Shen-Tsï Methodist Church]] ([[History of Methodism in Sichuan|Methodist]])
</gallery>
{{clear}}

==Culture==
{{main|Ba–Shu culture}}
{{further|Sichuanese people}}
The ''Sichuanese people'' ([[Sichuanese Mandarin|Sichuanese]]: {{lang|zh|巴蜀人}} Ba<sup>1</sup>su<sup>2</sup>ren<sup>2</sup>; [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]: {{IPA|[pa˥su˨˩zən˨˩]}}; alternatively {{lang|zh|川人}}, {{lang|zh|川渝人}}, {{lang|zh|四川人}} or {{lang|zh|巴蜀民系}}) are a subgroup of Han Chinese living in mostly Sichuan province and the neighboring [[Chongqing]] municipality. Beginning from the 9th century BC, [[Shu (kingdom)|Shu]] (on the [[Chengdu Plain]]) and [[Ba (state)|Ba]] (which had its first capital at [[Enshi City]] in [[Hubei]] and controlled part of the [[Han River (Shaanxi and Hubei)|Han Valley]]) emerged as cultural and administrative centers where two rival kingdoms were established. Although eventually, the [[Qin dynasty]] destroyed the kingdoms of Shu and Ba, the Qin government accelerated the technological and agricultural advancements of Sichuan making it comparable to that of the [[Yellow River]] Valley. The now-extinct [[Ba–Shu Chinese|Ba–Shu language]] was derived from Qin-era settlers and represents the earliest documented division from what is now called [[Middle Chinese]].

During the [[Yuan dynasty|Yuan]] and [[Ming dynasty|Ming]] dynasties, the population of the area was reduced through wars and the [[bubonic plague]], and settlers arrived from the area of modern Hubei, replacing the earlier common Chinese with a new standard.

The [[Li Bai]] Memorial, located in [[Jiangyou]], is a museum in memory of Li Bai, a Chinese poet of [[Tang dynasty|Tang China]] (618–907) built at the place where he grew up. The building was begun in 1962 on the occasion of the 1200th anniversary of his death, completed in 1981, and opened to the public in October 1982. The memorial is built in the style of the classic Tang garden.

In 2003, Sichuan had "88 art performing troupes, 185 culture centers, 133 libraries, and 52 museums". Companies based in Sichuan also produced 23 television series and one film.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsgd.com/specials/panprdforum/deltadetails/200405260039.htm |title=Sichuan: Education and Culture |date=2004-05-26 |access-date=2014-01-04 |publisher=newsgd.com |editor=Catherine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514051220/http://www.newsgd.com/specials/panprdforum/deltadetails/200405260039.htm |archive-date=14 May 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Languages===
{{Main|Sichuanese dialects|l1=Sichuanese language|Ba–Shu Chinese}}
[[File:Sichuanese in China.png|thumb|upright=0.8|right|Extent of present-day Sichuanese language]]
The Sichuanese once spoke their variety of Spoken Chinese called Ba-Shu Chinese, or Old Sichuanese before it became extinct during the Ming dynasty. Now most of them speak Sichuanese Mandarin. The Minjiang dialects are thought by some linguists{{who|date=March 2019}} to be a bona fide descendant of Old Sichuanese, but there is no conclusive evidence whether Minjiang dialects are derived from Old Sichuanese or Southwestern Mandarin.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

The languages of Sichuan are primarily members of three subfamilies of the [[Sino-Tibetan languages]].

