Monthly Archives: February 2012

The Best Yangshuo Attractions

Yangshuo Cycling Tours amd Hiking Tours

Very popular with visitors to Yangshuo, cycling tours is defintiely the preferred means of transport. Find out more about Yangshuo cycling and hiking tours here!

Impression Liu Sanjie Show

Article from

The large-scale performance The Impressional Sanjie Liu is the core project of The Li River Mountain-Water Theatre,it was invested by GuiLin Guangwei Wenhua Tourism and Culture Co.Ltd.，and took 5 years to completed．This performance expresses the beautiful scenery of the Li River，the colorful culture of the ethnic groups in Guangxi and the brave imagination of the excellent artists in China，it is the first of its kind the word.
The performance regards the lmpressional Sanjie Liu as the general theme，and creatively combines the ciassical Sanjie Liu’s Songs，ethnic groups’Culture and the fishing lights together，to refect the harmonious atmosphere between human beings and the nature．The pertormance lasts for 70 minutes and 600 plus actors and actress are invoIved．

Take a look yourself, right here!

Yulong River Bamboo Raft River Cruise

Article from sinoway travel

Yulong River, a small tribute of Li River, also called Little Li River, rises in Lingui County inYangshuo. The river is about 43 kilometers (26 miles) long, with a drainage area of approximately 158 square kilometers (39,043 acres). The part of the river that stretches from Yulong Bridge in Baisha Town, to Gongnong Bridge near Big Banyan, is known as the Yulong River Scenic Area, and includes some spectacular scenic views along each river bank.

The Yulong River Scenic Area has many tourist attractions interspersed with cultural and historical ones. The languid river is surrounded by a primitive, but pure, natural landscape, combined with green bamboo forests and rolling hills. Yulong River winds through rice planting fields, farm house, fishing bonds and thousands of limestone peaks. Most tourist traffic on this river is on small bamboo rafts. The going price for a trip on these rafts is about 150 Yuan per raft

Find out more!

Yangshuo Cooking School

Article from Yangshuo cooking school

The Yangshuo Cooking School offers you the opportunity to learn how to cook real Chinese food in a traditional setting.

We have two locations. Our Yangshuo school is right on the banks of the beautiful Li River with gorgeous views over the river and the karst scenery. Our original school is located in the village of Chao Long, about 5km from Yangshuo. Chao Long is a traditional farming village and the School is housed in a renovated mud brick farmers house.

The Yangshuo Cooking School is the combination of the talents of Pam Dimond, Leo Wu and Kelly Huang.

The week-long “Foodie” advanced cooking courses will take place at both locations.

Pam is passionate about food, travel and the fast disappearing traditional-peasant-architecture of Yangshuo. After many years running a successful catering business in Sydney, she felt the urge to travel in China. She now lives in a renovated mudbrick courtyard-house in Chaolong village, next to the cooking school.

Leo is the manager of both schools. He comes from Mangshi,Yunnan Province where the local Chinese food is influenced by Burmese cuisine. Very delicious and hot and spicy. He came to Yangshuo to study English and fell in love with Yangshuo and Kelly and decided to stay. He is an amusing and patient teacher with excellent English skills. Kelly is a partner in the school on the Li River and comes from Guangxi Province. Her grandfather was a famous local chef in He Chi City and Kelly studied under him from the age of 15. She is a wealth of information about local food and a fabulous cook. She also speaks excellent English

Want to know more about Yangshuo Cooking school? Find it here!

Taiji School

Article from Yangshuo Tai Chi School

Yangshuo Tai Chi School is a traditional Tai Chi Kung fu Training Institute in China that welcomes all different levels of ability students to learn the traditional Chen Tai Chi Kung fu,Yang Tai Chi Kung fu from One week introductory to one year mastery courses, since 2001.You will be trained and taught by China one of the top Tai Chi masters,Huang Hua (Henry)is 12th Generation authentic Chen Tai Chi Master trained from the Chen Village and a top disciple of Master Wang xian for many years.

