Guilin (桂林)

1. Introduction

Guilin City (Zhuang: Gveilinz, Postal Romanization: Kweilin), abbreviated as Gui, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeastern part of Guangxi. The city borders Liuzhou City to the west, Laibin City, Wuzhou City, and Hezhou City to the south, Yongzhou City of Hunan Province to the east, and Shaoyang City and Huaihua City of Hunan Province to the north.

Guilin is situated in the mountainous region of northeastern Guangxi, at the southwestern end of the Nanling Mountains and the southern terminus of the Xiang-Gui Corridor. The northern part is dominated by the Yuecheng Ridge, the eastern part by the Haiyang Mountain and Dupang Ridge, and the western part by the Tianping Mountain. The terrain is primarily hilly, with the central area featuring a typical karst peak forest landscape. The Li River and the Xiang River are the two major rivers within the territory, connected by the Lingqu Canal. The Municipal People's Government is located at No. 69, Xicheng Middle Road, Lingui District. Guilin is one of the first batch of National Historical and Cultural Cities and a China Excellent Tourist City. Its landscape of mountains and waters is renowned worldwide, often praised as "Guilin's scenery is the finest under heaven."

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2. Historical Evolution

Approximately ten thousand years ago, based on relics discovered at the Baojiyan and Zengpiyan cave sites in the urban area, evidence indicates that the Zengpiyan people had already entered the stage of matrilineal clan society. During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, this area was inhabited by the Baiyue people.

During the Qin Dynasty (214 BC), the Lingqu Canal was constructed to connect the Xiang and Li river systems, and the area was placed under the jurisdiction of Guilin Commandery.

In the sixth year of the Yuanding era of the Han Dynasty (111 BC), Shi'an County was established, serving as the county seat and belonging to Lingling Commandery of Jingzhou Province. During the Eastern Han Dynasty (30 AD), the Shi'an Marquisate was also established, with its seat located here.

During the Three Kingdoms period, the area first belonged to Shu and later came under the control of Wu. In the first year of the Ganlu era (265 AD), Shi'an Commandery was established, with both the commandery and county seats located in present-day Guilin, belonging to Shi'an Commandery of Jingzhou.

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (540 AD), Gui Prefecture was established within Shi'an Commandery of Xiangzhou and was overseen by the Governor of Xiangzhou.

In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (590 AD), the Gui Prefecture Chief Military Command was established. In the first year of the Daye era (605 AD), the Chief Military Command was changed to a Commandant's Office.

During the Tang Dynasty (634 AD), the name was changed to Lingui County, belonging to Shi'an Commandery of Gui Prefecture. In 692 AD, the Xiangsi Weir (now known as the Gui-Liu Canal) was constructed. In 757 AD, Shi'an Commandery was renamed Jianling Commandery. In 868 AD, Pang Xun led a mutiny of garrison soldiers from Gui Prefecture against the Tang. In 879 AD, the peasant uprising army led by Huang Chao captured Gui Prefecture. By 900 AD, it was under the jurisdiction of the Jingjiang Army Military Commissioner.

During the Northern Song Dynasty (997 AD), the Guangnan West Circuit was established, with its administrative seat in present-day Guilin, belonging to Gui Prefecture.

During the Southern Song Dynasty (1133 AD), Gui Prefecture was elevated to Jingjiang Prefecture, with its seat in present-day Guilin. Jingjiang Prefecture was originally Guilin, Shi'an Commandery, and the Jingjiang Army Military Commissioner.

In the Yuan Dynasty, in March 1277, the Guangnan West Circuit Pacification Commission was established in Jingjiang (present-day Guilin). In May, it was changed to the Guangnan West Circuit Pacification and Surveillance Commission. In July 1278, the Lingnan Guangxi Circuit was added, and Jingjiang Prefecture was changed to the Jingjiang Route Chief Military Command. In 1295, the Left and Right River Pacification and Surveillance Commission Marshal Offices were merged into the Guangxi Two Rivers Circuit Pacification and Surveillance Commission Marshal Office, with a branch office in Yongzhou. In March 1363, the Guangxi Branch Secretariat was established, with its provincial seat in present-day Guilin.

During the Ming Dynasty, in 1370, Zhu Yuanzhang enfeoffed his grandnephew Zhu Shouqian as the Prince of Jingjiang. In July, the Prince of Jingjiang's Mansion was constructed in front of Duxiu Peak. In 1367, the Guangxi Provincial Administration Commission was established, changing Jingjiang Route to Guilin Prefecture, a name that has been used ever since. In June 1372, it was renamed Guilin Municipal Prefecture, with its seat in present-day Guilin.

