|
China
 |
|
|
Useful Information | Seven Star Park, Guilin | Folded Brocade Hill | The Reed Flute Cave | The Ling Canal | The Shangri-la, Guilin | Daxu Ancient Town, Guilin | The Mausoleums of Jing Jiang, Guilin | The Cat Mountain, Guilin | The Yueling Village, Guilin | Stone Forest in Wenshi Town, Guilin | The Big Banyan Tree, Guilin | The Moon Hill, Guilin | Xingping Village, Guilin | The Crown Cave, Guilin | Longmen Water Cave, Guilin | Banyan Lake and Cedar Lake, Guilin | Longji Terraced Field, Guilin | Fubo (wave-subduing) Hill, Guilin | Merryland World, Guilin | Qin Family's Courtyard, Guilin | |
|
|
CurrencyRenminbi (RMB)
Electric Plug Details
Two parallel flat blades
Electricity
220Volt, 50Hz
IDD City Code
10
IDD Country Code
773
Language
Putonghau (Mandarin)
Mobile System
GSM
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +8()
Useful Telephone
Emergencies 120
Police Dial 110
Fire & Ambulance 119 |
Seven Star Park is on the eastern side of the Li River in the Guilin city. The park takes its name from its seven peaks which are resemble the pattern of the Big Dipper constellation. Attractions in the park include, Seven Star Cave, Dragon Hiding Cave, Flowers Bridge, the Zoo, Mosque, Potted Trees, Guihai Forest of Steles and much more. Covering an area of 134, 70 hectares, it is the largest park, composed of some of the finest sights in the city. |
 |
Towering over Li River 's west bank, Folded Brocade Hill lies in the northern part of Guilin city. The name is derived from its queer-looking rocks which are broken horizontally. Folded Brocade Hill consists of Yueshan Hill, Look-on-All-Direction Hill, Crane Peak and Bright Moon Peak.
Halfway up a cave named Wind Cave running through the hill. The cave was calabash shaped, with two wider mouths and narrow passage which only allow one person to pass through each time. A cool breeze blows inside all year around which gave it's the name Wind Cave. Inside the cave are 90 Buddha sculptures of the Tang and Song dynasty, as well as dozens of ancient stone inscriptions.
Along the narrow stone path up you will then find the Face-the-Cloud Pavilion and Over-the-River Pavilion, which provide well stops for the arduous journey up to the top of the Bright Moon Peak. The Bright Moon Peak is the summit of the hill, where the Catch-the-Cloud Pavilion stands. Standing on the pavilion, visitors can get a finest views of Guilin. |
|
The Reed Flute Cave is absolutely a must-see attraction. It is situated in the highway of the Guangming Hill, in the northwestern suburbs of the city. The cave got its name from a kind of flutes growing outside which can be made into melodious flutes. The cave is filled with a large number of stalactites, stalagmites, rocks in all strange shapes.
The cave is about 240 meters long and a trip last about one hour. Along the u-shaped route, visitors can see those oddly shaped rocks, stone pillars and your guide will give you interesting story about them. Illuminated by the colored lights, the cave looks like a dazzling palace that’s why the cave is otherwise known as the “ Art Palace of the Nature”.
Inside the cave there are more than 70 inscription written in ink, which can dating back to 792 AD during the Tang Dynasty, over one thousand years ago. These aged marks tell that it have been an attraction in ancient time.
Since the cave opened to the public in 1962, millions of tourists have visited it. Now the cave is one of the main tourist draws in the area, just under the famous Li River. |
|
The Ling Canal is one of Guilin’s hidden gems. The most unfortunate aspect about the Ling Canal is that it is situated about 70 klms north of Guilin City in an area that does not attract many foreign tourists because of its isolation from other tourist destinations. The other tourist attraction in this area is Merryland Theme Park and Golf Resort but by its nature it attracts a different kind of tourist.
The Canal is a wonderful example of the engineering and architectural skill that existed in Chinese society more that 2000 years ago. The Canal was built in the year 214BC by Qinshihuang, first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty. The canal system connects two rivers, Guilin’s Li River and the Xiang River but as these rivers are tributaries of the Pearl and Yangtze Rivers the connection linked two of the largest river systems in China thereby opening a huge area to allow travel and commerce to flourish. It was also an important political move as it unified north and south and allowed the Emperor to consolidate his power.
The complexity of the project is more easily understood when we see the difference in water levels between the two rivers which in some planes is around 6 meters. The project required a complex system of locks and dams to allow the two water systems to merge. At one point the two rivers are only separated by about 20 meters. It is fascinating to watch as the rivers flow in different directions.
