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The
scenery of Guilin has been called the finest
under heaven. Situated in the northeast
of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin
City is South China's shining pearl , with
verdant mountains , elegant waters , magnificent
crags and fantastic caverns. It has a total
area of 2,000 sq.km. and a population of
680.000 (the urban area being 54 sq.km.
and the population 300,000).
Guilin
has a history of more than 2,000 years.In
the 6th year of Yuanding During the reign
of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ( 1 1 1
BC), Guilin was a county, called Shi An
County, and from the Song Dynasty to the
Qing Dynasty, it was the political, economic
and cultural centre of Guangxi. In 1921,the
North Expeditionary Army led by Sun Zhongshan
(Dr. Sun Yat-sen) joined forces In Guilin,and
the headquarters was sited in the Royal
Palace at the foot Of the Solitary Beauty
Peak. The city acquired its present name
in the year of 1940.
Belonging
to the subtropical region,Guilin enjoys
a Mild climate with sufficient rainfall.
Its yearly average temperature is 18.8'C,
and the hottest month, August, has an average
temperature of 28'C, while the coldest months,
which are January and February are 8'C on
the average. Du Fu,a very famous poet of
Tang Dynasty so said of its climate: "When
it is scorchingly hot everywhere in the
Five Ridges, only Guilin has temperate weather."
Guilin
was originally a vast expanse of sea until
about one hundred and ninety million years
ago, when, owing to the movement of the
earth crust, the whole area rose and became
land. The Limestone, weathered and eroded
by water, became today's fantastic stone
forests, peaks, underground streams and
caves, thus giving unique features to Guilin's
scenery.
The
mountains In Guilin, rising abruptly from
the ground, stand In various stately shapes.
Moreover. they have in them a great number
of colourful caves. These mountains with
strangely-shaped peaks and caves of unique
formation, together with the crystal-clear
rivers that surround the city, characterize
Guilin's scenery and have brought it world
fame.
Lijiang
River, a picturesque river well known both
at home and abroad, is at its most beautiful
starting from Guilin to Yangshuo, distancing
83 km.. Winding her way amidst the mountains
and through villages. the Lijiang River
adds a great charm to the picture-like landscape
of Guilin, where people can see mountains
with fantastic peaks, green and clear waters,
and festoon-like fields.
Guilin
also abounds in historical relics. Stone
carving alone amounts to approximately 2,000
pieces. Of all the scenic spots in the city,
Pu Tuo Hill, Crescent Moon Hill and Folded
Brocade Hill possess the greatest number
of these carvings. But crowning all is the
Dragon Refuge Cave, which, as It Is lined
with stelae, is properly called "Guilin
Stelae Forest".
As a tourist destination second to none
in China, Guilin will surely continue to
attract ever more visitors from home and
abroad.
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