At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Guangxi Province was established, with a Governor stationed in Guilin, belonging to Guilin Prefecture of Guangxi Province.

After the establishment of the Republic of China (1911), it was designated as the provincial capital of Guangxi Province. In October of the first year of the Republic (1912), the Guangxi Military Government moved from Guilin to Nanning, making Nanning the provincial capital. In October of the 25th year of the Republic (1936), the provincial capital moved from Nanning back to Guilin. In the 29th year of the Republic (1940), Guilin City was established from the county seat and its surrounding areas of Guilin County, with the remaining areas reverting to Lingui County. On November 10, 1944 (33rd year of the Republic), the Battle of Guilin was lost, and Japanese forces occupied the city. On July 28, 1945 (34th year of the Republic), Guilin was recaptured. In October 1949 (38th year of the Republic), the provincial capital of Guangxi moved again from Guilin to Nanning.

On November 22, 1949, the Fourth Field Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army liberated Guilin. In 1958, it was renamed Guilin City of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, governing the urban and suburban areas of Guilin.

Originally, Guilin was divided into Guilin City and Guilin Prefecture. On July 1, 1981, Yangshuo County was placed under the jurisdiction of Guilin City. On October 8, 1983, Lingui County was placed under the jurisdiction of Guilin City. On February 3, 1990, Gongcheng County was abolished and Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County was established. On December 2, 1996, the suburbs of Guilin City were renamed Yanshan District. On August 27, 1998, Guilin City and Guilin Prefecture were merged. In 2013, Lingui County was abolished and Lingui District of Guilin City was established, with the municipal government relocating to No. 69, Xicheng Middle Road, Lingui District. The official relocation was completed in July 2014.

3. Geography

3.1 Adjacent Areas

Guilin City proper is adjacent to Lingui District, Lingchuan County, and Yangshuo County.

Guilin City borders Liuzhou City to the west, Laibin City to the southwest, Wuzhou City to the south, and Hezhou City to the southeast within the province. To the northwest, it borders Huaihua City in Hunan Province; to the north, Shaoyang City; and to the east, Yongzhou City.

3.2 Topography

Guilin features a typical karst limestone landscape, predominantly hilly. The northern and eastern parts are mountainous areas, namely the Yuechengling and Haiyangshan, and Dupangling ranges, containing numerous small intermountain basins. Guilin City proper is situated on a relatively large plain within the Xiang-Gui Corridor. The southern part of Guilin City consists of fragmented hilly plains, while the western, northern, and eastern areas are dominated by extensive mountainous terrain. Mount Mao'er, with an elevation of 2,142 meters, is known as the "Highest Peak in South China."

3.3 Climate

Guilin has a central subtropical monsoon climate characterized by mild temperatures, abundant rainfall, concurrent rain and heat, and a generally pleasant climate. It is often described as having "little snow in the three winters, flowers blooming all four seasons." Winters are cool and occasionally cold. Summers are hot and humid. The average temperature in January is 7.9°C, in July is 28.0°C, and the annual average is 18.8°C. The frost-free period lasts 309 days. The average annual precipitation is 1,901.3 mm. The beauty of Guilin's rain is said to complement the beauty of Chongqing's fog, giving rise to the saying "Foggy Chongqing, Rainy Guilin." The period from April to October is the best season for tourism.

Guilin is part of the "Plum Rain" region, experiencing concentrated and heavy rainfall in summer. During the plum rain season, the weather is muggy, the air is humid, and rivers swell rapidly, often leading to floods that cause significant harm to Guilin's economy, particularly its tourism industry.

Temperatures at or below freezing in Guilin's winter are not uncommon, but snowfall is rare, and heavy snow is exceptionally scarce. Snowfall is beloved by students, as schools often close, but heavy snow can also cause substantial economic losses. During the heavy snowfall from late 2002 to early 2003, some factories halted operations, traffic was nearly paralyzed due to icy roads, and large quantities of crops, livestock, and greenery froze to death. Lacking experience in dealing with snow, the rare heavy snowfall inflicted enormous losses on Guilin City.