The First Registered of the Tai Chi and Kung fu Training Academy in Yangshuo, can be found in the picturesque village of Yangshuo China. Yangshuois a spectacular place, surrounded by stunning and unusually shaped Karst mountain formations. It is certainly one of the most beautiful places in China.

The school is situated in the tranquil countryside an easy bike ride from town. Once here you will find yourself amongst warm and knowledgeable staff, who are more than happy to help you with all your needs. No matter your skill level you can begin training at your own pace.

Master Huang teaching both Western and Chinese students with many years of experience. His mastery of the arts is only overshadowed by his enthusiasm in passing on his experience, and his unbeatable power through a lifetime of commitment. Tai Chi is taught with emphasis on Chinese philosophy, culture and the benefits of external and internal power on the body, mind and spirit.

The Tai Chi school, with its huge windows, takes in the view of the mountains and the gentle waters of the Yulong River, situated only minutes from it’s entry into the Li River. Enjoy being surrounded by nature whilst training at our school, found in a rural setting close to town. Here you will train in a large studio or outside by the Li River, feeling nature empowering you in every movement.

Guilin Foggy Resort

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Guilin Foggy Resort is renovated to 4-star standard. Hanging feet structure building which has unique flavor of north Guangxi ethnic customs. It is an ideal place for getting close to the nature and idyllic scenery. The tourists stay in Guilin Foggy Resort can be arranged to hike around the villages which along Li River

Guilin Foggy Resort has 51 rooms, including standard room, business room, deluxe room, deluxe suite, president suite, non-smoking floor. Rooms are equipped with air-condition, TV, dresser, kettle for hot water, bathing room.

5 Star Guilin Hotels

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The Best Places to Stay when you visit Guilin

The Guilin Merryland

One of Guilin's best hotels

Article from sinohotel

The Guilin Merryland is a five-star hotel, a forest resort village, a golf course, and a theme park. The Merryland Resort Hotel (Lemandi dujia jiudian) houses three different styles of exquisite guestrooms. There are 368 guestrooms, 64 American-style huts, and 160 camping terraces

Check room rates here!

The Guilin Merryland is located 60km northeast of Guilin.

Distance from the airport(Km): 78

Distance from the railway station(Km): 68

The Green Lake Cafe serves European, American, and Southeast Asian cuisines. Guests may feast on a variety of Oriental and Western cuisine including Mongolian barbecue in the Supreme Emperor BBQ Restaurant. The hotel also has several bars and a cafe.

For recreation, there is a sauna center, tennis court, outdoor swimming pool, gymnasium, billiards room, and golf course. There are nine conference halls. Each can be partitioned into separate rooms for various functions. The magnificent ballroom, equipped with high fidelity video and audio systems, is a delightful place for large parties, banquets, exhibitions, and performances

Check room rates here!

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Article from Starwood hotels

Visit the Sheraton Guilin Hotel, ideally located along the Li River in the heart of the enchanting city of Guilin. Guilin has been an inspiration to Chinese poets and artists for centuries, thanks to its breathtaking scenery rich in limestone crags, deep caves, and lush paddy fields. Now, with the completion of a full renovation, the hotel is as beautiful as the landscape it calls home. Our guest rooms, restaurant, and lobby have all been reimagined with your comfort in mind.

Check room rates here!

Retreat to one of our 408 newly renovated guest rooms, including our 17 suites. Relax and unwind while you watch your favorite shows on flat-screen satellite TV, order in dinner, or surf the web online with our High Speed Internet Access. And get a great night’s sleep on our famously comfortable Sheraton Sweet Sleeper™ Bed.

Whether you wish to explore the city, cruise the majestic Li River, or just hang out—let our concierge help you plan your adventures. Take a refreshing dip in the pool, get a great workout at the fitness center, or go for nine holes on the nearby golf course. Enjoy complimentary High Speed Internet Access at our lobby connection destination, the Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft.

