Guilin: A City Where Scenery and Culture Tell Stories

After days of work, the May Day holiday finally arrived, allowing me to shed my fatigue and go have some fun.

For this short break, after careful selection, I chose Guilin, renowned for its unparalleled landscape.

In elementary school, a lesson titled "Guilin's Landscape" captivated my imagination, and since my workplace is close to Guilin with convenient transportation, I was able to make this trip a reality.

DAY 1: Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, East-West Alley, Xiaoyao Tower

On the first day, we arrived in Guilin at noon and chose a classic city route. After checking the locations online, we found Reed Flute Cave to be farther from the other attractions, while Elephant Trunk Hill, Jingjiang Princes' Palace, East-West Alley, and Xiaoyao Tower were closer together. So our route was: Reed Flute Cave → Elephant Trunk Hill → East-West Alley → Xiaoyao Tower.

Reed Flute Cave, known as the "Cave of State Guest," is extraordinarily beautiful. It is a huge karst cave formed by various stalactites, a unique product of karst landforms. Inside, there are numerous exquisite stalagmites, stalactites, stone pillars, stone curtains, and stone flowers, forming sights like Lion Ridge Morning Glow, Red Silk Curtain, Coiled Dragon Pagoda, Primeval Forest, Crystal Palace, and Flower and Fruit Mountain. It is truly a fairyland, living up to its name as the "Palace of Nature's Art."

Elephant Trunk Hill is essentially the city emblem of Guilin, a landmark. It gets its name from its shape resembling an elephant drinking water. It is also a famous spot for moon viewing, known as "Elephant Trunk Hill and Water Moon."

East-West Alley, Xiaoyao Tower, and Jingjiang Princes' Palace City Wall

After touring Elephant Trunk Hill, it was evening. We chose a barbecue restaurant in East-West Alley for dinner. After dinner, we left the shop and strolled through the bustling East-West Alley. It is the only remaining historic street from the Ming and Qing dynasties in Guilin. Renovated a few years ago, it became an antique-style commercial street, yet it reflects Guilin's historical context and has witnessed nearly 1,400 years of the city's rise and fall since its founding in the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty.

Xiaoyao Tower was built in the fourth year of the Wude era of Tang (621 AD) and named after Zhuangzi's "Carefree Wanderings." Climbing the tower offers a bird's-eye view of the Li River and its peaks. Through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, Xiaoyao Tower was repeatedly damaged and rebuilt. It was ultimately destroyed during the War of Resistance against Japan. The tower we see today was also reconstructed a few years ago.

We also took a walk along the outer city wall of the Jingjiang Princes' Palace, feeling the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty. At the foot of the royal city, there are also many residential areas, where we enjoyed a rare tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle.

DAY 2: Li River and Yangshuo West Street

How can you say you've been to Guilin without visiting the Li River? On the second day, we toured the Guilin-Yangshuo section of the Li River. Truly, as the textbook described: the water of the Li River is so clear that you can see the gravel at the bottom; the water is so green that it looks like a flawless emerald. The mountains of Guilin are so extraordinary—rising abruptly from the ground, not connected, resembling old men, giant elephants, and camels, in a variety of strange and fascinating shapes. The mountains are so beautiful—like emerald screens and fresh bamboo shoots, vividly colored and reflected in the water. The mountains are so steep—with perilous peaks and jagged rocks, as if they might topple down at any moment.

After the boat ride, we hurried to Yangshuo West Street to experience its rustic daytime charm and its nightlife ambiance. West Street is very artistic, with various folk music bars and many small shops. Although the street is not long, it is well worth a stroll. In the evening, we sat in a bar, drinking, listening to music, and chatting, reluctant to leave.

DAY 3: Osmanthus Commune Scenic Area

On the third day, we needed to go home in the afternoon, so we chose a new attraction—the Osmanthus Commune Scenic Area—as our final stop.

As the city flower of Guilin, the osmanthus has a deep cultural significance. The Osmanthus Commune is a scenic area themed around osmanthus culture. Although it is not large, it has many highlights. The Osmanthus Culture Experience Hall tells the past and present of Guilin osmanthus, its origins, and the connection between Guilin and osmanthus, as well as the story of osmanthus and the Zhuangyuan (top scholar). In the hall, we immersed ourselves in an osmanthus-themed film, and the colorful osmanthus rain drew exclamations of "Wow!" The culture of the Zhuangyuan and osmanthus greatly enriched our knowledge.

This place is also very suitable for picnics and camping. We set up a tent, brought some snacks, and had a picnic on the scenic lawn, enjoying a moment of tranquility.