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Record high °C (°F) | 27.6(81.7) | 32.8(91.0) | 33.7(92.7) | 35.6(96.1) | 35.4(95.7) | 37.4(99.3) | 39.5(103.1) | 39.4(102.9) | 38.5(101.3) | 35.2(95.4) | 31.4(88.5) | 27.6(81.7) | 39.5(103.1) | | Average high °C (°F) | 11.6(52.9) | 13.3(55.9) | 16.9(62.4) | 23.2(73.8) | 27.5(81.5) | 30.5(86.9) | 32.7(90.9) | 33.0(91.4) | 30.6(87.1) | 25.9(78.6) | 20.5(68.9) | 15.1(59.2) | 23.4(74.1) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 8.1(46.6) | 9.9(49.8) | 13.3(55.9) | 19.0(66.2) | 23.3(73.9) | 26.4(79.5) | 28.2(82.8) | 28.2(82.8) | 25.6(78.1) | 21.1(70.0) | 15.8(60.4) | 10.6(51.1) | 19.1(66.4) | | Average low °C (°F) | 5.7(42.3) | 7.6(45.7) | 10.8(51.4) | 16.1(61.0) | 20.2(68.4) | 23.5(74.3) | 24.9(76.8) | 24.7(76.5) | 22.2(72.0) | 17.7(63.9) | 12.5(54.5) | 7.4(45.3) | 16.1(61.1) | | Record low °C (°F) | -4.9(23.2) | -3.6(25.5) | 0.0(32.0) | 4.0(39.2) | 10.7(51.3) | 13.0(55.4) | 18.2(64.8) | 18.3(64.9) | 12.9(55.2) | 6.1(43.0) | 0.7(33.3) | -3.3(26.1) | -4.9(23.2) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 65.7(2.59) | 99.2(3.91) | 136.9(5.39) | 217.8(8.57) | 324.5(12.78) | 395.2(15.56) | 232.2(9.14) | 147.4(5.80) | 82.2(3.24) | 66.8(2.63) | 73.1(2.88) | 46.8(1.84) | 1,887.8(74.33) | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 15.1 | 15.5 | 18.6 | 20.2 | 19.0 | 17.5 | 16.1 | 14.8 | 8.2 | 9.7 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 172.5 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 73 | 75 | 79 | 80 | 79 | 81 | 79 | 77 | 72 | 68 | 67 | 66 | 75 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 66.9 | 50.0 | 51.6 | 72.6 | 109.5 | 131.1 | 199.4 | 204.1 | 193.4 | 157.1 | 134.4 | 117.2 | 1,487.3 | | Percent possible sunshine | 20 | 16 | 14 | 19 | 27 | 32 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 44 | 41 | 36 | 33 |

Source: China Meteorological Administration (Precipitation days and sunshine data from 1971–2000)

4. Administrative Divisions

Guilin City currently administers 6 municipal districts, 8 counties, 2 autonomous counties, and manages 1 county-level city on behalf of a higher authority.

• Municipal Districts: Xiufeng District, Diecai District, Xiangshan District, Qixing District, Yanshan District, Lingui District
• County-level City: Lipu City
• Counties: Yangshuo County, Lingchuan County, Quanzhou County, Xing'an County, Yongfu County, Guanyang County, Ziyuan County, Pingle County
• Autonomous Counties: Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County, Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County

