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Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage is located at the side of the Flower Washing Brook in the western suburbs of Chengdu. The cottage is the former residence of the famous Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) poet, Du Fu. In the year 759 AD, at the age of 47, compelled by poverty and social upheaval, he moved from Gansu to the outskirts of Chengdu and built a thatched hut. During his stay of nearly four years, he composed more than 240 poems reflecting upon the misery of the people, which are regarded today as masterpieces of realist poetry. In 761 AD, a storm destroyed the roof of the thatched cottage, which led to the writing of one of his masterpieces, "the Song of Autumn Winds Destroying My Cottage". In this poem, he expresses his anxiety for the plight of other poverty-stricken scholars and the desire for shelter for all the poor. The original residence disappeared long ago.
One hundred years after Du Fu's death, the poet Wei Zhuang had a thatched cottage built on the foundations of the old grass hut in Du Fu's memory. This compound was expanded and restored again and again in the course of the centuries. It was renovated in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911AD) and enlarged to its present scale in an expansive park, including a bamboo garden, several pavilions, and a number of bridges.
Within the building, from front to back, are the poetic history halls (of particular interest to writers and scholars who come from near and far), thatched entrance, Gongbuci Temple, and Shaoling Stone Monument. There are exhibits that provide details of Du Fu's life and work. In addition, statues, stone carvings, paintings, and calligraphies by famous writers of different dynasties are also on display. However, the only thing resembling a cottage is a small model. Springtime in the park is a wonderful experience because of the beautiful mixture of flowers and traditional Chinese architecture. The area contains several interesting structures, including the grand lobby, the Shrine of Gong Bu (Du's official title) and the Memorial Hall of Du Fu. In the grand lobby two antique wooden screens can be found, one bears a brief account of Du's life and the other, a traditional Chinese painting of Du's cottage. Inside the Shrine of Gong Bu are stone tablets of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Du's poems have been translated into 15 languages and are on display in the Memorial Hall of Du Fu.
Each year, on January 7th of the lunar calendar, local scholars and poets get together in the cottage to honor Du Fu. They celebrate his works by chanting his poems accompanied by dances and music.
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