Planning a business meeting or event? Invite your colleagues over, and let our convention services staff and AV support handle the details. We can tailor our space according to your requirements.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Sheraton Guilin Hotel!

Guilin-Yangshuo Bar&Club Guide

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The Best Guilin Bars to meet people and have a drink!!!

Piano Bar at the Guilin Royal Garden Hotel

The Piano Bar is part of the Royal Garden Hotel. It is located by the Li River opposite Fubo Mountain and Diecai Mountain, so the views through the large windows are spectacular. The atmosphere is very relaxed, so this is a great place to take a rest

Karaoke Bar in the Royal Garden Hotel

This Karaoke bar can hold over one hundred people with fifteen tables in a space of around 100 square metres. It is lavishly decorate with a stage and ornate balconies. It has a large range of drinks with a variety of wines also available.

Reed Cowboy Bar in Guilin Bravo Hotel

This bar is on the second floor of the hotel. It has its own unique character and style. Its walls are decorated with cattle heads, cow horns and knives. You can watch satellite TV from Hong Kong and American channels are also available. The bar covers about 80 square metres and is a good place to relax and enjoy a glass of wine.

Li Jiang Yin Zuo Luxury Boat

Li Jiang Yin Zuo is a luxury travel boat berthed on the No.2 Pier of the Li River. Its location on the west bank of Li river is a beautiful setting. The boat provides many facilities and can act as a club, bar and karaoke hall. It has three floors with an area of around 1000 square metres. The first floor is a dance Hall with the second floor being a Karaoke bar. Cabaret is on the third floor.

Baidu Bar

Baidu Bar combines Chinese and European club culture. It has karaoke/ KTV rooms as well as a bar and club. It was opened in 2004 and is located by the Li River side. It covers an area of over 3000 square metres. The first floor is a European influenced bar/ club with the KTV on the second second floor. Address: Binjiang Road

Fu Cheng KTV Club

Fu Cheng KTV Club is. This club is located at the main square. It has classical decor and has a great sound system. There are 51 KTV rooms ranging from a standard, medium, large or luxury room to the VIP presidential area. This club is a very popular place to hold parties

If you want to know about Guilin click here

The Best Yangshuo Bars and Clubs

Yangshuo Buffalo Bar

The owner of buffalo bar is a friendly Aussie named Alf. There is a range of beer on offer including beer imported from his native land. It’s a popular place to play pool and the wide-screen makes it ideal for watching sport. It also serves Chinese and western food, including meat pies of course! Address: Xianqianjie Road, just off West Street.

The Alley Bar

This bar is nicely decorated with a circular bar and an open frontage. It has fast become popular with ex-pats and tourists alike. It serves a variety of beer and cocktails and has a good pool table. This is one of the biggest bars in Yangshuo and can be a refreshing change from the smaller bars that line West Street. Address: Guihua Road, which runs parallel to West Street.

MC Blue

A well known bar that is usually busy most nights. It is very popular with foreign tourists. The open frontage and laid-back atmosphere make it an ideal place to head to later into the night. It also serves very good Western breakfasts. Address: Xianqianjie Road, just off West Street.

Loove Bar

Known for its friendly service, the bar has continental decor and a very relaxed atmosphere. The menu isn’t large, but the quality of food is very good as is the music. The ‘Loove Burger’ is recommended. It will often open far into the night and is a centre for nightlife in the town. Address: Guihua Road, which runs parallel to West Street

The Stone Rose

Named after the famous British band, this bar/ club is usually busy. It plays a mixture of Chinese and Western dance music. There are many similar dance bars along West Street, but this is the best of them for music and atmosphere. Address: West Stree

Si Hai

Similar to the Stone Rose in size, it usually plays Chinese dance music and always seems to attract a mixture of Chinese and foreign tourists. A variety of DJs play here on different nights in the busy tourist season. It is conveniently located near MC Blue and Buffalo Bar. Address: West Street.

