The Mínjiāng (or Min River, or 岷江) is the 457-mile force which flows throughout Sichuan, and thus Chengdu… and Maoxian: the land of the Qiang people (羌族). In the town of Fengyi, which I consider the hub of Maoxian, this river separates the town in two. For maybe 5 miles here, roughly the length of Fengyi’s primary urban stretch, is a largely complete and connected promenade right by the Minjiang. Although some sections of it show their age more than others, the path is mostly uniform. It is extremely easy to access and navigate.

It’s in my opinion, one of the stronger symbols of how a few particular areas of Maoxian have rapidly developed in recent years. It’s also simply a pleasant feature of Fengyi, almost immaculate at times.

Personally, I especially cherish the various bridges, and glimpses into distinct neighborhoods- especially at the “ends” of the path where one can glance into life in the town’s outskirts. Enriching complements to the overly-ordered trees and flowing waters.

I did consider adding a bunch of my photography on “guys fishing” and “birds chilling” here but thought better of it. I’ll attempt to keep those at a minimum.

On different days, I made my way to the start and the end of the riverside. Although altogether I probably have visited some part of the path at least a dozen times by now. While Fengyi and its neighboring towns exist far beyond the riverside’s bounds, I think the particular length of this full “structure” (or park?) approximately indicates the core of Fengyi. Towards either end, surroundings increasingly transition into rural communities. Agriculture overtakes the urban setting. Witnessing the transition of environments is a powerful demonstration of how urban development is usually so highly concentrated in neighborhoods. Not that that’s bad.

It bears mentioning that parts of this riverside development are almost certainly the result of generous, post-earthquake stimulus following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The outcome is, in some parts, very impressive. It feels extensive and unified overall. Only slightly monotonous at times. But there are too many other things to stare at, anyway.

Did I mention the various bridges? There are quite a few of them. Maybe there just needs to be a moon bridge added in somewhere… one day.

Some of the bridges are visibly old, others very new. Though the ones which are no longer around are also intriguing, their bases still remain in some spots, slowly crumbling [no good photos captured on this, from my end].

One aspect that has perhaps not benefited from the riverside expansion is the presence of the actual Minjiang. I imagine the completeness of the current riverside altered the role of the river. It’s a more separated arrangement now, less easy to interact with. Sure, the pavement barriers are easy to bypass, but it’s still a partition- most folks would rather not have to deal with it. I don’t mean to lament the improvements in infrastructure or elimination of hazards, these are blessings.

But for those that would have grown up here before the developments over the past decade-and-a-half, the progression of the riverside may carry a bittersweet taste. It’s safer and cleaner and more organized. But less natural and intertwined. What made this even clearer to me were the stories of a relative, only in his thirties, who grew up here. He described coming down to the river when he was a kid, playing with the water for hours before falling asleep on the beach. “None of the pavement was here back then.” He said as he peered straight towards the water and the road.

Yet as a visitor, I admit the path is an effective way to witness the variety of backdrops and environs. But I also had fun crossing the barrier and playing with the water, too. I owe my relative for that suggestion.

Simply put, it’s an uncomplicated space that invites wandering. No plan needed for a neat walk, with a good chance to see something interesting. Quiet, with mostly just the sound of the river. And of course, the mountains, which are only sometimes shrouded in fog. But on all occasions, walking on this brief path along the Minjiang is a necessary and soothing departure.

Though it could use more bridges. And sunlight.