The most widely used variety of Chinese spoken in Sichuan is [[Sichuanese dialects|Sichuanese]], which is the [[lingua franca]] in Sichuan, [[Chongqing]], and parts of the [[Tibet Autonomous Region]]. Although Sichuanese is generally classified as a dialect of [[Mandarin Chinese]], it is highly divergent in phonology, vocabulary, and even grammar from [[Standard Chinese]].<ref name="《四川方言与巴蜀文化》">{{cite book |language=zh-hans |last1=Cui |first1=Rongchang (崔荣昌) |script-title=zh:《四川方言与巴蜀文化》 |year=1996 |publisher=[[Sichuan University]] Press |script-chapter=zh:第三章：四川的官话 |isbn=7-5614-1296-7}}</ref> The [[Minjiang dialect]] is especially difficult for speakers of other Mandarin dialects to understand.<ref>{{cite book |language=zh-hans |last1=Li |first1=Bin (李彬) |last2=Tu |first2=Minghua (涂鸣华) |script-title=zh:《百年中国新闻人（上册）》 |year=2007 |publisher=Fujian People's Press |page=563 |isbn=978-7-211-05482-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |language=zh-hans |script-title=zh:四川交通："窗口"飞来普通话 |last1=Wu |first1=Dan (吴丹) |last2=Liang |first2=Xiaoming (梁晓明) |script-work=zh:中国交通报 |date=23 November 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |language=zh-hans |script-title=zh:大学生村官恶补四川方言 现在能用流利四川话和村民交流 |last1=Zhang |first1=Guosheng (张国盛) |last2=Yu |first2=Yong (余勇) |newspaper=[[:zh:北京晨报|Morning Post]] |date=1 June 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |language=zh-hans |script-title=zh:走进大山的志愿者 |script-work=zh:四川青年报 |trans-work=Sichuan Youth Paper |date=18 July 2009}}</ref>

[[Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture]] and [[Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture]] in western Sichuan are populated by [[Tibetan people|Tibetans]] and [[Qiang people]]. Tibetans speak the [[Khams Tibetan|Khams]] and [[Amdo Tibetan]], which are [[Tibetic languages]], as well as various [[Qiangic languages]]. The Qiang speak Qiangic languages and often Tibetic languages as well. The [[Yi people]] of [[Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture]] in southern Sichuan speak the [[Nuosu language]], which is one of the [[Lolo-Burmese languages]]; Yi is written using the [[Yi script]], a [[syllabary]] standardized in 1974. The [[Southwest University for Nationalities]] has one of China's most prominent [[Tibetology]] departments and the Southwest Minorities Publishing House prints literature in minority languages.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tibetinfonet.net/content/update/143#fn2 |title=The Wuhou District (武侯区), a Tibetan enclave in Chengdu |date=2009-03-24 |access-date=2013-01-04 |issn=1864-1407 |publisher=TibetInfoNet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105045511/http://www.tibetinfonet.net/content/update/143#fn2 |archive-date=5 January 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the minority-inhabited regions of Sichuan, there is bilingual signage and public school instruction in non-Mandarin minority languages.

=== Sichuan brocade ===
{{main|Sichuan embroidery}}
[[File:Sichuan brocade, double bird pattern 2.png|thumb|Sichuan brocade manufactured between the 7th and early 10th century, featuring double bird in floral roundel pattern; collection of [[Chengdu Museum]].]]
Commonly known as "Shu brocade" ({{lang|zh-hant|蜀錦}}) in Chinese, Sichuan brocade is referred to as the "mother of brocade in China" given its age.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Wang |first=Yeting |date=2018 |title=Road Heritage: Ancient and Modern Shu brocade and Southern Silk Road |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328226896 |journal=Revista de Arquitetura IMED |volume=7 |issue=1 |page=165 |doi=10.18256/2318-1109.2018.v7i1.2933 |s2cid=134170907 |access-date=March 17, 2023|doi-access=free }}</ref> This technique of embroidery originates in the capital city of [[Chengdu]] during the time of the [[Shu (kingdom)|Ancient Kingdom of Shu]]. It enjoyed high popularity throughout the regions along the [[Silk Road]], which stimulated an "[[Exoticism|exoticization]]" of the embroidery designs during the 1st millennium, with most of the patterns imported from [[Sogdia]] and other parts of [[Central Asia]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Cheng |first1=Si |last2=Qiao |first2=Hong |date=2022 |title=唐代蜀锦团窠纹的审美特征 |trans-title=Aesthetic Characteristics of ''Tuanke'' Pattern of Shu Brocade in Tang Dynasty |url=http://www.fzkjjz.com/UploadDoc/944_20220620135913.pdf |language=zh-hans |magazine=Progress in Textile Science & Technology |location=Chengdu |publisher=Sichuan Textile Science & Technology Intelligence Center; Sichuan Textile Engineering Academy |page=56 |access-date=March 17, 2023 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> According to the ''[[Book of Sui]]'', in the year 605 AD, the head of the Sichuan ateliers producing silks in the "western style" was a certain He Chou, a name which betrays his Sogdian origins.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.transoxiana.org/Eran/Articles/compareti.html |title=The role of the Sogdian Colonies in the diffusion of the pearl roundels pattern |last=Compareti |first=Matteo |date=2003 |website=transoxiana.org |access-date=March 17, 2023}}</ref> Most of the silk products unearthed in [[Xinjiang]] ([[History of Xinjiang|Chinese Turkestan]]) and [[Qinghai]] ([[Tuyuhun|Tuyuhun Kingdom]]) confirmed to be manufactured in Sichuan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cdmuseum.com/xinwen/202011/2005.html |title=凭什么说新疆、青海出土的锦，好多都是蜀锦？ |trans-title=Why are most of the brocades unearthed in Xinjiang and Qinghai made in Sichuan? |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=December 2, 2017 |website=[[Chengdu Museum|cdmuseum.com]] |language=zh-hans |access-date=March 17, 2023}}</ref>

