Guilin
Famous for its wonderful scenery,
rivers and karst peaks covered in lush vegetation,
Guilin has a long history as the most beautiful
place in China.
Established in the Qin Dynasty as
a regional power base for the first emperor of
China, Guilin's population exploded to around
a million during the 1930s when the city became,
in southern China, a stronghold against the Japanese
aggression. In recent decades, although development
and the booming tour industry have added some
commercial colors to this beautiful city, Guilin
has remained the greenest and most scenic city
in China.
Unlike most of the fast developing
cities with skyscrapers, Guilin keeps its buildings
relatively low because the people here do not
want their beautiful peaks to be dwarfed.
Guilin is situated along the Li River,
which is a great travel attraction itself. The
beauty of the crystal-clear water and the karst
peaks towering into the sky has attracted travelers
and, particularly artists, to this area for centuries.
The pointed peaks with sheer cliffs on all sides
that you see in traditional Chinese paintings
in museums are based on the reality of the Guilin
Mountains. Therefore, it's not surprising that
we have a picture of the Li River on the 20-yuan
bank note which awards Guilin a higher reputation
nationwide.
As a tourist, one must take a boat
trip down the Li River to enjoy the unique and
picturesque mountains and to experience the local
country life along the river.
The Li River trip is usually ended
at a small town called Yangshuo, which has become
something of a backpacker's legend. The relaxing
pace of life here, friendly people, good food,
scenic beauty, rice fields and clear streams,
country roads for cycling, all make it the paradise
for those who wish to get a rest from the harsher
aspects of life in the big cities. Yangshuo's
best sights include the Moon Hill, Big Banyan
Tree, Green Lotus Peak and Yulong River.
The Terraced Fields, somehow considered
one of the world's wonders and only 85 km north
of Guilin, are a great place highly recommended
for those who wish to get a close look of the
tribal life in China. Tribes like the Zhuang and
Yao, officially recognized as minority groups,
had moved from neighboring provinces and made
their homes deep in the mountainous area to avoid
social turbulences. They have successfully survived
the hardship of life by cultivating in the narrow
but long terraced fields high up on the big mountains
for over 600 years. The history created by these
tribal people is still a mystery to most of us!
Other remarkable scenic sights
in town of Guilin that can be included in a city
tour are: Elephant Hill, Reed Flute Cave and Fubo
Hill.
Guilin
Travel Sights And Tour Attractions
Yangshuo
Tour Attractions And Travel Sights
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