Find out more about Yangshuo! Click here

article from Guilin, Yangshuo guide

West Street in Yangshuo

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West Street is the oldest street in Yangshuo with a history of more than 1,400 years. Situated at the center of Yangshuo County, West Street has become, since the 1980′s, a window of eastern and western culture and the biggest ‘foreign language center’ in China. West Street is the most prosperous district in Yangshuo, and, each year, approximately 100,000 foreigners come here on their travels or to attend advanced studies. Visitors are attracted to West Street by its unique mix of cultures.

West Street is 517 meters (1,696 feet) long and 8 meters (26 feet) wide, meandering in an ‘S’ along its length. Being completely paved with marble it is a typical example of a southern China street. It is greatly admired by foreigners for its simple style and courtyard-like setting. There is a saying about West Street that ‘half is village while the other half is stores’.

Because, at times, foreigners outnumber Chinese, West Street is also called ‘foreigners’ street’. Don’t be surprised if you hear English words spoken by elderly Chinese women, for West Street is called ‘the global village’. Besides the local accent of Yangshuo, English has become the language for daily use. West Street is modern and fashionable, nearly every store has bilingual shop signs, and more than 20 stores have been opened by foreigners who have settled here.

Read more about West Street including how to get there and what you will have to pay.

Article by travel China Guide

Guilin Weather and Climate Information

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Guilin has a subtropical monsoon climate, with four distinct seasons. The climate in Guilin is characterized by heavy humidity. Summer in Guilin is humid and hot, while winter is cold and damp. Spring and autumn are short and warm. Rainfall happens all year round, though early summer is the rainy season, with May and June being the wettest months with about 350mm (14 in) each. November to March is relatively dry with about 50mm (2 in) per month. Snow is rare. The annual precipitation is 1926mm (80 inches).

The yearly average temperature is 19 °C (66 °F). The coldest month is January with an average temperature of 8 °C (46 °F), and the hottest month is July with an average temperature of 28 °C (82 °F). Though Guilin is suitable for traveling all year round, and the Li River has its beauty in all four seasons, the most popular travelling time is from April till October. Have a look at our Guilin Tour Packages and choose your time of travel.

Spring
Spring is from March to May, with frequent and sharp intervals of temperature changes. Spring is characterized with heavy humidity. It is generally warm with some rain, building up towards May, one of the wettest months. On rainy days, the rivers, pinnacles and the city itself are shrouded in mist, which is especially enchanting.

Summer
Summer is from June to August, usually hot and humid, but the beauty to be found outdoors is quite adequate compensation. The average temperature of summer is about 30 °C (86 °F). June is similar to May, but hot rather than warm in between the rain. There are occasional downpours in July and August.

Umbrella, sunglasses and sun screen are recommended. Wear summer clothes, such as shorts, T-shirts and skirts. Summer is considered peak season, when hotels typically raise their rates and more tourists fill the scenic spots.

Inside Reed Flute Cave, which is a fascinating gallery of natural limestone formations, there is pleasant cool away from the outdoor summer heat. A leisurely stroll at Seven Star Park to see the giant pandas is also very relaxing. Riding a bike in the Yangshuo countryside or hiking along the Li River are also ideal activities for the summer.

Autumn
Autumn is from September to November, and is beautiful as the weather cools. The paddies of the Longji Rice Terraces are wonderfully golden in the harvest season at the end of September or beginning of October. In the mountains there is a big difference in temperature between day and night.

Winter
Winter is from December to February. It rarely snows in Guilin, though it feels very cold with the dampness, especially in January. There are sharp rises and falls of temperature within a few days. It can still be very pleasant when the sun is out. Low temperatures can approach zero (32 °F), but on warm days the thermometer can reach the high teens (60+ °F). Prepare down jackets, thick jeans, sweaters, scarves and umbrella. Locals wear thermal underwear all winter as there is no heating in most places. Winter is the low season, so Guilin is less crowded and it is cheaper to travel. The Chinese New Year usually falls in late January or early February. Streets of the city will be colorfully decorated for the event.

