From Guilin to Xianggong Mountain and Li River

One of the better known tourist destinations of Southern China, and indeed the whole of China, Guilin, which is a name that literally means Sweet Osmanthus, is a prefectural city that has a tourism sector driven by one of the best sights in the entire world, the Li River. With a very rich plant life that embodies far more than the dominant Sweet Osmanthus, Guilin is a region of Southern China which is sectioned off from main China by some naturally occurring boundaries, including the Nan Mountains, accounting for the logic behind its prefectural administrative status but this bodes very well for the tourism industry of the region. About a dozen small ethnic groups call Guilin home, which is part of the Guangxi autonomous region, with the Zhuang ethnic group dominating. Guilin is one of the three largest of the Guangxi region, coming in at number three, behind Nanning and Liuzhou.

Jiuxian village is an ancient village where civilization started to take place during the Tang Dynasty ( 618-906). Jiuxian village itself was established around the 16th century ahead of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and counts as one of the few remaining villages around Yangshuo China with remainders of both grey brick mansions and mud brick farm houses. The village is certainly worth exploring, among the many courtyards you will find an ancestral hall and the small cobbled alleyways will lead you in between the cluster of old traditional dwellings. While the preserved architecture is a photographer’s delight, the natural surroundings are stunning as well. As in most traditional villages off the main tourist trail, locals here – proud of their ancient village – are very welcoming and hospitable too.

In the beginning, Xianggong Mountain was merely an obscure small karst hill on the west bank of Li River in Yangshuo County of Guilin. A few years ago, a local photographer took some pictures on the top of this mountain and won the bronze prize in an international photography contest, making Xianggong Mountain famous overnight. From then on, it became a popular tourist destination beloved by enthusiastic photographers. Lying between the picturesque Mural Hill and Yellow Cloth Shoal in Xingping Town, Xianggong Mountain, also known as Xianggong Hill, is about 28 km (18 miles) from Yangshuo and 57 km (35 miles) from Guilin. Xianggong refers to a government official in ancient times. The whole mountain looks like a man wearing an official hat and costume of feudal China, hence the name. It is also named Hebao Mountain by locals after the Hebao Village at its foot.

Xingping Town was built in 1506. Xingping is more a castle than a town. It is said that this castle was forbidden to enter. People who had gone into there were hardly to find the exit as well. It was the center of Yangshuo County until Yangshuo Town was setup in 590. It has been the most important town beside the Li River for over 1700 years. Scenery of Yangshuo Xingping is a highlight of Guilin Li River Cruise. The famous scene Xingping district has been printed on the 20 Yuan RMB. More than 20 scenic spots along this period will lead you know the essential charms of Li River because most of Li River photos are taken in this period.