Guilin
Guilin is a city that is located on the westbank of the Li River in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. Its named after the Osmanthus trees that dot this city and means “The Forest of Sweet Osmanthus”. This city, which covers a land area of ten thousand square miles and has a population of thirteen hundred people, was originally founded by a small group of indigineous people around 314 BC. Around 111 BC the Shi An County was founded during the reign of Emperor Wu. But, it wasn’t until 507 AD, almost six hundred years after its founding that it received the name Guizhou. Around 1921, Guilin (then known as Guizhou) became the Northern Expeditionary Army’s headquarters and was led by Sun Yat-sen. During the 1940s the city name was changed from Guizhou to Guilin.
The city of Guilin is a prosperous manufacturing sector in China and is responsible for the production of many different types of goods. These include herbal medicines, tires, pharmaceutical goods, machinery, perfume, silk, tea and wine. The city also produce many agricultural goods which include moon persimmon, summer oranges, Shatian Pomelo, Fructus Momordicae, ginkgo, water chestnuts, fish and grain. The Gross Domestic Product Per Capita of Guilin is ranked number one hundred and twenty five among the cities of China and is equivalent to nineteen hundred United States dollars.
The cities transportation system is composed of the Guilin Train Station and the Guilin Liangjiang International Airport. This cities educational system is provided by several schools which include Guilin University of Technology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin University of Electronic Technology and Guangxi Normal University. The city also has a number of hotels, and restaurants are all over the city. The regional food that is usually served at these eateries include Guilin rice noodles (usually made with horse meat), a rice dumpling called Zongzi and mung bean paste wrapped in a bamboo leaf. Other popular menu items include Guilin pickled tofu, Guilin chili sauce and Guilin Sanhua Jiu (a kind of rice liquor).
One of the most popular attractions for tourist visiting this city is the Jingjiang Princes City. This location once served as the residence of the Royal family and is composed of four halls, four pavilions and over forty miscellenous buildings. It covers an area of over five hundred thousand square feet and construction began on it during the fourteenth century. Today its not only a popular tourist attraction but is also home to the Guangxi Normal University.
Another popular attraction in Guilin is the Reed Flute Cave. This is a natural limestone cave that is located in the northwest corner of the city. The entrance is between Ludi Road and Guangming Hill. On the inside of this cave are more than seventy writings written in ink, which can be dated back as far as 792 AD during the Tang Dynasty. This cave measures about seven hundred and twenty feet long and tours through it generally take about an hours or so.
An attraction not to be missed during any trip to Guilin is Seven Star Park. This park is located just east of the Liu River and covers almost a square mile. Its many features include the Flower Bridge, Camel Hill, Seven Star Cave and Guihai Stele Forest. The Flower Bridge was constructed during the Song Dynasty and was so named because it used to become covered in flowers during the spring season. Camel Hill is so named because it very much resembles the humps of a camel. Here you will find pleasant lawns and a zoo which contains animals such as monkeys, pandas, camels and various reptiles. Seven Star Caves is a limestone cave that stretches about three thousand feet. Guihai Stele Forest is a collection of over two hundred stone tablets made during the Tang Dynasty.
Also in the city Of Guilin are tombs of the Princes that used to govern the region. These are called the Mausoleums of Jing Jiang. These tombs are located in a lush forest at the base of Yao Mountain. It contains over three hundred tombs set over a fifty mile area.
Guinlin is also home to an amusement park called Merryland. This amusement park was built in 1997 and covers an area of ninety hectares. It has many rides and is divided into five distinct sections, Merry Town, American Wild West, Dream World, Pirate Village, South Pacific Area and Forest Area. It also contains a golf course and a five star hotel.Other prominent attractions in the city include Two Rivers and Four Lakes, Daxu Ancient Town, Stone Forest, Longji Terraced Field, Banyan Lake and Cedar Lake, Fubo Hill, Moon Hill, Banyan Tree and the The Ling Canal.
