Guilin

At home and abroad, Guilin is primarily known for its enticing and unique scenery. Chinese frequently refer to it as the world's most beautiful scenery, and one will acknowledge its beauty once one has taken a relatively tranquil trip down the Lijiang.

Over the course of centuries many poets and painters have been drawn to these parts, and they have all praised the beauty of Guilin in their works.

Guilin offers travelers a number of interesting sights, and those are also what we are going to offer.

"I often sent pictures of the hills of Guilin which I painted to friends back home, but few believed what they saw." The writer was the Song-Dynasty scholar Fan Chengda and his comments show that the scenery of Guilin has been attracting and astonishing visitors for many centuries. It has also been the inspiration for classical Chinese landscapes of fantastically shaped peaks, studded with pines and small pavilions, partly shrouded in mist.

Diecai Shan, Folded Brocade Hill, is located in the northern section of the city.It has four peaks; at 223 m, Mingyue Feng is not only the highest one within this massif, but also in all of Guilin. The Diecai Shan mountain area is rich in valuable stone carvings and Buddhist sculptures from the Tang and Song dynasties.

The best hills for climbing are found in the north of the city. Fubo Hill rises from the banks of the river and offers superb views from its summit,while halfway up is a huge cooking pot and a bell weighing 2.5 tons. In the base of Fubo is the Returned Pearl Cave with 300 Buddhist carvings on its walls.

The Solitary Beauty Peak ( Duxiu Feng ) rises up in the middle of the city north of Lijiang Hotel. It presents the observer with a wonderful natural theater, a change of colors which range from golden to purple in the mist of the dawn or the glow of the setting sun. On Duxiu Feng's western slope, 306 steps lead up to Nantian Men, Southern Celestial Gate. From there, one can enjoy a wonderful view of the city and its environment.

Reed Flute Cave (Ludi Yan) is located in the northwestern section of the city. It is 240 m deep and is probably the largest and most magnificent cave in Guilin. Ludi Cao, reed grass, grows in front of the cave and can be used to make the most wonderful flutes. This was what gave the cave its name. It used to be a favorite place for the local people to hide themselves in times of war or trouble.

Seven Star Park is one of Guilin's most important sights on the Lijiang's west bank. The seven stars symbolize the seven mountains around which the park grounds were laid out. The mountains are arranged in the order of the seven stars in the Big Dipper. The four northern mountains make up Putuo Shan, the three southern mountains from Yueya Shan. Many large caves are located on Putuo Shan. Qixing Yan, Seven Star Cave, is one of thes