Among these, Qixing District and the Guilin High-tech Industrial Development Zone are managed under the system of "two nameplates, one administrative team". Since 1995, Ziyuan County has been treated as an autonomous county. | Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin (Official Transcription) | Area (sq km) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Including: Ethnic Townships | |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--| | 450300 | Guilin City | Guìlín ShìGveilinz Si | 27,667.28 | 4,931,137 | Lingui District | 541000 | 13 | 88 | 46 | 15 | | 450302 | Xiufeng District | Xiùfēng QūSiufungh Gih | 43.23 | 161,066 | Lijun Subdistrict | 541000 | 3 | | | | | 450303 | Diecai District | Diécǎi QūDeczaj Gih | 51.85 | 202,875 | Beimen Subdistrict | 541000 | 2 | 1 | | | | 450304 | Xiangshan District | Xiàngshān QūSiengsanh Gih | 89.94 | 286,872 | Nanmen Subdistrict | 541000 | 3 | 1 | | | | 450305 | Qixing District | Qīxīng QūGihsingh Gih | 70.74 | 387,304 | Lidong Subdistrict | 541000 | 4 | 1 | | | | 450311 | Yanshan District | Yànshān QūYensanh Gih | 302.05 | 132,639 | Liangfeng Subdistrict | 541100 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | | 450312 | Lingui District | Línguì QūLingzvei Gih | 2,247.11 | 555,109 | Lingui Town | 541199 | | 9 | 2 | 2 | | 450321 | Yangshuo County | Yángshuò XiànYangzsoz Yen | 1,435.61 | 273,124 | Yangshuo Town | 541900 | | 6 | 3 | | | 450323 | Lingchuan County | Língchuān XiànLingzconh Yen | 2,301.76 | 422,776 | Lingchuan Town | 541200 | | 7 | 5 | 2 | | 450324 | Quanzhou County | Quánzhōu XiànCenzcouh Yen | 3,978.82 | 565,696 | Quanzhou Town | 541500 | | 15 | 3 | 2 | | 450325 | Xing'an County | Xīng'ān XiànHingh'anh Yen | 2,332.46 | 307,043 | Xing'an Town | 541300 | | 6 | 4 | 1 | | 450326 | Yongfu County | Yǒngfú XiànYungfuz Yen | 2,794.81 | 228,646 | Yongfu Town | 541800 | | 6 | 3 | | | 450327 | Guanyang County | Guànyáng XiànGvanyangz Yen | 1,835.29 | 208,412 | Guanyang Town | 541600 | | 6 | 3 | 2 | | 450328 | Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County | Lóngshèng Gèzú ZìzhìxiànLungzswng Gozuz Swciyen | 2,450.48 | 139,483 | Longsheng Town | 541700 | | 6 | 4 | | | 450329 | Ziyuan County | Zīyuán XiànSihyenz Yen | 1,941.01 | 139,212 | Ziyuan Town | 541400 | | 3 | 4 | | | 450330 | Pingle County | Pínglè XiànBingzlez Yen | 1,893.15 | 340,921 | Pingle Town | 542400 | | 6 | 4 | 1 | | 450332 | Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County | Gōngchéng Yáozú ZìzhìxiànGungchwng Yauzcuz Swciyen | 2,139.31 | 245,432 | Gongcheng Town | 542500 | | 6 | 3 | | | 450381 | Lipu City | Lìpǔ ShìLizbuq Si | 1,759.66 | 334,527 | Licheng Town | 546600 | | 10 | 3 | 1 |

5. Economy

5.1 Agriculture

Guilin is part of the southern rice-producing region, where cultivated land is predominantly paddy fields, with numerous terraced fields in the mountainous areas. The primary food crop is rice. Guilin also grows a wide variety of cash crops, with the main ones including monk fruit, water chestnuts, moso bamboo, and tea plants.

6. Transportation

Guilin boasts a well-developed transportation network and serves as a vital transportation hub for Guangxi and even the South China region. Guilin Liangjiang International Airport is a 4F-class regional trunk hub airport, one of the few in China capable of handling Airbus A380 aircraft. It operates over 60 domestic and international routes. Major railways include the Xianggui Railway, Hengliu Railway, and Guiguang Passenger Dedicated Line. The primary railway stations in Guilin are Guilin Railway Station, Guilin North Railway Station, and Guilin West Railway Station. The road network features National Highways 321, 322, 323, and 357, as well as expressways such as the G72 Quannan Expressway, G65 Baomao Expressway, G76 Xiarong Expressway, Airport Expressway, and the S2201 Guilin Ring Expressway. For water transport, scenic cruises along the Li River can be taken from the Mopanshan Wharf and Zhujiang Wharf. It is also possible to travel by boat directly to cities on the Pearl River like Wuzhou, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong.

6.1 Aviation

Guilin Liangjiang International Airport is the primary civil airport in Guilin. Located in Gaomiao Village, Liangjiang Town, Lingui District, approximately 28km from downtown Guilin, it officially opened in 1996. Covering an area of 4.06 square kilometers with a building area of 150,000 square meters, it has one terminal building. The flight zone is rated 4E, designed for an annual flight capacity of 42,000 movements. Its runway is 3,200 meters long and 75 meters wide, with an apron providing 20 aircraft parking stands, including the capability to handle Airbus A380 aircraft. Terminal 1 is equipped with 8 boarding bridges and 8 baggage conveyor belts. The cargo warehouse covers 6,200 square meters, and the concrete pavement area totals 550,000 square meters. In 2015, it handled 6.361 million passenger trips, ranking 36th among China's large and medium-sized civil airports. Terminal 2, designed to handle an annual capacity of 12 million passengers, 95,000 tons of cargo and mail, and 101,200 aircraft movements by 2020, was put into operation in 2018. This project also included expanding Terminal 1 by 100,000 square meters and installing related supporting facilities. The airport offers 52 international and domestic routes, served by 21 airlines, connecting to 45 domestic cities, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and international destinations including Fukuoka (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), Bangkok (Thailand), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).