It is possible to take a boat ride down the south canal to Xing'an Town which is well worth the money. The wooden punt is poled along the canal by two boatmen who are happy to point out the points of interest and answer questions if you have someone along who speaks Chinese. They are happy to stop at the most significant spots on the canal for photos or to allow you to get a better look. The ride finishes in the town. The canal continues through Xing'an. The walk along the waterway is very interesting. It is lined with old traditional style building where the residents go about their daily life. I do believe that it would be very crowded with domestic tourists at holiday time, but our visit was free of any congestion and we were the only western tourist in the place. We not hassled by anybody wanting to sell souvenirs or continually assaulted by “hello, lookie” venders.
A Chinese guide or Chinese speaker is almost a necessity to get the most out of the experience. The ticket office at the entrance advertises a boat ride but this is just across a small lagoon and is not worth the RMB 20 per person for a 50 meter ride. The boat ride down the canal is purchased from the boat operators at the start of the south canal. You can’t miss it. The park that surrounds the start of the canal also contains a small museum displaying he wreckage of one of the legendary “flying tigers” squadron that operated in the area during W W 2. We found it interesting but not riveting.
|
|
The English writer, James Hilton’s legendary novel” Last Horizon” wow readers with a paradise, characterized by snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands, lush vegetation, gorgeous gorges and idyllic lakes. Shangri-la has been a dream for many while you will find a real Shangri-la not far from Guilin. A place showcases a natural paradise to you, which may not be reprehensive but surely impressive.
The first sight visitors will encounter is a pavilion named Peach Pavilion. It’s a five storyed building with a scenery view platform on the top. A willows shaded narrow trail will lead to a idyllic lake, called Swallow lake, which is the largest tributary of the Yu Long River, a ideal drifting place. the narrow lake can be divided into three parts, the Outer Lake, Inner Lake and the Back Lake. the river features crystal water and impressive natural scenery along it. Cruise boat are available and many visitors rather board a boat to sail on the gentle water and enjoy the breath-taking natural beauty along.
On the lake stands a traditional building complex, actually a roofed bridge, called Wind-and-rain Bridge which is the symbolic architecture of the Dong Minority people living in this area. It’s a wooden architecture, elegantly erected without even one snail. Through the bridge and along a path, you will see three larger Totem Pillars.
Totem Pillars are symbolic architectures of the ethnical groups living in the southwest remote regions. These oddly carved stone pillars represent the primitive local religions and culture which now are still practiced by the minority peoples in the area.
If you are a folk art lover, you should not miss the Folk Customs in the Grand-view Garden. Various of art crafts, local souvenirs are displayed here. Performance featuring the ethical dances and songs are presented. Visitor can also experience the throwing-love-ball tradition. Throwing love ball is a traditional custom of the Zhuang people, who mainly live in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The gracefully embroidered ball is considered a symbol of love by the Zhuang people. In the Zhuang community, when a girl falls in love with some boy, she will give her beloved one an embroidered ball as a token of her love. In the park, a girl in traditional Zhuang costume will throw embroidered ball from a building to express her welcome to visitors from afar. |
|
Daxu Ancient Town, Guilin
|
|
Located to the southwest of Guilin, on shore of the tourists beaten Li River. Daxu is a time-honored town with well preserved traditional Chinese architectures and the time-worn shiny stone-paved streets. The place is the commercial premier in the area. First built in the Qin Dynasty, over 2,000 years ago, Dxu Town began to flourish during the Ming Dynasty when it became the commercial premier in the area.
Main sights here includes stone-paved streets, Wanshou Bridge( Longevity Bridge), ancient buildings and the century-old dock. The street measuring 2.5 kilometers in length and 2 meters in width stretches through the town. This narrow street with its stone bases worn shiny by time and the many visitors are full of character. Wanshou Bridge is a single-arched bridge built in the Ming Dynasty. Along the river stands many traditional buildings well preserved from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. These wooden architectures with colorfully decorated eaves, elegantly carved doors and windows are still homes of the many locals. A stroll along will afford a leisurely glimpse into the traditional courtyard where granny are sometimes seen telling story to a huddle of small kids. 13 docks have been built from the Ming Dynasty, among which five well preserved ones still work well. |
|
The Mausoleums of Jing Jiang, Guilin
|
|
The Mausoleums of Jing Jiang are tombs of generations of Ming princes who were dispatched by the emperor to govern today’s Guilin region. The tombs are located at the foot of the grand Yao Mountain in the eastern suburbs, some 5 kilometers from the city.