Guilin, the most picturesque city in China

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Yangshuo Town Sunset, Guilin City

As one of China’s most picturesque cities, Guilin is located in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Guilin Features for its stunning karst topography with Rivers and Moutains. You could take a bicycle to most of two-hundred-metre-high rocky hills and parks in Guilin or take Li River Cruises to Yangshuo town. The city is an attractive place to spend a day while organizing a cruise downstream, with plenty of well-designed landscaping, shady avenues and rocky parkland.

Main Attractions
Natural: Li River, Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave, Longji Terraced Fields, Xingping Ancient Town, Solitary Beauty Peak, Yulong River in Yangshuo, Moon Hill, Yao Mountain, Gudong Waterfall, Bajiaozhai Geography Park, Two Rivers and Four Lakes Water System
Adventure: Li River Hiking, Rafting Yangshuo’s Yulong River, Longmen Water Cave
Ancient: Ling Canal, ethnic villages in Longsheng, Qin Family’s Courtyard, Huangyao Ancient Town, Jiangtou Village of Jiuwu Town, Daxu Ancient Town, The Mausoleum of Jing Jiang Prince, Sanjiang Wind and Rain Bridge
Amusement: Merryland Theme Park, Yuzi Paradise, Seven Star Park and Zoo

History
A city region renowned for its scenic beauty in China

314 BC A small village existed at the site
214 BC The Ling Canal linked the Yangtze River and the Li River and Pearl River
507 AD The town was named Guizhou
1921 Became a base for the Northern Expeditionary Army
1981 Chosen by the government to be one of four especially protected cities

Geography
Significance of city: a favorite area for Chinese and foreign tourists
Municipality terrain: eroded limestone hills, the Li River and many streams and canals
Nearby cities: Liuzhou (152 km/95 mi), Nanning (388 km/ 241 mi), Beihai (600 km/373 mi)
Average altitude: 153 (502 feet)
Main rivers: Li River

Location Information

Municipality location: 24.20N to 26.07N, 109.61E to 111.24E; South China
Municipality Population: 5,000,000
Municipality Area: 27,809 sq km (10,737 sq mi)
Core districts and inner suburbs area: 1,000 sq km (386 sq mi)
City proper population: 1,340,000
City proper population density: 1,340/sq km (3,471/sq mi)
North to south distance (including suburbs): 28 km (17 mi)
East to west distance (including suburbs): 35 km (22 mi)
City center: Central Square (25.275 N, 110.296 E)
Average high temperature in August: 32.8 °C (91 °F)
Average low temperature in January: -5.4 °C (41.7 °F)
The weather is humid subtropical with monsoons; annual precipitation: 1901.3 mm (74.9 in).

Economy
Average annual income: 19,435 RMB (2,858 USD)
Development: developing; the city is open for foreign tourists and is famous for its scenery
Industry: 37.2 tertiary industry (tourism, service), 39% secondary (industry, construction), 18.9% primary (agriculture)
Business area: corner of Zhongshan Zhong Road and Jiefang Road (25.27N, 110.29E)
Shopping Streets: Zhongshan Zhong Road

(Photo By Chad Galloway Photogranphy)

Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing

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Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven is a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which simply and graphically illustrates a cosmogony of great importance for the evolution of one of the world’s great civilizations. Its symbolic layout and design had a profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries. Furthermore, the legitimacy of the feudal dynasties that for more than 2,000 years ruled over China is symbolized by the design and layout of the Temple of Heaven.

The Altar of Heaven and Earth, together with the wall surrounding the garden, was completed in 1420, the 18th year of the reign of the Ming Emperor Yongle. The central building was a large rectangular sacrificial hall, where sacrifices were offered to heaven and earth, with the Fasting Palace to the south-west. Pines were planted in the precinct of the Temple to emphasize the relationship between humankind and nature. In the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Jiajing (1530) the decision was taken to offer separate sacrifices to heaven and to earth, and so the Circular Mound Altar was built to the south of the main hall, for sacrifices to heaven. The Altar of Heaven and Earth was renamed the Temple of Heaven.