===Cuisine===
{{main|Sichuan cuisine}}
Sichuan is well known for its spicy cuisine and use of [[Sichuan pepper]]s due to its humid climate.
The Sichuanese are proud of their cuisine, known as one of the Four Great Traditions of [[Chinese cuisine]]. The cuisine here is of "one dish, one shape, hundreds of dishes, hundreds of tastes", as the saying goes, to describe its acclaimed diversity. The most prominent traits of Sichuanese cuisine are described by four words: spicy, hot, fresh, and fragrant.<ref>[http://www.5hpk.com/WebUI/InfoDir/pTopicTagSearch.html?SiteId=Whpk&DirId=ys&MainClassId=ys&tag=%u5DDD%u83DC Sichuanese Cuisine] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720061416/http://www.5hpk.com/WebUI/InfoDir/pTopicTagSearch.html?SiteId=Whpk&DirId=ys&MainClassId=ys&tag=%u5DDD%u83DC |date=20 July 2008 }} {{in lang|zh}} – Pictures, descriptions, history, and examples of Sichuan cuisine.</ref> Sichuan cuisine is popular in the whole nation of China, and so are Sichuan chefs.
[[File:Hot Pot.jpg|thumb|'''Hotpot''']]
Another famous Sichuan delicacy is [[hot pot]]. Hot pot is a Chinese soup containing a variety of East Asian foodstuffs and ingredients, prepared with a simmering pot of soup stock at the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, tofu, and seafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce.

<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" mode="packed">
File:Kung-pao-shanghai.jpg|[[Kung Pao chicken]], one of the best known dishes of Sichuan cuisine
File:Mapodoufu.jpg|[[Mapo doufu]]
File:担担面 Dandan noodles.jpg|[[Dandan noodles]]
File:Mixed sauce noodles.JPG|[[Zajiangmian]] ({{lang|zh-hans|杂酱面}})
</gallery>

