Natural work of art

With lush green mountains emerging from its watery landscape, Yangshuo is among China's most spectacular sights

Yangshuo is among China's top tourism destinations and with good reason. For centuries its beauty has been written and talked about. As the ancient Chinese saying goes: "The Guilin landscape is more beautiful than all others, and Yangshuo's landscape is still more beautiful than Guilin's."

Located in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and with an area of 1,428 square kilometers, most of Yangshuo is either water or mountains.

It is a spectacular sight, which rivals the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors, and brings in large numbers of tourists. More than a third of Yangshuo's 300,000 population is involved in tourism.

Unlike northern China's mountain ranges that extend on to the horizon, in Yangshuo each mountain stands alone, emerging from the water around them like solitary bathers. Most are relatively small and covered in lush vegetation and colorful flowers.

The Yangshuo landscape is what's called karst topography, named after a region of Slovenia where this type of landscape was first categorized. It is caused by water carving out soft stone to create mountains and caves.

The Yangshuo landscape is the result of thousands of years of natural carving, which has sculpted the region into steep limestone mountains.

There are also many caves across the region filled with unusually shaped stalactites and stalagmites. These are often bathed in colorful lights; combined with the noise of echoing dripping water, these create a surreal experience.

Some of the main sights to see in the region include:

1. Ancient Yangshuo

The ancient part of Yangshuo is small and compact. At the center of it is West Street, paved with uneven slate, which has been worn down over the years to a smooth surface.

West Street is lined with shops and closely packed food stands. Along its 500-meter stretch every local speciality is for sale including steamed tofu, fresh grapefruit, locally brewed rice wines, homemade spices, exquisitely knitted bags and clothes, and perfumes made from osmanthus.

Hidden behind the shops are a number of hostels, which cast a shimmering light onto the vines that creep up their walls and around their windows. Most of the owners speak English and know how to make their guests feel at home.

2. The Impression of Liu Sanjie

Directed by Zhang Yimou, famous for his work on the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, this opera is set against the landscape of Yangshuo.

It features around 600 farmers together with some professional actors, dancers and singers. Performed after dark, with burning torches to light the stage, and traditional flowery Yangshuo clothing, the two-hour show blends nature and culture with song and dance to spectacular effect.

3. Lijiang River Cruise

Departing from the wharf in nearby Guilin, this trip is like traveling through a Chinese work of art. The best time of year to go is spring to autumn, preferably after a rain shower, when the mist begins to rise and gather around the region's lush green mountains.

Once you arrive at Yangshuo, if you want to continue your river experience, switch to a Yulong river raft. This offers both a relaxing and exciting way to see the area's waterways as it drifts with the current and occasionally rushes down a rapid under the boatman's control.

You will pass bamboo forests, chirping birds and friendly people along the way. It's not unusual for people to shout "hello" or "smile" as you drift by. If you ask, the boatman will drop you on one of Yanshuo's tiny islands for a photo opportunity.

Dining

Surrounded by lakes and rivers, Yangshuo has ample fresh fish. Fish from the nearby river are cooked in a variety of ways, including frying and steaming. The most typically local method of cooking is fish hotpot.

Sit at a roadside restaurant near Yangshuo bus station and order a live fish and you will be served with a pot with white soup stewed from fish bones. The fish meat will follow, served in five or six dishes depending on its weight, sliced into thin strips. Drop the fish pieces into the boiling soup and soon they will be ready to eat. The flavor is best when they are dipped into sauces made from local chili.

Another local delicacy is beer fish, cooked with tomatoes and eggs.

China Daily

(China Daily 12/21/2012 page21)