"I have visited more than 80 countries and over a hundred cities. I have found that no city can surpass the beauty of Guilin."

"Guilin is really a bright pearl in China."

-- Former US President Nixon

Guilin is regarded in China as the country's most picturesque city. Two crystal-clear rivers meander through the city, which is encircled by mountains with unusual & bizarre rock formations and caves.

Two crustal movements of the earth took place about 200 and 180 million years ago thrusting the limestone sediments out of the sea bottom. They were forced upwards more than 200 meters to the surface. This karst formation was moulded through many years of erosion by the wind and rain to became the hills and rocks with unusual shapes . There are many complete karst (Limestone sites), which are of high scientific value and tourist value.

Guilin is in subtropical and monsoon zone with warm and moist climate.The altitude is 140-160 meters. All this makes Guilin a unique natural experience for the visitor.

Guilin is named after the fragrance of osmanthus tree and saw its first inhabitants in Qin Dynasty over 2,000 years ago. Guilin prospered and flourished in Tang, Song, Ming and Qing under patronage from succeeding Emperors.

It is currently home to ethnic 12 nationalities with a total population of 1,260,000 in the city and surrounding area.

Guilin 's reputation as one of the worlds most a beautiful places has become established over hundreds of years and ranks second on China list of the 10 best tourist destinations.

Location
Guilin is located 109°E longitude and 24° N latitude in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The Guilin Government area covers an area of 4,195 square kilometers. It is in a basin surrounded by the Yuecheng Range, Ocean Hill, Jiaqiao Range and Tianping Hill. Guilin is located almost due west of Hong Kong and about 1 hour by air.

The Li River meanders through Guilin from north to south. Most of Guilin city lies on the western bank of the Li River.

The main artery is Zhongshan Lu, which runs roughly parallel to the river on its western side. At the southern end of this street is Guilin Railway Station. Zhoangshan Lu is a rapidly developing stretch of tourist class hotels and retail shops.

The city center is dominated by the central square which is surrounded by a number of good hotels, shopping precincts and commercial buildings.

Guilin is built around its two rivers and 4 lakes that are inter-connected. Many distinctive bridges crisscross the waterways.

Those who enjoy walking can spend many hours wandering the beautiful river and lakes make Guilin what it is.

A Brief History of Guilin

Guilin has a long history, dating back to over 2,000 thousand years ago. It was first established by the Emperor Qinshihuang (the First Emperor in China's imperial history whose Terra Cotta Army Museum is among the best-known sights in China).

Guilin's good location near the junction of two waterways connecting the South and Central China made it a significant historical city.

Guilin began to develop as a political and cultural center in the Three-Kingdom Period when it served as the capital of the Shi'an Shire(a kind of administrative unit used in China's ancient Qin and Han Dynasties more than 2,000 years ago). Guilin flourished during the Tang Dynasty when it became a big city with great halls and huge city walls. Guilin was the capital of today's Guangxi and Hainan Inland provinces during the Song Dynasty. Guilin had its political heyday during the Ming Dynasty when generations of Jing JIang Princes ruled here. The palace is well preserved and is now the site of one of the campuses of the Guangxi Normal University.

It served as the capital city of Guangxi Province until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 when it was replaced by Nanning. Guilin has become a a city renowned for its beauty and tourist attractions and enjoys great fame throughout China and internationally.