==Education==
===Colleges and universities===

{{see also|List of universities and colleges in Sichuan}}As of 2022, Sichuan hosts 134 institutions of higher education, ranking first in the [[Western China]] region and fifth among all Chinese provinces after [[Jiangsu]], [[Guangdong]], [[Henan]] and [[Shandong]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=全国普通高等学校名单 - 中华人民共和国教育部政府门户网站 |url=https://hudong.moe.gov.cn/qggxmd/ |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=hudong.moe.gov.cn}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=全国高等学校名单 - 中华人民共和国教育部政府门户网站 |url=http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xxgk/s5743/s5744/A03/202206/t20220617_638352.html |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=www.moe.gov.cn}}</ref>
*[[Sichuan University]] ([[Chengdu]])
*[[Southwest Jiaotong University]] (Chengdu)
*[[University of Electronic Science and Technology of China]] (Chengdu)
*[[Southwestern University of Finance and Economics]] (Chengdu)
*[[Chengdu University of Technology]] (Chengdu)
*[[Chengdu University of Information Technology]] (Chengdu)
*[[Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine]] (Chengdu)
*[[Civil Aviation Flight University of China]] ([[Guanghan]])
*[[Southwest University for Nationalities]] (Chengdu)
*[[Sichuan Normal University]] (Chengdu)
*[[Sichuan Agricultural University]] ([[Ya'an]], Chengdu, [[Dujiangyan]])
*[[Southwest Petroleum University]] ([[Nanchong]] and Chengdu)
*[[Xihua University]] (Chengdu)
*[[Southwest University of Science and Technology]] ([[Mianyang]])
*[[China West Normal University]] ([[Nanchong]])
*[[North Sichuan Medical College]] (Nanchong)
*Panzhihua University (Panzhihua)
*Sichuan Police College ([[Luzhou]])
*[[Sichuan University of Science and Engineering]] ([[Zigong]] and [[Yibin]])
*[[Chengdu University]] (Chengdu)
*Xichang University ([[Xichang]])
*Aba Teachers University ([[Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture]])
*[[Yibin University]] ([[Yibin]])

==Tourism==
[[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]s in Sichuan province and Chongqing municipality include:
*[[Dazu Rock Carvings]] and [[Wulong Karst]] ([[Chongqing]] [[municipality]])
*[[Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area]]
*[[Jiuzhaigou Valley]] Scenic and Historic Interest Area
*[[Mount Emei]] Scenic Area, including [[Leshan Giant Buddha]] Scenic Area
*[[Mount Qincheng]] and the [[Dujiangyan Irrigation System]]
*[[Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries]]
[[File:四川 青城山-索道下口站 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|'''Mount Qingcheng''']]
As of July 2013, the world's largest building, the [[New Century Global Center]] is located in Chengdu. At {{cvt|328|ft|m}} high, {{cvt|1,640|ft|m}} long, and {{cvt|1,312|ft|m}} wide, the Center houses retail outlets, movie theaters, offices, hotels, the Paradise Island waterpark, an artificial beach, a {{cvt|164|yd|m}}-long [[Light-emitting diode|LED]] screen, skating rink, pirate ship, fake Mediterranean village, 24-hour artificial sun, and 15,000-spot parking area.<ref>{{cite web |title=The world's new largest building is four times the size of Vatican City |url=http://qz.com/100639/china-chengdu-world-new-largest-building-is-four-times-the-size-of-vatican-city/ |work=Quartz |access-date=4 July 2013 |author=Roberto A. Ferdman |date=3 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704121911/http://qz.com/100639/china-chengdu-world-new-largest-building-is-four-times-the-size-of-vatican-city/ |archive-date=4 July 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Beauty of Jiuzhaigou National Park - Apr 2017.png|[[Jiuzhaigou]]
File:Yading - panoramio (1).jpg|[[Yading]]
File:1 huanglong pools aerial 2011.jpg|[[Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area]]
File:Jiuzhaigou, Aba, Sichuan, China - panoramio - dayu490301.jpg|Waterfalls at Jiuzhaigou
File:毕棚沟.jpg|[[Bipenggou]] Valley
File:四姑娘山景区 Mount Siguniang Scenic Area 45.jpg|[[Mount Siguniang]] Scenic Area
File:大冰瀑布-Q30023595.jpg|[[Hailuogou]] Glacier Forest Park
File:Mount Emei - Sunrise above the clouds.jpg|alt=|[[Mount Emei]]
</gallery>

