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Lijiang River
Passionate and dreamlike water
Sailing down the winding Lijiang River, you might suddenly think of the verses mitten by He Jingzhi, a modern poet of China: “Gods in clouds, Immortals in fogs, Divine posture of Mountains in Guilin So passionate, and so dreamlike, You waters of Lijiang Xu Xiake, a traveller of the Ming dynasty, once took a journey from Guilin to Yangshuo. Greatly fascinated by what he saw, he said, "Here is a world of green lotus and jade bamboo." By boat, one can fully enjoy the graceful and touching landscape of Lijiang River.
Lijiang River is part of the Zhujiang water system, originating in the Cat Mountain (Maoer Shan) of Xinan county, to the north of Guilin city. Within the boundaries of Xinan county there is a canal that was dug in the Qing dynasty. The first one of its kind in China, it is called the Xinanling Canal. It is at this point that the Xiangjiang River vans northward, while the Lijiang runs southward. Called "the diverging point of Xiang and Li the Lijiang River gets its name from this phenomenon. Li in Chinese also means "lucid" and "transparent." The Lijiang River is like a sparkling, sinuous jade band, there being shallows at every bend. Some have counted the number of shoals in the river from Guilin to Yangshuo. They amount to 3605 in the 52 miles (83km) of waterway. The water at both ends of each shoal is shallow, producing a gurgling sound as it flows- like celestial music in a heavenly palace.
The visitor can take a boat down from Guilin to Yangshuo to enjoy the 52 miles (83km) of river landscape of Lijiang River. This is a typical area of karst topography. Here you can see the numerous ridges and peaks, and their reflections in the ever flowing blue water. It is like making your way through a hundred-mile (160 km) long spectacular art gallery. The reflections have their own special charm, hazy and swaying. The mountains in the water seem clear compared with the real ones, and it seems as though they flow together with the water. When tourists go boating on the ever winding Lijiang River, they can enjoy the landscape from different angles, each of which presents a picturesque scene. On arriving at the Zhulin scenic point, see along the precipices the stalactites hang down from above, gigantic as well as imposing, looking like dragons bending down and drinking the water. After that you come to Yangdi scenic point, and there you can see the lofty mountains and the floating clouds. Yangdi is a place that offers urbanites the opportunity to enjoy moments of leisure and to experience a carefree state of mind.
In the imposing mountainous chain, there is a set of eight peaks that very much resemble the Eight Immortals of ancient Chinese myth. Further on, there is another peak coming up, long and big, across the Lijiang River. It has the appearance of a carp and on its back stands a small hill somewhat like a fin. Local people call it "Carp going against the River." Travelling along the Lijiang River, tourists not only appreciate the beautiful mountains, they also relish the roaring water- falls, the flowing streams, the dangerous shoals, and the bamboo forests.
The Paintings Hill is a sheer cliff that features shades of different colours. Seen from a distance, the precipice seems to present a picture with faintly discernible horses. Tourists are invited to count the number of horses. It seems that no one is able to give the exact answer.
When travelling by boat along the Lijiang River, you will feel as if the scenery is sliding by too swiftly to allow you to catch sight of everything you want to see. Eventually you reach your destination, Yangshuo. As the old saying goes, “Guilin's landscapes are the finest under heaven, but Yangshuo's landscapes are even finer than Guilin's." From the Green lotus peak (Bilian Feng), it's possible to get a bird's eye view of Lijiang River, embracing the Lijiang scenery. At Yangshuo, you seem to draw to a perfect stop on your journey. Halfway up the Green lotus peak, there is a scenic path. Along this path, you can enjoy the unique landscape of Yangshuo, as well as the scatting of farmhouses and the ancient carvings on the precipices. There is also an ancient ferry, named the Banyan Shade Ancient Ferry, which is a good place from which to appreciate the scenery nearby. The banyan tree h imposing, as it is more than a thousand years old. It is several arms' lengths in circumference and its roots cross each other on the ground, offering dark shade for those beneath.
Location
Lijiang lies between Guilin and Yangshuo, in Guangxi Province.
Climate
The area belongs to the mid-Asian tropical moist monsoon climate. It is temperate with plentiful rainfall. There is a saying about it: "Three winters without snow, four seasons with flowers throughout.”
Of Special Interest
With its elegant mountains and charming waters, this is typical karst topography.
Main Attractions
Dragons playing with water, the Gongs and Drums Yuanyang shoal, Elephant Trunk Hill, Paintings Hill, Jianshan carvings, and many more.
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