Charming landscape of Guilin

Guilin in subtropical south China has he reputation of having the country’s most beautiful scenery. It has been eulogized in innumerable literary works, paintings and inscriptions since its founding during the Qin Dynasty. Characteristic of Guilin scenery is its oddly-shaped solitary hills rising out of flat ground, in various shapes said to resemble buns, sawteeth, bamboo shoots, camels, etc. There is not only a good view of the hills, but also one of the rivers. The Li River is crystal clear, and no matter how deep the water is, you can see the bottom-the pebbles, sand, and weeds. The landscape in Guilin is characterized by its green hills, clear waters, pretty rocks and grotesque caves.

Solitary Beauty Peak, a 152-metre pinnacle, is at the centre of the town. Climbing the 306 stone steps to the top is rewarded by a panoramic view of the city, the Li River and surrounding hills. A 10 foot0ling rock dangling from the entrance to a cave is fascinating. Cleft and nearly touching the ground, the hanging rock is identified by legend as the rock on which an emperor tested his swords for sharpness. The cave contains two or three hundred status of Buddha, one of which is 1,100 years old. Elephant Trunk Peak, a rock hill by the river, has a big hole in it which gives the rock the appearance of an elephant drinking from the river. Myth says that this hill was formerly an elephant belonging to the Emperor of Heaven, and that when the emperor set out to conquer Earth, the elephant was made to work so hard providing transport that he fell sick and would have died, had some farmers not saved him. For this the elephant was grateful and decided to stay on earth and help the farmers. The Emperor of Heaven was so angry that he stabbed the elephant in the back as he was drinking from the river. The emperor’s sword turned the elephant into the rocking hill people see today.

The countless bizarre karst caves in Guilin are as famous as the hills. Almost every hill has at least one cave but the best known are Seven-star Cave and Reed Flute Cave.

Seven-star Cave at the foot of Seven-star Rocks has been a tourist attraction for about 1,700 years. Today colored lights brighten some 800 metre long tunnel and its gallery of stalactites, stalagmites, huge stone slabs and pillars which have been given fancy names such as “Monkey Picking Peaches”, “Two Dragons Playing a Ball”, and “Frog Leaping into a Pond.”

Reed Flute Cave got its name from the kind of reed growing near the cave which makes fine flutes. The huge limestone karst cave zigzags 500 metres deep and stretches 240 metres wide. Stalactites in dazzling shapes and colours show the visitor why the cave is known also as a place of natural art. Illuminated, the limestone which contains minerals appears like coral, agate, amber or jade. Colourful lights help create many beautiful sites including “Dawn at? the Lion Grove” and “Crystal Palace”.

Map of Guilin city

A visit to Guilin would not be complete without a boat excursion down the Li River with which to Yangshuo, 83 kilometres down stream-a section of the Li River with which visitors will surely be astounded as scenic wonders unfold on both banks of the river. Paint Brush Peak just straight up from the ground has a pointed tip like a giant Chinese writing brush. The images of horses down the river, at Yellow Clothes Beach, the river becomes wider and calmer as it flows through seven quiet hills. Finally, the trip ends in the hills around Yangshuo which have inspired the phrase: “Guilin has the most beautiful scenery in China, and Yangshuo is the most beautiful part of Guilin”.