Li River – A Fairy Tale Between Mountains and Waters

The Li River in Guilin flows like a jade-green ribbon winding through the mountains, stretching from Mao’er Mountain to Yangshuo, with its most breathtaking 83-kilometer stretch hiding countless wonders. The whimsical shapes of the karst peaks along its banks resemble galloping horses or hunchbacked elders, while the crystal-clear water reveals dancing aquatic plants on the riverbed. The iconic Nine-Horse Fresco Hill features natural stone patterns resembling nine horses—legend says those who spot all nine will be blessed. At Huangbu Shoal, the river mirrors emerald peaks like a golden carpet; under sunlight, reflections paint the water like liquid glass, while misty rain veils the scene in ethereal fog. This very view graces the back of China’s 20-yuan banknote. Drifting downstream on bamboo rafts, bamboo groves, rice fields, and fishing villages glide past like pages of a living ink-wash painting. The Li River’s tale began over 2,000 years ago when Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Lingqu Canal linked it to the Xiang River, forging a vital north-south corridor. Ancient poets carved over 5,000 verses into its stones, with Tang Dynasty verses praising “green peaks as jade hairpins, the river a silken sash.” Old docks still showcase fishermen guiding cormorants on bamboo rafts, while flickering night lamps dot the water like fallen stars, and folk songs echo through bamboo forests, carrying generations of joy and longing. Today, renewed efforts protect the Li River—polluting factories closed, electric rafts replacing noisy boats, and trees planted to guard its banks. As visitors float silently, egrets skim the water and swaying weeds ripple with the current. The Li River whispers a timeless truth: when humanity nurtures nature, harmony thrives. Behind Guilin’s “world-beating landscape” lies nature’s artistry and humanity’s quiet dedication, preserving this fairy-tale realm where springtime magic never fades.