==Notable individuals==
*[[Ba Jin]] (25 November 1904&nbsp;– 17 October 2005), novelist and writer
*[[Bai Ling]], actress
*[[Bao Sanniang]], a possibly fictional woman warrior of the [[Three Kingdoms]] period.
*[[Zhang Qun|Chang Chün]], premier of the Republic of China
*[[Chang Dai-chien]], artist
*[[Che Yongli]] (28 January 1980), actress
*[[Chen Kenmin]] (27 June 1912&nbsp;– 12 May 1990), chef who specialized in [[Sichuan cuisine]]. Father of well-known [[Iron Chef]], [[Chen Kenichi]].
*[[Chen Pokong]] (1963–), author, political commentator and democracy activist
*[[Chen Shou]], official and writer
*[[Cheung Chung-kiu]], business magnate
*[[Deng Xiaoping]], Chinese Paramount Leader during the 1980s, his [[Deng Xiaoping's Former Residence|former residence]] is now a museum.
*[[Guifeng Zongmi]] (780–841), Tang dynasty Buddhist scholar-monk, fifth patriarch of the [[Huayan]] school as well as a patriarch of the Heze lineage of Southern Chan
*[[Guo Moruo]], renowned author
*[[Akio Hong]], broadcaster
*[[Huang Jiguang]], highly decorated soldier during the Korean War
*[[Jiang Zhuyun]], revolutionary martyr
*[[Li Bai]] (701–762), poet of the Tang dynasty
*[[Li Bifeng]], activist
*[[Li Ching-Yuen]], [[Herbalism|herbalist]], [[Martial arts|martial artist]] and tactical advisor, also known for extreme [[longevity claim]]s
*Li Shou-min, better known as [[Huanzhulouzhu]] (1902–1961), novelist of the [[xianxia]] genre
*[[Li Shunxian]] ({{circa|900}}–926), [[Iranians in China#Former Shu|Persian-Sichuanese]] poet, concubine of Emperor [[Wang Zongyan]] of [[Former Shu]]
*[[Li Yifeng]], actor and singer
*[[Li Yuchun]], singer, songwriter, and actress
*[[Liao Yiwu]], author, reporter, musician, and poet
*[[Liu Yonghao]], businessman
*[[Luo Ruiqing]], army officer and politician
*[[Meng Caicheng]], (蒙裁成, 1859–1928), activist in the [[Railway Protection Movement]]
*[[Ouyang Xiu]] (1007–22 September 1072), Confucian historian, essayist, calligrapher, poet, and official bureaucrat of the Song dynasty
*[[Sanyu (painter)]]
*[[Song Cheng-tsi]] (1892–1955), Anglican bishop
*[[Song Yonghua]], scholar
*[[Su Shi]] (8 January 1037&nbsp;– 24 August 1101), Confucian bureaucrat official, poet, artist, calligrapher, pharmacologist, gastronome, and official bureaucrat of the Song dynasty
*[[Su Xun]] (1009–1066), poet and prose-writer of the Song dynasty
*[[Su Zhe]] (1039–1112), poet and essayist, a Confucian bureaucratic official of the Song dynasty
*[[Tan Weiwei]], singer and actress
*[[Tang Chun-i]], philosopher and scholar
*[[Wang Jiujiang]] (1957–), painter
*[[Wang Jianlin]], business magnate, investor, and philanthropist
*[[Wang Xiaoya]], television host and media personality
*[[Wang Yi (pastor)]] (1973–)
*[[Wuzhun Shifan]] (1178–1249), Zen Buddhist monk
*[[Kep1er|Xiaoting]](12 November 1999), singer member of [[Kep1er]] 
*[[SM Rookies#Former members|Xu Yiyang]] (12 August 1997), singer<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soompi.com/article/898975wpp/smrookies-introduces-2-new-female-trainees |title=SMROOKIES Introduces 2 New Female Trainees |date=19 September 2016 | access-date=14 March 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112223341/https://www.soompi.com/article/898975wpp/smrookies-introduces-2-new-female-trainees | archive-date=12 November 2018 | url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Xu Youyu]], scholar
*[[Yang Xiong (author)|Yang Xiong]], poet, philosopher, and politician
*[[Y. C. James Yen]] (1890/1893–1990), educator
*[[Lucy Yi Zhenmei]] (1815–1862), Roman Catholic saint
*[[Yu Jie]] (1973–), Calvinist democracy activist
*[[Zhang Aiping]], from Tongchuan District, Dazhou City, Vice Premier, State Councilor, and Minister of Defense
*[[Jane Zhang]], singer and songwriter
*[[Zhang Lan]], political activist
*[[Zhang Yong (restaurateur)]], Singapore's richest man in 2019
*[[Zhao Yiman]], resistance fighter
*[[Zheng Ji (biochemist)|Zheng Ji]], nutritionist, and pioneering biochemist
*[[Zhu De]], general, warlord, politician, and revolutionary
*[[Zhuo Wenjun]], poet
*[[Zou Rong]], revolutionary martyr

