Remember that name. Zhongfeng. What secrets does this place hold? Guilin is famous for its stunning limestone karst scenery. It attracts travelers from home and abroad. Guilin has welcomed visitors in recent decades. This has led to the tourist service reform. Visitors can expect reliable agents. Multilingual tour guides also help. Good accommodation and transport await.
Zhongfeng is located in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It sits on the west bank of the Li River. Guilin borders the Hunan province. The city’s beauty is breathtaking. It is one of China’s most loved destinations. You can fly straight to Guilin Liangjiang International Airport from major cities. Flights arrive from Hong Kong Bangkok Kuala Lumpur Osaka and Seoul.
Guilin was founded in 314 BC. A small settlement began on the Li River banks. During the Qin Dynasty the area around Guilin became a popular destination. The first state administration was set up there between 221 and 207 BC. In 507 AD the town was named Guizhou. Guilin became one of the Chinese Army headquarters in 1921. It was still called Guizhou then. The city was given the name Guilin in 1940.
The State Council declared Guilin as one of four cities in 1981. These cities hold a large number of Chinese cultural heritage sites. Since then Guilin’s historical buildings have been carefully guarded.
Guilin has been explored and loved by poets and painters since the Tang Dynasty 618-907. Very few other travelers visited this scenic area before 1961. Most people knew its beauty through poems and pictures only. Guilin was listed as one of 24 cities in China allowed to receive foreign travelers after 1973. This started the tourism development. At that time the main sights were the traditional natural scenery. Most visitors were from outside China. Guilin received 977 foreign tourists in 1973. Over 2 million tourists came in 2007.
Tourism developed rapidly after 1978. This was the era of reform and an open economy. Guilin was included as one of 24 major historical and cultural cities in China in 1982. This led to strong policy support from the government. Guilin scenery was awarded second spot in 1985. It came only behind the Great Wall in the “Most Beautiful Chinese Scenery” competition. This kick-started Guilin’s fame as a beautiful place to visit. Visitors discovered places like Elephant Trunk Hill. Fubo Hill Diecai Hill Reed Flute Cave and the Li River.
Guilin made many significant historical spots available to the public by the start of the 1990s. The most typical was the Residence of Prince Jingjiang in the city center. It was built in the late 1300s. Travelers could visit the unique landscape and enjoy local history. Guilin combined its 12 neighboring counties by 1998. These were known as Big Guilin. Places like Yangshuo and Longsheng had become widely known to many people.
Guilin is a city steeped in history. Human ancestors inhabited Guilin around 10000 years ago. This is based on archaeological discoveries in Baoji cliff and Zengpi cliff caves. Guilin was home to the Baiyue people during the Xia Shang and Zhou Dynasties.
Qinshihuang ordered the construction of the Lingqu Canal in 214 BC. It connected the Xiangjiang River and Lijiang River. This made Guilin an important southern town. It connected the sea area to the north and the Central Plains. The name “Guilin” originated from the city’s abundance of cinnamon. It was known as “\u7389\u6842” in Chinese.