Guilin

Guilin	Guilin

Famous for its wonderful scenery, rivers and karst peaks covered in lush greenery, 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 was a Communist stronghold against the Japanese. In recent decades, although development and exploding tourism are changing the face of this beautiful city, Guilin has remained one of China's greenest and scenic cities.
Guilin is situated along the Lijiang River, which is a favorite travel attraction in itself. The beauty of the water and the karst peaks towering into the sky have attracted travelers to this area for centuries.The scenery along the Lijiang River from Guilin to Yangshuo has long been known as the best scenery in China. The area is characterized by karst limestone peaks that, eroded by the abundant rainfall of the region, take on unique and strange shapes.
Chinese tradition is to name the peaks and rocks of the region by the shapes they resemble. Animals such as dragons or horses, figures such as scholars or immortals are popular themes for peak and hill names. Along the Lijiang River you can view "Mandarin Ducks Play in the Water", "Nine Horses Mountain", and "Elephant Trunk Hill".In Chinese, the word for "landscape" literally means "mountains and water" and Chinese people love scenery that combines the two elements together. It is no surprise therefore, that Guilin with its karst peaks and winding rivers is known as the most beautiful place in all of China.
The region around Guilin is inhabited by 28 different ethnic groups including the Zhuang, Miao, Yao, and Tong, and they make up 8.5% of Guilin's population of 600,000. These groups all have colorful customs and mostly rural lifestyles.These people tend to be very friendly and may offer to be your guide and possibly invite you into their home for a meal and an overnight stay (for free or for an agreed upon fee). These tours can also be arranged from Yangshuo.