Guilin

In depth

Guilin, formerly known as Bagui, is named after the laurel trees growing thickly. It is a nationally recognized historic and cultural city with over 2,100 years of history. Famous worldwide for its landscapes, it is one of the most typical regions in the world for karst landforms, with the entire city resembling a giant landscape bonsai within the city.
A landscape painting. Guilin Chenghui Elephant Trunk Mountain is located at the confluence of the Li River and the Taohua River. The mountain's shape closely resembles a giant elephant drawing water by the river. The round hole between the trunk and leg creates the spectacular sight of a bright moon floating beneath the water and above the water. The Li River is the soul of Guilin's landscape. The roughly 83-kilometer journey from Guilin to Yangshuo is known as the 'Hundred-Mile Gallery.' Strange peaks rise on both banks, green bamboo sways, and sailing on the river by boat or bamboo raft truly evokes the feeling of boats gliding on emerald waves and people wandering within a painting. Many tourists bring 20 RMB to check in at the same scenery in front of Yuanbao Mountain near Xingping Ancient Town.
Other scenic spots. The Longji Terraces are an agricultural marvel cultivated by generations of Longji people over more than 2,300 years, with flowing lines and a magnificent scale. The city's water system of two rivers and four lakes encircling the city showcases the ancient wisdom of Yingcheng, where thousands of peaks stand tall and rivers embrace the city. Night tours to admire the dazzling lights of the Sun and Moon Twin Towers are an unmissable experience.
History and culture. The Ling Canal, excavated during the reign of Qin Shi Huang, connected the Yangtze and Pearl River rivers, serving as the ancient waterway connecting the Central Plains to Lingnan. Duxiu Peak in the city is the visual focal point of Guilin. Its cliff walls are engraved with verses from the Southern Song poet Wang Zhenggong's 'Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven.' These eight-character comments have hung on the cliffs for over 800 years. The large-scale landscape live performance "Impression · Liu Sanjie" cleverly blends natural landscapes with ethnic culture.
The bustling streets. A bowl of fragrant Guilin rice noodles in the morning awakens the entire city, along with the fragrant and sweet Gongcheng oil tea, the spicy and flavorful Yangshuo beer fish, the soft and savory Lipu taro pork, as well as osmanthus cake and water chestnut cake, all hidden in the alleys, creating unforgettable Guilin flavors. Guilin's charm lies in the perfect blend of mountains, waters, and culture. It boasts breathtaking scenery shaped by billions of years of geological activity, as well as the profound heritage of two thousand years of civilization. It is a poetic city worth slowing down and savoring.