In 1749, the fourteenth year of the reign of the Qing Emperor Qianlong, the Circular Mound was enlarged, the original blue-glazed tiles being replaced with white marble. Two years later renovation work took place at the Hall of Daxiang, and it was given the new name of the Hall of Prayers for Abundant Harvests. This was the heyday of the Temple of Heaven, when it covered 273ha. Ceremonial sacrifices to heaven were banned by the government of the Republic of China in 1911. By that date, 490 years after its foundation, the Temple of Heaven had witnessed 654 acts of worship to heaven by 22 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was opened as a public park in 1918 and has been so ever since.

The Temple of Heaven was built on a site 3.5 km south-east of the Zhengyang Gate of Beijing. The area that it occupies is almost square, the two southern corners being right-angled and those on the north rounded. This symbolizes the ancient Chinese belief that Heaven is round and the Earth square. It is a spatial representation of Chinese cosmogony on which the political power and legitimacy of the imperial dynasties was based for more than two millennia.

The three principal cult structures are disposed in a line on the central north-south axis. The sacrificial buildings are mainly in the Inner Altar, which is subdivided into two by a wall running east-west, the southern sector, known as the Circular Mound Altar, and the northern, the Altar of the God of Grain. The two altars are connected by an elevated brick path 360 m long, known as the Red Stairway Bridge. The main Temple of Heaven, the Circular Mound, repeats the symbolism of the walls, as the central round feature (Heaven) is inside a square enclosure (Earth). It consists of three circular platforms of white marble, decreasing in diameter, surrounded by balustrades in the same material. Entry to the enclosure is effected by means of a series of monumental gates. There are 360 pillars in the balustrades, representing the 360 days of the ancient Chinese lunar year. The imperial throne would have been set up in the centre of the uppermost platform, symbolizing the role of the Emperor as the Son of Heaven and hence the link between Heaven and Earth. To the north of the Circular Mound is the Imperial Vault of Heaven. It was here that the emperor made offerings before retiring to the Fasting Palace (Palace of Abstinence).

In the north enclosure, the Altar of the God of Grain, the main feature is the Hall of Prayers for Abundant Harvests, which is linked with the Temple of Heaven by the Long Corridor, 440 m long and 25 m wide. In form and materials, the hall repeats the three-tiered circular structure in white marble of the Temple of Heaven. It is surmounted by the hall itself, once again circular in plan, and with three superimposed roofs in blue glazed tiles, from which the emperor offered up prayers for good harvests. It is supported on a massive wooden framework and its interior is richly decorated.

UFO-Style Residential Architecture in Fujina Province

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Nanxi Tulou Cluster

Earthen houses represent a vernacular architecture specific to Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangdong provinces following the flow of the Hakka people from central China to the South. As most Hakka resided in mountains, communal houses made of compacted earth were built to provide protection against bandits and wild animals. The older examples of this style of construction consist of interior buildings enclosed by huge peripheral ones holding hundreds of rooms and dwellers. With all the halls, storehouses, wells and bedrooms inside, the huge towerlike building functions almost as a small fortified city. Earthen houses are made of earth, stone, bamboo and wood, all readily available materials. After constructing the walls with rammed earth, branches, strips of wood and bamboo chips were laid in the wall as “bones” to reinforce it. The end result is a well lit, well-ventilated, windproof, quakeproof building that is warm in winter and cool in summer.

Over twenty thousand of these houses still stand today, ten of which are over 600 years old. The oldest one, “Fu Xing Lou” in Hu Le town, was constructed over 1,200 years ago and is regarded as a “living fossil” of the construction style of central China. The tulou located at the border of Yongding County and Nanjing County is the perfect example of this style of construction and it is here that there are most earthen houses. Most of the nominated properties are located in this area.

