Guangxi Travelogue: Liuzhou Jiangbin Park
At 12:30 p.m. on October 24, 2024, we took bus No. 19 to the south bridgehead of the Liujiang River. Right along the south bank is Liuzhou Jiangbin Park. Liuzhou Jiangbin Park is located on the south bank of the Liujiang River in downtown Liuzhou, in the core area of the 'Hundred-li Liujiang River, Hundred-li Gallery.' It stretches 1.5 kilometers and covers a total area of 142,100 square meters. Nestled between hills and water, the park offers beautiful scenery and integrates sightseeing, leisure, entertainment, fitness, and flood control functions. It is Guangxi's earliest large open riverside park, a nationally acclaimed cultural square, and is known as the 'Liuzhou Bund'.
In 1953, the city gardening department carried out riverbank greening at the pontoon bridge head on the south bank of the Liujiang River, planting a batch of French plane trees. In 1955, 'Riverside Park' was established here on about one hectare. In 1959, the municipal people's committee allocated funds to build a double-eaved square pavilion (Wangjiang Pavilion) and a round pavilion with a pointed roof; park paths were renovated, stone tables and benches installed, a retaining wall built, and the park area expanded to 1.5 hectares, renamed 'Jiangbin Park.' During the Cultural Revolution, park facilities were destroyed and the gardens fell into disrepair.
From 1982 to 1983, a 900-meter-long earth wall was built at the south end of the Liuzhou Bridge to create park green space. In early 1984, the municipal government approved the 'Jiangbin Park Planning and Construction Plan.' In April, the 'Guilai Pavilion' and 'Wangjiang Pavilion' were built on the south bank. In October, the 'Love Our Dragon City, Build Our Liuzhou Embankment' social sponsorship campaign was launched, and the Liuzhou Embankment was constructed on the north bank. In August 1986, a 'Liuzhou Embankment' monument was erected on the embankment flat. The same year, the Liuzhou Embankment Garden was basically completed.
In October 1987, the Zhaojia Well scenic spot was completed. The park often echoes with antiphonal singing by various singers. Over 900 meters northeast of Zhaojia Well stands Panlong Mountain, rising abruptly by the river like a coiling dragon. Its main peak is 196.9 meters above sea level; at its summit once stood a seven-story Qing Dynasty pagoda, a feng shui tower in the traditional pavilion style. A secondary riverside peak reaches 153 meters. The mountain is lush with trees and dotted with peculiar rocks and caves, and boasts historical sites such as the Wang Family Mountain Retreat, Donglin Cave, and Pangu Temple. In 1991, the Panlong Mountain Scenic Area was developed. In 1992, a master plan for Panlong Mountain Park was formulated, restoring the East Pagoda (named Wenguang Pagoda), the ancient Banyan-shaded Ferry, Panlong Mountain Path, the 'Landscape in Harmony' memorial arch, the Wang Family Mountain Retreat, Pangu Temple, and more. Panlong Pagoda and Wenchang Pavilion were also built, along with couplets, inscribed boards, cliff carvings, and sculptural art. The scenic area covers a total of 11.48 hectares.
The construction of Liuzhou Jiangbin Park took advantage of the riverbank's topographical variations, blending natural scenery with artificial landscaping. With distant mountains and nearby water as a grand backdrop, and in harmony with the city's landscape-garden character, pavilions, terraces, and plants were carefully arranged according to landscape design principles such as separation, harmony, and rhythm. Techniques like borrowed scenery, opposite scenery, obstructive scenery, framed scenery, and focal scenery created a simple, understated, and gracefully lively style. The result is an ever-changing, multi-perspective, multi-layered garden space where river views, garden beauty, and cityscape blend naturally. Major scenic areas include: the Zhuang Township Song Sea Zone, the Blazing Beauty Zone, the Verdant Reflections Zone, the Ancient Well and Pure Spring Zone, and the Ancient Fables Zone. Major attractions include the Flood Control Monument, the ancient Yujia Wharf, the Relief Mural Wall, and Zhaojia Well.
We started from the bridgehead, walking east along the south bank all the way to Panlong Mountain Park, covering the entire Jiangbin Park. The riverside scenery was breathtakingly beautiful — the river water clear and emerald green, the Rainbow Bridge soaring across from north to south, the picturesque landscape like a gallery of green hills and lucid waters, interwoven with human stories. It was a truly delightful travel feast. At 1:30 p.m., we passed by Liuzhou Confucius Temple and stopped for a snack lunch there. After eating, we visited the temple (to be introduced in a separate post). At 3:20 p.m., we exited Panlong Mountain Park and headed to Yaobu Ancient Town to continue our exploration.
