Guilin's Scenic Beauty: A Paradise on Earth

—A Travelogue of Guilin, Guangxi

Guilin is a city both miraculous and familiar—miraculous for its unique karst natural landscapes and the diverse ethnic culture that permeates it; familiar because the image on the 20-yuan note and the famous phrase “Guilin’s landscape tops those elsewhere” learned in primary school textbooks.

The phrase “Guilin’s landscape tops those elsewhere,” passed down through thousands of years, adds endless charm to attracting visitors worldwide.

The beauty of Guilin lies in the perfect fusion of mountains and waters: the reflections of mountains are breathtaking, and the clarity of waters is astonishing.

The beauty of Guilin lies in the ancient and picturesque Yao and Dong villages, and in the sweet love songs of Zhuang boys and girls.

For Guilin, it seems always hard to part; Guilin seems to constantly call out to me. Its world-class scenery always haunts my dreams.

So I decided I must go there to see and experience—to appreciate the waters of the Li River, the mountains of Yangshuo, and the songs of Zhuang maidens, to personally feel the beauty of Guilin.

At 6:30 a.m. on August 29, 2020, our group of 47 boarded a tour bus from Shaoshan, Hunan, and after about a seven-hour drive, we arrived in Guilin, Guangxi.

Below I will share the itinerary of our scenic spots in Guilin.

**First Stop: Zizhou Island**

Zizhou Island is located on the east bank of the Li River in downtown Guilin, on the Zizhou sandbar. It faces Elephant Trunk Hill across the river, offering one of the best views of the hill, and is the earliest documented garden site in Guilin.

According to the guide, Zizhou Island was rebuilt in 2011, restoring the scenic wonders of “Misty Rain on Zizhou” and “Red Leaves of Zizhou in Guilin Autumn,” creating ten new attractions such as “Flying Waterfall and Rainbow,” “Poetic Paintings in History,” “Crimson Maple Leaves,” “Misty Rain and Emerald Green,” “Bamboo Forest Serenity,” “Fragrant Camphor Trees,” “Bamboo Canopies,” “Gingko Trees with Golden Leaves,” “Stele Pavilions with Lasting Fragrance,” and “River and Mountain Moon.”

Here is the best angle to view Elephant Trunk Hill, and multiple viewing points have been built. Only here can you fully appreciate the iconic landmark representing Guilin’s city emblem—Elephant Trunk Hill. Therefore, this place has become a must-visit for tourists from home and abroad to enjoy Guilin’s scenery and experience its cultural tourism.

**Second Stop: Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas**

The Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas are two pagodas located in Shan Lake in the center of Guilin. The Sun Pagoda is made of copper, while the Moon Pagoda is made of glazed tiles. They are connected by a 10-meter-long underwater tunnel beneath the lake. At night, the two pagodas emit golden and silvery light respectively under the illumination, and their reflections in the lake are particularly beautiful.

The Sun Pagoda is 41 meters high with nine floors, entirely decorated in pure copper, resplendent and magnificent. All components of the copper pagoda, such as the body, roof tiles, upturned eaves, pillars, beams, and floor, are adorned with copper murals.

The Moon Pagoda is 35 meters high with seven floors, made of glazed tiles. It connects to the Sun Pagoda via a 10-meter-long underwater tunnel. The carved and painted windows and doors on each floor depict different themes, rich in traditional Chinese charm.

It is said that the Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas Park is the first cultural park in China themed on “Harmony of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.” The Sun Pagoda has created three world records. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we only took a distant look from the shore of Shan Lake and snapped a few photos.

**Third Stop: Grape Mountain**

Grape Mountain Scenic Area is located in Grape Town, Yangshuo County, Guilin. Inside the area, typical karst peak forest landforms are perfectly integrated with Yao ethnic customs. It is renowned as the “World Peak Forest,” with Guilin’s Grape Mountain peaks rising in continuous chains, magnificent to behold.

It is said that “Grape Mountain” is named for its abundant sour grapes. There is a “Guanyin Cave” on the mountain, with winding paths and varied stalactites, including a naturally formed statue of Guanyin. An ancient vine runs through the entire mountain, exceptionally thick. With its rustic charm and layered peaks, it presents a pure land with unique character.

**Fourth Stop: Golden Water Rock**

Golden Water Rock is a famous underground river crystal cave in Yangshuo. It traverses three large mountains, about five kilometers long. The cave has three levels, divided into three zones: the dry cave paradise zone, the mud bath zone, and the underground river hot spring zone.

Inside, stalactites are majestic and rugged, crisscrossing like a “Dragon Palace.” You can see a naturally shaped “Bodhisattva of the Divine Spirit,” regarded as the cave’s treasure, along with landscapes such as “Undersea Dragon Palace,” “Monkey King’s Throne,” and “Imperial Umbrella.”