Yongding County is located in the mountainous area of the Longyan City jurisdiction, in the western part of Fujian Province. There are many architectural designs of tulou in this area with a well-concentrated distribution of clusters. The most common designs are rectangular, round, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal. Other designs also include D-shaped and 日(the Chinese character for “sun”).

Fujian TuLou

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Fujian Tulou is a property of 46 buildings constructed between the 15th and 20th centuries over 120 km in south-west of Fujian province, inland from the Taiwan Strait. Set amongst rice, tea and tobacco fields the Tulou are earthen houses. Several storeys high, they are built along an inward-looking, circular or square floor plan as housing for up to 800 people each. They were built for defence purposes around a central open courtyard with only one entrance and windows to the outside only above the first floor. Housing a whole clan, the houses functioned as village units and were known as “a little kingdom for the family” or “bustling small city.” They feature tall fortified mud walls capped by tiled roofs with wide over-hanging eaves. The most elaborate structures date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The buildings were divided vertically between families with each disposing of two or three rooms on each floor. In contrast with their plain exterior, the inside of the tulou were built for comfort and were often highly decorated. They are inscribed as exceptional examples of a building tradition and function exemplifying a particular type of communal living and defensive organization, and, in terms of their harmonious relationship with their environment, an outstanding example of human settlement.

Guilin Shopping: The What and Where to buy Guide

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Article from China Highlights

Guilin is a relatively small city, and many of the shopping places are located along Zhongshan Road (中山路), a major road and city center of Guilin. Besides some big departments, there are also some interesting small markets and pedestrian streets. As a city famous for its beautiful landscape, Guilin is famous for landscape paintings, paper fans and some other art crafts and souvenirs.

Local Specialties

Guilin’s three treasures are Guilin Sanhua Liquor, Guilin Fermented Bean Curd and Guilin Chili Sauce. They are one of the top choices to buy when you visit Guilin. Because the name of Guilin literally means ‘Forest of Osmanthus’, there are many products made of or from the fragrant osmanthus (桂花, pronounced as /gway-hwua/), such as osmanthus tea and osmanthus sugar.

Luo Han Guo (罗汉果, pronounced as /lwo-han-kwo/ ), is a kind of dried brown fruit with round shape, hard but thin shell, and the size of a small orange. It is has long been used as a natural sweetener in China due to its flavor and lack of food energy. It has also been used in traditional Chinese medicine. Its inside soft substance is often used to make tea, which can relieve sore throat and chronic coughing. All the local specialties can be found in large supermarkets or local specialties stores.

Where to Buy

Clothes & shoes

Guilin Department Store, Dream Island Department Store and Sino-Japanese joint venture Niko Niko Do are the up-market department stores of the city. They all locate along Zhongshan Road from south to north. They offer clothes, shoes and bags with good quality. The three department stores all have food supermarkets on their underground floors. At Niko Niko Do, there is a small section selling imported foods, candies, chocolates, cheese and so on. Zhengyang Pedestrian Street next to city central square has some small boutiques selling ethnic crafts and clothes, and there are some restaurants with local Guilin food.

Bagui Building standing opposite city central square is very popular among local girls. It offers clothes and bags that are considered fashion by the local girls and are at reasonable prices. There is also an underground market called “Little Hong Kong” under the city central square. The underground market is a maze of alleys with lots of stalls selling not very good-quality clothes, bags, shoes and trinkets at low prices. Always remember to bargain unless when you are shopping at department stores.

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Monthly Archives: February 2012

The Best Yangshuo Attractions

Guilin Foggy Resort

5 Star Guilin Hotels

Article from Starwood hotels

Guilin-Yangshuo Bar&Club Guide

West Street in Yangshuo

Guilin Weather and Climate Information

Guilin, the most picturesque city in China

Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing

UFO-Style Residential Architecture in Fujina Province

Fujian TuLou

Guilin Shopping: The What and Where to buy Guide