In my memory, I could hardly see stars at night in Chengdu. You should know that the Chengdu plain is at the center of Sichuan basin. Obviously, high mountains are all around Chengdu. Plus it's easy to accumulate clouds above this damp plain. Sunshine is limited in this area. Especially in winter, it's rarely sunny and you have problems drying your clothes outdoors. But it never bothers local people leading their paradisiacal life.

Sent by Song Qiuying | 9:41 AM ET | 04-07-2008

I lived in Chengdu for three months, and the days of clear skies and sun were few, but very welcomed. I remember about halfway into our stay we got excited because it was clear enough that we saw a plane flying through the sky.

Despite the pollution and gray skies, China still holds a place in my heart.

Sent by Rini (Ailin) | 1:36 PM ET | 04-07-2008

From the picture, I can pretty much guess where you might are staying while in Chengdu.

It's true the Chengdu's weather is good for one's skin. I'm staying in the Washington, D.C. area now, no matter how many or what kind of skin product I use, my skin health can never match what I once had when I was in Chengdu. Of course you sometimes sacrifice health somewhere else in the body.

Considering China's population, 350,000 to 400,000 premature deaths a year is not an large number (people usually look at rates not numbers directly). 30% is also not a very large percentage (because to be fair, we want to know the rate of smokers against a population). Maybe the rest of smokers are in Europe.

Just kidding.

Sent by Liang Huang | 6:50 PM ET | 04-07-2008

I'm so glad to read stories from my hometown. It's true that the sky is always gray in Chengdu. But it's a lot sunnier if you go north to the mountains.

Sent by Chuntao Liang | 6:32 PM ET | 04-12-2008

Chengdu's haze can't be blamed too much on pollution. It's more due to its unique weather and the terrain which causes it. Chengdu is located at the bottom of Sichuan Basin with mountains of tens of thousands feet on all sides. That creates this special climate which is overcast in much of the days all around the year. ????????????, Sichuan's dog barks at the sun, this is an ancient saying, not just invented recently.

All that's said, the city is making huge efforts to eliminate pollution sources. The major factories on the east industrial side of Chengdu were all relocated to farther suburbs in last few years, including one of the larges steel tube factory in China, a coal burning power station.

Sent by Ji, Schaumburg, IL | 10:29 PM ET | 05-14-2008

The white and blue fences you see in the picture must be the subway construction site underway. This is a city undergone constant renovation in the past 30 years, as many other places in China.

Sent by Ji, Schaumburg, IL | 10:33 PM ET | 05-14-2008