==Sports==
Professional sports teams in Sichuan include:
*[[Chinese Basketball Association]]
**[[Sichuan Blue Whales]]
*[[Chinese Super League]]
**[[Chengdu Rongcheng F.C.]]
*[[Chinese Volleyball League]]
**[[Sichuan Volleyball Team]]
*[[China Table Tennis Super League]]
**[[Sichuan Quan-Xing Table-Tennis Team]]

==Sister states and regions==
{{Div col}}
*{{flagdeco|US}} [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States (1982)
*{{flagdeco|US}} [[Michigan]], United States (1982)
*{{flagdeco|Japan}} [[Hiroshima Prefecture]], Japan (1984)
*{{flagdeco|Japan}} [[Yamanashi Prefecture]], Japan (1985)
*{{flagdeco|North Korea}} [[South P'yŏngan]], North Korea (1985)
*{{flagdeco|Malaysia}} [[Kedah]], Malaysia (1985)
*{{flagdeco|France}} [[Midi-Pyrénées]], France (1987)
*{{flagdeco|Germany}} [[North Rhine-Westphalia]], Germany (1988)
*{{flagdeco|UK}} [[Leicestershire]], United Kingdom (1988)
*{{flagdeco|Italy}} [[Piedmont]], Italy (1990)
*{{flagdeco|Brazil}} [[Pernambuco]], Brazil (1992)
*{{flagdeco|Hungary}} [[Tolna (county)|Tolna County]], Hungary (1993)
*{{flagdeco|Spain}} [[Valencian Community]], Spain (1994)
*{{flagdeco|Belgium}} [[Brussels-Capital Region]], Belgium (1995)
*{{flagdeco|Venezuela}} [[Barinas State]], Venezuela (2001)
*{{flagdeco|Netherlands}} [[Friesland]], Netherlands (2001)
*{{flagdeco|Kazakhstan}} [[Almaty Province]], Kazakhstan (2001)
*{{flagdeco|RSA}} [[Mpumalanga]], South Africa (2002)
*{{flagdeco|Thailand}} [[Suphan Buri]], Thailand (2010)
*{{flagdeco|Australia}} [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], Australia (2015)
*{{flagdeco|Uruguay}} [[Lavalleja]], Uruguay (2020)
{{Div col end}}

== See also ==
{{Div col}}
*[[2008 Sichuan earthquake]]
*[[Bashu culture]]
*''[[Chronicles of Huayang]]''
*[[Eight Immortals from Sichuan]]
*''[[The Good Person of Szechwan]]''
*[[List of prisons in Sichuan]]
*[[Major national historical and cultural sites (Sichuan)]]
*[[Qutang Gorge]]
*[[Sichuan Airlines]]
*[[Sichuan cuisine]]
*[[Sichuan dialect]]
*[[Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries]]
{{Div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons and category|Sichuan}}
{{Wikivoyage|Sichuan}}
* {{Official website|http://www.sc.gov.cn/10462/wza2012/english/english.shtml}}
*[http://info.hktdc.com/mktprof/china/sichuan.htm Economic profile for Sichuan] at [[Hong Kong Trade Development Council|HKTDC]]
*[https://www.dragondollar.com/coins/chinese-coins-2/szechuan-dollar-3-musketeers/ Ancient silver coins of Sichuan]
* {{OSM relation|913068}}

{{Clear}}
{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Sichuan
|North     = [[Gansu]]
|Northeast = [[Shaanxi]]
|East      = [[Chongqing]]
|Southeast = [[Guizhou]]
|South     = [[Yunnan]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Tibet Autonomous Region|Tibet]]
|Northwest = [[Qinghai]]
}}

{{Sichuan topics}}
{{Sichuan}}
{{Province-level divisions of the People's Republic of China}}
{{Provincial capitals of China}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sichuan| ]]
[[Category:Provinces of China]]
[[Category:Western China]]