Guilin Xing'an General Airport is the first general aviation airport in Guangxi. Located in Baizhupu, Rongjiang Town, Xing'an County, about 37km from downtown Guilin, it represents a total investment of approximately 8 billion RMB. Construction began on September 29, 2013, and is currently ongoing, with efforts to complete it within six years. The airport plans to use about 2,100 mu of land, constructing one 1,200-meter runway, one 800-meter runway, a 500-meter parallel taxiway, and 20 hangars.

6.2 Urban Redevelopment

Since the 1990s, Guilin has undergone large-scale urban redevelopment, primarily focusing on renovating small streets and alleys, improving roads, and enhancing the city's appearance. Initiatives like the "Hundred Alleys Renovation Project" have been implemented. The goal is to build Guilin into a city with a beautiful environment, excellent facilities, and rich cultural heritage. Additionally, to boost tourism, there has been extensive construction of urban attractions and ecological environment improvements. In 2002, the Guilin municipal government introduced free public welfare bus services.

To facilitate transportation and improve Guilin's overall image, the municipal government decided to reconstruct and expand several bridges, including Jiefang Bridge, Longyin Bridge, and Wenchang Bridge. These bridges, along with the Li River, Taohua River, Shan Lake, Rong Lake, Gui Lake, and the newly excavated Mulong Lake, collectively form the famous "Two Rivers and Four Lakes" system.

7. Education

7.1 Higher Education Institutions

• Public Undergraduate Institutions: Guangxi Normal University, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin University of Aerospace Technology, Guilin Tourism University, Guilin Medical University, Guangxi Arts Institute Guilin Campus
• Private Undergraduate Institutions: Guilin University, Guilin Institute of Information Technology, Nanning Institute of Technology Guilin Campus
• Public Vocational Colleges: Guilin Normal College
• Private Vocational Colleges: Guilin Life and Health Vocational Technical College, Guilin Landscape Vocational College
• Adult Higher Education Institutions: Guilin Staff University
• Military Academies: PLA Army Special Operations Academy, Guilin Airborne Academy

8. Population

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the city's permanent resident population is 4,931,137. Compared with the 4,747,963 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 183,174 people over the ten years, a growth of 3.86%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.38%. Among them, the male population is 2,505,946, accounting for 50.82% of the total population; the female population is 2,425,191, accounting for 49.18% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) is 103.33. The population aged 0–14 is 968,064, accounting for 19.63% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 is 2,960,552, accounting for 60.04% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above is 1,002,521, accounting for 20.33% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above is 730,704, accounting for 14.82% of the total population. The population living in urban areas is 2,592,914, accounting for 52.58% of the total population; the population living in rural areas is 2,338,223, accounting for 47.42% of the total population.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

Guilin is a multi-ethnic region, home to 36 ethnic minorities including Zhuang, Yao, Hui, Miao, and Dong. Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group population is 4,110,371, accounting for 83.36%; the total population of various ethnic minorities is 820,766, accounting for 16.64%. Compared with the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the Han population increased by 97,075 people, a growth of 2.42%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 1.17 percentage points; the total population of ethnic minorities increased by 86,099 people, a growth of 11.72%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 1.17 percentage points. Among them, the Yao population increased by 15,999 people, a growth of 4.32%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.04 percentage points; the Zhuang population increased by 54,250 people, a growth of 23.76%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.92 percentage points; the Miao population increased by 6,589 people, a growth of 11.35%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.09 percentage points; the Dong population increased by 3,519 people, a growth of 7.29%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.03 percentage points.

| Ethnic Group Name | Han | Yao | Zhuang | Miao | Dong | Hui | Manchu | Tujia | Mulao | Bouyei | Other Ethnic Groups | |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--| | Population | 4,110,371 | 385,946 | 282,537 | 64,637 | 51,795 | 16,842 | 3,504 | 2,921 | 2,715 | 1,724 | 8,145 | | Percentage of Total Population (%) | 83.36 | 7.83 | 5.73 | 1.31 | 1.05 | 0.34 | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.03 | 0.17 | | Percentage of Minority Population (%) | - | 47.02 | 34.42 | 7.88 | 6.31 | 2.05 | 0.43 | 0.36 | 0.33 | 0.21 | 0.99 |

8.2 Language

The most commonly spoken local language is the Chinese dialect—Guiliu Mandarin (a branch of Southwestern Mandarin), while Xiang Chinese (Xiang dialect) is prevalent in the northern areas of Guilin. Minority languages are also used in ethnic minority聚居区 (settlement areas).

