Horses Leaping Over Huashan, People Gazing in the Mirror—Indeed, the Best Scenery Is in Xingping: My Journey to Xingping Ancient Town

If one day your journey brings you to Yangshuo Railway Station, you will surely come to know an ancient town after getting off—Xingping Ancient Town. Taking the high-speed rail from Guilin to Yangshuo Station does not actually bring you to Yangshuo County proper, because Yangshuo High-Speed Rail Station is built in Xingping Ancient Town. After exiting Yangshuo High-Speed Rail Station, it takes about an hour by taxi to reach Yangshuo County. If you take an electric bamboo raft along the Li River from Yangdi Pier in Guilin, the farthest pier will also stop at this centuries-old town. Since you are here, make the best of it. You can spend a day or two in Xingping Ancient Town appreciating the sunrise and sunset; I imagine its atmosphere will surely let you find a moment of tranquility amidst the bustle. In fact, if time permits, it is recommended to stay one night in Xingping Ancient Town, watch the sunrise and sunset, and get up close along the Li River to admire the famous spots like the Reflection of Yellow Cloth (the background on the 20-yuan note) and Nine Horses Hill. The town is small, but prices are not particularly low, possibly because it sits strategically between Guilin and Yangshuo and benefits from the pier's advantages. Two mountains are well-known in Xingping Ancient Town. One is Xianggong Mountain, famous for sunrise, and the other is Laozhai Mountain, known for sunset. Xianggong Mountain is across the Li River from Xingping Ancient Town. It is recommended to stay overnight at the foot of Xianggong Mountain (the opposite bank of Xingping Ancient Town) if you want to watch the sunrise, otherwise you would need to take a boat and then a transfer the next day, which is very inconvenient in the dark early morning. If you do not cross the river, a chartered car from Xingping Ancient Town by road to the foot of Xianggong Mountain takes about two hours and requires a detour through Yangshuo County. In that case, it is better to charter a car from Yangshuo County town to Xianggong Mountain for sunrise. Shared cars from Xianggong Mountain are available everywhere in Yangshuo County, costing less than 100 yuan including the ticket. If you can get up at 4 a.m. and hit the road, going to Xianggong Mountain is no problem. The archway of Xingping Ancient Town looks newly built. The entrance to Laozhai Mountain, the best spot for sunset viewing, is hidden inconspicuously next to this archway; you need to look carefully to find it. Laozhai Mountain is an undeveloped wild mountain. Halfway up, the stone steps disappear, and beyond that it is a dirt path of mountain rocks. Along the way you will pass many local graves. If you are not in a group and lack outdoor experience, it is better not to attempt climbing it. Although Laozhai Mountain is not high, the difficult path and complex terrain mean that even a strong young man needs 40 minutes to an hour to reach the summit. If you plan to descend after sunset, it is best to go with companions and bring a headlamp. After dusk, the light dims, and there are no lighting facilities on this undeveloped wild mountain. Warning signs are everywhere along the way; the higher you go, the harder the path. Before climbing Laozhai Mountain, you must be mentally prepared. When you see this pavilion halfway up, it means the relatively safe stone steps from the foot are over, and from here on the path becomes more treacherous. Gazing from this pavilion at the Li River and distant mountains, with countless boats sailing by, the scene is already beautiful. About two-thirds of the way up, you will see self-service drinks placed by the roadside; the higher you go, the more expensive they become, all paid by scanning QR codes. When I saw the warning sign in the picture below, I recalled the innkeeper who, upon learning I planned to climb Laozhai Mountain alone, immediately turned serious and warned me to be careful, as the mountain path is dangerous. When I nodded with a polite smile, the innkeeper sternly reminded me, 'Don't smile. You must be careful. Every year there are accidents on Laozhai Mountain. Last month someone went missing.' The innkeeper's words struck a warning in my heart. Although my parents then tried to stop me from going, I did not want to leave regrets on this trip, so I went with great caution, carrying my camera and heading upstream. Looking at the photos I took of the Laozhai Mountain path now, I still feel a lingering fear, and I am grateful that I managed to go up and down this dangerous mountain path alone. Approaching the summit, you need to climb a 90-degree vertical ladder. After passing this ladder, it takes about five more minutes to reach the pavilion at the top. I think everyone