It is said that the Water Curtain Cave scenes in “Journey to the West” were filmed here. Additionally, there are hot springs and mud baths. If you wish, you can take a mud bath in the black mud pool, which has health benefits.

**Fifth Stop: Moon Hill**

Moon Hill is a scenic wonder in Yangshuo, located at the end of the Ten-Li Gallery scenic belt. Moon Hill is an arched peak with a large through-hole beneath its summit, resembling a bright moon, formed naturally.

Moon Hill is about 380 meters high. Visitors can climb an 800-step path to the moon cave at the top or view the hill from different angles. If you view Moon Hill from a car, the stone arch shape gradually changes from a curved crescent moon to a half-moon, full moon, then to a waning crescent—very fascinating.

**Sixth Stop: Boat Tour on the Li River**

The Guilin Li River Scenic Area is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction, and a key national scenic area. It is the world’s largest and most beautiful karst landscape water tour area.

The Li River, also known as Gui Shui, Gui Jiang, Gui Shui, or Dong Jiang, flows through Guilin, Guangxi. It nurtures the unique and unparalleled natural scenery of Guilin—often described as “the river is a green silk ribbon, the mountains are jade hairpins.”

Its scenery is picturesque, with clear waters, fantastic mountains, wondrous caves, and beautiful rocks, renowned both at home and abroad. Unfortunately, our guide did not take us to the authentic Li River section from Guilin to Yangshuo but instead took us to Pingle to tour a so-called Li River, visiting an ancient Guilin commercial waterway, experiencing “the same Li River, different scenery.”

**Seventh Stop: Yangshuo Park**

Yangshuo Park is a leisure park for citizens in Yangshuo county, adjacent to Yangshuo West Street. The park is built against the mountain, with a tranquil environment. Climbing to the mountaintop offers a panoramic view of Yangshuo county surrounded by peaks.

The park has a long history, with three independent peaks—Duxiu Mountain, Xilang Mountain, and Zhongling Mountain—inside. Lush trees cast shade, giving a flavor of Jiangnan gardens. If you follow the path upward toward the pavilion-topped peak, you can reach the summit to see the full view of Yangshuo. However, due to late hour, we had to give up climbing and just took some photos in the park.

**Eighth Stop: Yangshuo West Street**

Yangshuo West Street is the most bustling pedestrian street in Yangshuo County, located in the center of the ancient Yangshuo town. It is about 8 meters wide and nearly 800 meters long, paved with slate in a winding S-shape, with a history of over 1,400 years.

West Street is the oldest and most prosperous street in Yangshuo, as well as its most charming business card. It is a paradise for young people. People come here to shop, hang out in bars, find food, or just zone out—everyone has their own purpose, yet they coexist harmoniously.

When you come to West Street, you should try the local delicacies. It is said the most famous is beer fish, along with Guilin rice noodles, vegetarian noodles, snails, lotus leaf duck, tea oil, and many more. There are too many foods to try; I just wanted a taste, so I ordered a bowl of Guilin rice noodles to satisfy my craving.

**Ninth Stop: Youzi Wan**

Youzi Wan (Son’s Bay) is probably located in a suburb of Guilin. Our guide took us there; it is actually a shopping point, but the village itself is nice, built against the mountain and by the water, with various houses, village gates, pavilions, and drum towers in the Dong village style.

We first visited the scenic spots inside the village, listening to the guide explain the customs and traditions of ethnic minorities, how the Dong people treat illnesses, etc. Then we visited silver jewelry and its craftsmanship, and finally shopped (mainly silver jewelry).

**Tenth Stop: Nanxi Mountain Park**

Nanxi Mountain Park is located at General’s Bridge Head in the southern part of Guilin city, about 1 kilometer from the train station. It is named after the Nanxi Stream that winds around it. The mountain has two peaks—east and west—standing side by side, rising steeply. The northern cliff has white rocks; after rain, when clouds disperse and sunlight shines, the rocks gleam brilliantly.

Nanxi Mountain has many and extraordinary caves, with White Dragon Cave being the most famous—20 meters high and 12 meters wide. Inside is the remains of a mint from the Republic of China era. White Dragon Bridge spans the Nanxi Stream, and at the northern foot of the mountain is White Dragon Spring, one of Guilin’s famous springs. In ancient times, “Nanxi Newly Clear” was one of the Eight Scenic Views of Guilin.

Truly, Guilin never lacks nature’s gifts; it is a city never lacking beauty, a city that never tires the eyes. Here is the ultimate realm of mountain-water harmony, the best portrayal of a paradise beyond the world, and a place one must visit in a lifetime. I hope to have the opportunity to visit Guilin again.