The mausoleums are set amidst lush pine trees and surrounded by the hills and mountains. A babbling stream runs gently through them. The site was circled by an oblong-shaped wall, which divides the complex into the outer garden and the inner palace. Over 300 tombs scatters around over 100 square kilometers. A sacred way in the outer garden leads to the inner palace. Along the way lines stone statues of animals and government officials which were believed to guard the tombs. In the inner palace lay the tombs themselves. The Mausoleum of Princes Zhuangjian is the only one here that opens to the public. Some valuable relics excavated from his tomb including a vase, some silver and golden wares are now displayed in the Alter Palace. |
|
Located to the northeast of Xing’an Town, about 110 kilometers north of Guilin, the Cat Mountain is the highest mountain in the South China. It got the name Cat Mountain for its peak looks like a huge cat. The main peak of the mountain is about 2,141 meters high above sea level and is renowned as the “Summit of South China”.
The Zi River, Xun River as well as the best known Li River have their sources high in this mountain. Climate differs dramatically at different altitude within the mountain. Depending on when you start your journey there, you will see azaleas blanketing mountain in spring, clouds, breathtaking red leaves and the memorable snow scene in winter. |
The Yueling Village, Guilin
|
|
Yueling Village is a village of over 700 years history, where live around 400 households whose 28 generations all developed from one family, Family Tang, and all maintain this surname still. Six compounds in the village are kept very well. They were all built at the end of Ming dynasty and the beginning of Qing dynasty in a unique local style. Every compound is composed of six buildings, including major and minor sitting rooms, two dooryards, bedrooms, kitchens, guest rooms, storehouses, an opera stage, wells and gardens. At the entrance of the village stands a paifang (Chinese torii) which was built in 1839 to honor Mr. Tang Jing-tao's, the number one scholar of the village, foster mother's chastity. The paifang, 10.2 meters high, is made of marble with exquisite and vivid reliefs, some of which are out of an entire stone, of unicorns, dragons and legendary figures. |
Stone Forest in Wenshi Town, Guilin
|
|
The Stone Forest occupies 5 square kilometers in Wenshi Town 130 km away from Guilin city. Weathered by wind and rain water, limestones on the ground were "engraved" into various grotesque shapes and stand together like a forest of stones. Unlike the stone forest in Kunming which is internationally well-known and has been visited by thousands of visitors, the one in Wenshi is more a typical gladiate-shaped karst landscape and is less visited. The Stone Forest occupies 5 square kilometers in Wenshi Town 130 km away from Guilin city. Weathered by wind and rain water, limestones on the ground were "engraved" into various grotesque shapes and stand together like a forest of stones. Unlike the stone forest in Kunming which is internationally well-known and has been visited by thousands of visitors, the one in Wenshi is more a typical gladiate-shaped karst landscape and is less visited. A stream flows by the forest and then runs through a large area of rice fields, which unfolds you a tranquil rural scenery. |
|
The Big Banyan Tree, Guilin
|
|
At the village of Gaotian to the south of the town of Yangshuo, where the most typical pastoral scenery is to be found, there is a big banyan tree over 1000 years old. The braches of the three spread out in all directions and its roots twisting crisscrossed. The tree trunk takes six men to circle with their arms stretched out. The well-known film” Ms Liu San Jie” , one secen of which was shot here, makes the old tree even more popular throughout China and internationally. |
|
One kilometer to the south of the Big Banyan Tree, 50 minutes’ bike from Yangshuo, there lies the Moon Hill. Named for the crescent shaped cave running through the moon, Moon Hill is one of the highlights in Yangshuo. The journey up to the summit is an arduous one which covers 800 steep steps. The scenery overlooking the countryside through the half moon, however, is well worth the trek, which is probably the best you will get in the area.
At foot of the hill lies a tiny village called Moon Hill Village. The village offers a haven for those who would like to stay off the touristy places and around Yangshuo. It is a tranquil village free from the pollution, stress and turmoil that plague most of the cities we live. The traditional life style continues as time stands still here. |
|
Located 27 km from Yangshuo, in the eastern bank of the Li River, Xingping is an ancient town with a history of more than 1300 years. Apart from the well preserved Ming Dynasty architectures, which dominant the town, and fine wood carving dating back to more than five hundred years, Xingping boast some of the best natural scenery around the area, somewhat better than that that in Yangshuo. The seven mountains surrounding the village, two stone guarding at the entrance keep the place a spiritual sanctuary off the modern world.
There are such enchanting scenes as "Pretty Woman Looking in the Mirror", "General Drawing His Sword" and "Carp Drinking from the River". |
|
The Crown Cave is a giant subterranean river cavern by the Li River. Taking the shape of an gold crown of ancient emperor, the cave is 12 km long and consists of three parts. Views inside were fantastic, stalactites and stalagmites in all strangle shape illuminated by lights glittering a golden glow. An underground stream passes through the cave and then joins the Li River. The cave has been set with modern sightseeing facilities, including an elevator, small train, yachts and sightseeing roller coaster. |
Longmen Water Cave, Guilin
|
|
Longmen Water Cave was a recently opened sight, in Longmen village, 3 km from Moon Hill. It is the largest and one of the most exciting natural caves to explore in Yangshuo. Running through 3 mountains, the cave is about 3km long. The water 0.5m deep flows gently through.
