Keeping a songbird in a bamboo cage is one of the deepest-rooted hobbies in Chengdu, and it is not a niche one. Men walk through the parks in the morning with a covered cage in each hand, hang them in the trees at the teahouse, lift the cloth and compare the song; there are clubs, competitions, breeding lines and a trade in birds that runs into serious money. The bird and flower markets are where that world is supplied, and they are worth a visit even if you have no intention of buying anything.
What the markets sell
The markets are a combination of live animals, plants and equipment. On the bird side you find thrushes, mynas, laughingthrushes and various finches in cages, alongside a wall of cage makers offering bamboo cages in every size with porcelain food and water pots, cage covers, perches and bags. On the plant side there are cut flowers, potted orchids, camellias and hydrangeas, bonsai, succulents, aquatic plants in bowls with goldfish, and the tools and soil to go with them. There is usually a section for crickets and their clay pots, and one for fish and aquariums. The sound is a mixture of birdsong, running water and the clatter of cage doors.
The teahouse side of it
The hobby is public. In the old teahouses and the city parks, particularly around the parks on the western side of the centre, you will see rows of cages hung on bamboo or on the branches of trees while their owners drink tea, play cards and talk. The birds are uncovered in stages through the morning, and an experienced keeper can tell you which bird is singing well and why. This is a good reason to spend a morning in a park rather than a museum: the culture is on display, and the owners are usually happy to talk about their birds if you show interest.
Practical notes
The traditional bird and flower market sites have moved outwards over the years as the central districts have been redeveloped, and the biggest concentrations now sit in the outer districts and in the flower-growing country east of the city, best reached by taxi. Smaller plant and flower stalls remain inside the centre in the older market lanes. Wear shoes you do not mind getting dirty, keep away from the cages unless invited, and expect to negotiate in cash or by mobile payment. Live birds cannot be taken out of the country, so buy a cage or a plant instead.