gasps when they get here. Personally, after climbing Laozhai Mountain, even the notoriously perilous Huashan Mountain seems just so-so, because no matter how dangerous Huashan is, there is safety equipment. The pavilion at the top is still not the best place for sunset viewing; you need to climb further with hands and feet to a hilltop with a mobile signal tower. I reached the summit around 4:30 p.m. and sat on the windy hilltop, quietly waiting for the sunset reward. It was mid-November, with consecutive sunny days, so there was no stunning sunset glow. An ordinary sunset, accompanied by curling smoke from the village below, still made me feel it was worth the trip. The Li River wound below, with just a few boats slowly returning. The slanting rays of the setting sun cast on every traveler. When the sunset was over, it was time for the terrifying descent in the dark. When I started down, there were still a few guys at the top staying to photograph the starry sky. I won't go into the details of the dangerous descent, but anyone planning to go to Laozhai Mountain must pay attention to safety. After descending Laozhai Mountain, watching the scattered fishing lights and the eternal green mountains, I felt a surge of emotion. Next to the pier of Xingping Ancient Town, walking along the Li River for a few minutes, there is a bridge roughly diagonally across from the ancient town. Crossing the bridge and walking about fifteen minutes leads to the best viewing spot for the Reflection of Yellow Cloth—the background of the 20-yuan note. I heard that at night there is a paid performance by the old man featured on the 20-yuan note, fishing and posing for photos. The old man on the 20-yuan note is now over eighty; he was still young when the picture was taken. When photographing the Reflection of Yellow Cloth, it is best to use sunset or sunrise when the light is softest. The photos will look better. If you have a drone, you can overlook the sparkling Li River among the mountains. I walked to the Reflection of Yellow Cloth the next morning. Along the way, there were several viewing platforms built by villagers, each with a similar perspective. You can stop and go as you please, taking photos as you like. If you are tired and want to return to Xingping Ancient Town, local villagers with tricycle taxis are everywhere; you can bargain and pay about a dozen yuan to get back to the town. Crossing the bridge and walking along the main road, the farthest you can go is Jiuma Huashan (Nine Horses Hill). Since I had limited time, I turned back at the Reflection of Yellow Cloth, so I am not sure how to get to Jiuma Huashan. Even on this short ten-minute walk, there were several viewing platforms engraved with the 20-yuan background scene, probably built by local villagers who offer photo services. After covering the beautiful scenery around Xingping Ancient Town, let's turn back to the town itself. The entire ancient town is not large; you can walk around it in about half an hour. The most historically significant spot is the Xingping Stage. Also known as the Wannian Stage, it was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. It is a well-preserved ancient Qing stage in northern Guangxi. The architecture is unique, with fine workmanship, exquisite patterns, and an elegant, solemn atmosphere. Upon entering, a few incongruous plastic mannequins in ancient opera costumes immediately break the immersion. If the local government had spent money on wax figures, it would have been more evocative. Confirming with a glance, this is the real ancient stage. Outside the ancient stage, a craftsman was hammering silver, the ring of silver and hammer producing a pleasant sound, like the recitation of a Qing Dynasty actress. White walls, black tiles, grass on the wall tops. Blue sky, green trees, aging time. The ancient town is especially quiet and peaceful because few tour groups come here. Looking up at the summit of Laozhai Mountain from the town, I secretly marveled at my solo adventure the night before, all for a fleeting glimpse of sunset. About two kilometers from Xingping Ancient Town, there is also a typical Lingnan culture fishing village, which became famous after a visit by President Clinton. However, due to my limited time, I did not stay long in Xingping. Since my main purpose was to watch the sunset from Laozhai Mountain, I stayed one night and returned to Guilin. If you are interested in ancient villages, you might visit and still appreciate the charm of long old streets and deep ancient alleys. As an important hub between Guilin city and Yangshuo County, Xingping Ancient Town plays a connecting role. The Li River makes a beautiful bend here, giving rise to today's tourism boom. This ancient town, with its beautiful mountains and waters, silently bears the arrival of countless travelers.