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9. Culture

9.1 Tourism

Guilin is a typical tourist city and one of China's most renowned tourist destinations. The landscape of Guilin is famous both at home and abroad for its "green mountains, clear waters, mystical caves, and beautiful rocks." Fan Chengda, a Southern Song Dynasty poet, wrote in Gui Hai Yu Heng Zhi: "I have evaluated the wonders of Guilin's mountains, and they should be considered the finest under heaven." Wang Zhenggong of the Southern Song Dynasty stated in his poem: "Guilin's landscape is the best under heaven." The great Tang Dynasty poet Han Yu praised Guilin's scenery in his poem Seeing Off Imperial Physician Yan to Guizhou, Using the Same Rhyme: "The river resembles a green silk ribbon, the mountains are like jasper hairpins." In 1985, China Tourism News initiated a selection activity lasting over half a year for "China's Top Ten Scenic Spots." "Guilin Landscape" ranked second, following the "Great Wall," among the "China's Top Ten Scenic Spots."

Main Tourist Attractions:

• Ecological Parks and Cultural Landscape Art: Seven Star Park, Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, Diecai Hill, West Hill Park, Chuanshan Park, Yushan Park, Yangshuo Shangri-La, Daxu Ancient Town, Nanxi Hill Park, Yanshan Botanical Garden, etc.
• Ancient and Modern Culture: Jingjiang Prince Mausoleum and Palace, Guilin Stone Carvings, Lingqu Canal, Guihai Stele Forest, etc.
• Karst Cave Landscapes: Reed Flute Cave, Crown Cave, Seven Star Cave, Lipu Silver Cave, Fengyu Cave, etc.
• Large Comprehensive Scenic Areas: Two Rivers and Four Lakes (Li River, Peach Blossom River, Banyan Lake, Fir Lake, Osmanthus Lake, Wooden Dragon Lake), Li River Scenic Area, Merryland Theme Park, etc.

9.2 Snacks

The most famous food in Guilin is undoubtedly Guilin rice noodles. Additionally, handmade local snacks like water chestnut cake and chestnut zongzi are quite popular. The twelve counties also have famous dishes such as Gongcheng's oil tea, braised pork belly made with the famous Lipu taro from Lipu, Yangshuo's beer fish, Lingchuan dog meat, and Quanzhou's hehua fish.

Three products renowned both domestically and internationally—chili sauce, fermented bean curd, and Sanhua liquor—are collectively known as the "Three Treasures of Guilin." Later, the term "Four Treasures of Guilin" emerged, adding watermelon frost to the original three treasures.

9.3 Specialties

Osmanthus cake, Guilin fermented bean curd, Guilin Sanhua liquor, Guilin watermelon frost, Guilin chili sauce: China Geographical Indication Products.

9.4 Media

• Newspapers: Guilin Daily, Guilin Evening News
• Radio: Guilin People's Broadcasting Station
• Television: Guilin Television Station
• Portal Website: Guilin Life Network

10. Sister Cities

10.1 Domestic

• Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province (January 20, 2005)
• Mianyang City, Sichuan Province (September 25, 2005)
• Hengyang City, Hunan Province (March 23, 2009)
• Kaifeng City, Henan Province (October 26, 2014)

10.2 International

• Kumamoto City, Japan (October 1, 1979)
• Hastings City, New Zealand (March 4, 1981)
• Orlando City, United States (May 14, 1986)
• Jeju City, South Korea (October 29, 1997)
• Toruń City, Poland (August 29, 2010)
• Muratpaşa City, Turkey (October 23, 2013)[27]

10.3 Friendly Exchange Cities

• Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
• Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
• Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
• Ōta City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
• Toride City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
• Bucheon City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea

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Lingui District

Lingchuan County

Guilin is a multi-ethnic region, home to 36 ethnic minorities including Zhuang, Yao, Hui, Miao, and Dong. Among the city's permanent residents, the Han population is 4,110,371, accounting for 83.36%, while the ethnic minority populations total 820,766, making up 16.64%.

Banyan tree, osmanthus tree

Osmanthus