Used as refuge by the local villagers from the invading Japanese army during WW II , the cave draws its name from a tiny stalagmite resembling the Maitreya, located a short distance inside the cave. It's easy to see why the locals thought the cave secure from the Japanese and why portions are still off-limits to visitors. The cave is full of narrow, maze-like, and sometimes dangerous passages. Be warned, even in the areas open to the public there have been injuries during the cave's 10 years as a tourist attraction. A guide and a flashlight are necessary, and it is necessary to crawl through muddy holes, climb up and down stalagmites, and sidle in between stalactites with the aid of ropes and ladders. The cave is the most extensive, unaltered subterranean micro cosmos in the area. Complete with stalactite “drums” and an underground waterfall pool you can bathe and swim. Bring your swimsuit and towel. |
|
Banyan Lake and Cedar Lake, Guilin
|
|
Banyan Lake and Cedar Lake are located in downtown Guilin. They are like two pieces of crystal embedded in the central part of the city. The origin of both parks dates back to Tang Dynasty when they were part of a city moat. As Guilin expanded to the south, the moat became a lake within the city area.
Built in Song-Dynasty, Blue Ribbon Bridge (now Sun Bridge ) separates the lakes. The Cedar Lake was named after the cedar trees growing on the shore and the Banyan Part got its name because of a large banyan tree standing on shore near the 1,000-year-old South City Gate. The two lakes together were often referred to as Round Lake . A Zigzag bridges lead to the Mid-lake Isle , which is dotted with long corridors, waterside pavilions and ancient buildings. |
Longji Terraced Field, Guilin
|
|
The Longji Terraces are located in Longsheng County about 2 hours from Guilin. The rice terraces are built into the hillsides. The terraces look like great chains or ribbons as they wind from the foot to the top of the hill. This ingenious construction makes best use of the scarce arable land and water resources in the mountainous area. There are about 66 square kilometers terraced fields in southeast Longsheng,
The Terraces were first built in the Yuan dynasty and completed in the Qing dynasty by the Zhuang people. |
Fubo (wave-subduing) Hill, Guilin
|
|
Fubo (wave-subduing) Hill to the northeast of downtown Guilin by the Li River has the Xinxi Marquis Temple built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The title of Xinxi Marquis was given to Fubo General Ma Yuan, so the name of the mountain. Half of the graceful lone peak of the hill is in the river and the other half is on land. During flood season turbulent currents explode against the hill rocks. On top of the hill one sees an exquisite scenery like a traditional Chinese painting. Inside the "Return the Pearl" Cave, also known as Fubo Cave in the mountain side, there are the "Try the Sword" Rock, the 1,000-Buddha Crag (Buddha images carved on stone), and many carvings on the cave walls. Among the best carvings is a self-portrait of Mi Fu, a famous painter, and a poem by Fan Dacheng, a famous poet, both from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). |
|
Guilin Merryland World is a project built by Mr. Ma Zhi Lin. This project was planned a in 1992 and built in 1997. It is situated in Xinan about an hour from Guilin and covers an area of more than one thousand mu.
Merry land is a high tech high-tech amusement park, 5 star Hotel and Gold Course Complex |
Qin Family's Courtyard, Guilin
|
|
Many foreign visitors come to China seeking traditional examples but never find them. Too many people leave the country disappointed at that China they were looking for has been replaced by the impressive skyscraper blocks, eight-lane highways. The Qin Family’s Courtyard may be the place that they are searching.
Located some 90 kilometers northwest of Guilin, Qin Family’s Courtyard is an ancient village dating back to the Ming Dynasty. The village was built by descendants of a dismissed Ming official who was exiled to the area with his family. Over years, generations of the family lived here and extended it to a big building complex.
The village is filled with original Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings with huge stone foundations, brick walls, well decorated tiles and elegantly carved windows and doors. The complex is consisted of 23 buildings, covering an area of 15,000 square kilometers. Architecture here mainly takes shape of quadrangle, typically traditional Chinese architectural form which can commonly be seen around the country. In the middle is a parvis and rooms were symmetrically arranged around. The largest building in the village was said to be built at the end of the Ming Dynasty. But unfortunately, three fires in ancient time consumed it and left behind them a few darkened pillars. The stale in front, however, has survived but rain drops over the centuries have marked an array of small holes in it.
The village actually has remained so many of the features of a Ming and Qing Chinese villages that many films were shot here. |
|
|
|
back
