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Home> China City Guide> Guiyang
Offering detailed travelling information on Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, other scenic spots in Guizhou and the largest waterfall in China -- Huangguoshu Waterfall.
Introduction
Guiyang is the capital of Guizhou Province. Covering an area of 176,000 square kilometres with beautiful scenery, pleasant climate and abundant tourist resources it is a developing tourist resort of China.
Guizhou is one of the birthplaces of Paleomankind. There are over 20 sites or places of the Stone Age, such as the Guanyindong site of Stone Age which was named the "Guanyindong Culture" and the Yanhui Cave and Xiaohui Cave where the fossils of "Tongzi Man" and "Shuicheng Man" had been unearthed, etc. During the long-term exploitation, the people of different nationalities in Guizhou left us a lot of ancient and modern scenic spots and historical sites. Now, the Jiaxiu Pavilion and the Hongfu Temple in Guiyang, the Black Dragon Cave in Zhenyuan county town, the Yangming Cave in Xiuwen County, the Eighteen Officials' Tomb in Anlong, the Yang Can Mausoleum in Zunyi and the Site of Zunyi Meeting are national key historical relics for the tourists to visit.
Guiyang City has a long history. There are many historic sites built in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Some of them, such as the Hongfu Temple, the Kylin Cave, the Jiaxiu Pavilion and the San Yuan Palace, have gone through several hundred years.
On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month every year, it is the traditional festival "Si Yue Ba" of the Miao nationality. On that day, the young Miaos living in Guiyang and nearby converge at the heart of the city. Dressed in their holiday best, they dance and sing all night long. It is a very lively festival.
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The Huaxi Park, famous for its scenic beauty, lies to the southern suburbs of Guiyang City. The clear stream winds through it and flowers contend in beauty throughout the four seasons of the year. In the park, the Flat Bridge, the Lotus Shoal and the Pine and Cypress Garden show their different charms and the views of the hills named after kylin, phoenix, tortoise and snake are unconventionally beautiful.
The Qianling Park is located in the northwest corner of Guiyang City. Named after Mount Qianling which has awarded the title of "First Mountain in south Guizhou". Incorporating the soul and spirit of the Guizhou Plateau, there are towering old trees, limpid springs and queer rocks in it. More than 1,500 kinds of trees, flowers and plant sand over 1,000 kinds of rare medicinal herbs naturally grew on the mountain. Rhesus monkeys and various birds perch there in groups. Climbing up along the "Nine-Winds Path", one can get to the Hongfu Temple. Being built in early Qing, it is a group of ancient architectures including temples, halls, wing-rooms and verandas. From the Pavilion for Watching Guiyang on the top of the mountain, you can get a bird's-eye view of the whole city. At the foot of the mountain is the blue ripple Qianling Lake. There is a zoo in the park. The vestige of glacier of the Quaternary period can be found here. This is a multi-functional park suitable for touring.
Located 4 kilometers away to the south of Guiyang, the Forest Park covers an area of 3 square kilometers. The vegetation is well preserved there. The park is densely wooded with pure and fresh air.
The Baihua Lake Scenic Spots, situated in the northwest part of Guiyang suburbs, covers an area of 13.5 square kilometers and more than 100 islands or islets spread all over it. Here the water is blue clear; rocks were jagged in grotesque shapes and several thousand mandarin ducks, egrets, lake gulls and wild ducks perch around throughout the year. This scenic spot is composed of 12 sites: karst caves, hot springs, the Hongwu Temple, the food-drink-supplying campsite, the Zhuchang ancient fortress and so on.
The Huangguoshu Scenic Spot is located to the southwest of Guiyang. Being one of the first national key scenic spots issued by the State. It is composed of more than ten ground and underground waterfalls, the enchanting Tianxing Park and the Aquatic Stone Forest. The Huangguoshu Waterfall is the center of this scenic spot. It is the biggest one in Asia, which is 68 meters high and 84 meters wide. In flood season, it looks like the Milky Way pouring down, making the precipitous cliffs trembling, while mist of water droplets rising from the plunge pool. It is particularly suburb when rainbows arch from the plunge pool of the waterfall under the shining sun. In dry season, water would separate into several streams falling down from the overhanging cliffs like a fairy maiden's elegant hair, charming and graceful. On top of the precipice opposite the waterfall stands the Pavilion for Enjoying the Waterfall. There is a 134 meters long water-curtain cave behind the waterfall down to the foot. Being in it, one can see the plunging water like numberless strings of pearls flying down over one's head and also the rainbows in the fine drizzle. It is really a spectacular view.
The Dragon's Palace Cave Scenic Spot
Located in the southwest of Anshun City, the Dragon's Palace Cave is one of the major scenic spots of the state rank. Its main part consists of magnificent karst river cave and waterfalls inside the cave, including the Dragon's Palace, the Rape Lake, the Whirlpool and the Leech Pass. Its center area is made up with the Dragon-Sleeping Lake, the Guest-Receiving Cave, the Dragon-Gate Flying Waterfall, Heaven-Ladder Cave, the Dragon's Pool, a subterranean lake in the Dragon's Palace, the Clamshell Rock, the Tiger's Den and others. The water runs through the five subterranean sections of the river and lake stringed together, in and out five times. Being as long as 15 kilometers, it is the longest singularly shaped karst river cave discovered in China up to now. Nearby, the Sancha River, the Stone Forest Park, the Dragon-Flag Cave and the Buyi village near the Dragon's Pool offer a wonderful view.
The Zhijin Cave Scenic Spot lies in Zhijin County. Covering an area of 450 square kilometers, it is one of the scenic spots of state rank. The whole scenic spot consists of four parts -- the ancient town of Zhijin, the Zhijin Cave, the Jie River Gorge and the Hongjia Ferry. As the cream of this scenic spot, the Zhijin Cave is the biggest treasury of cave resource, broad in scale and peculiarly shaped, discovered in China at the moment. The cave extends about 10 kilometers. The broadest part of the cave is of 173 meters and the highest reaches 150 meters. There are more than 40 kinds of karst precipitation forms in the cave including the main kinds of those in the karst caves all over the world and known as the "Karst Museum". Out of it are villages of the Buyi, Miao and Yi nationalities.
The Hongfeng Lake lies in Qingzhen and Pingba counties, 33 kilometres away from Guiyang and 77 kilometres from Anshun. The Lake covers an area of 57 square kilometres with more than 100 islands and islets in it. For the karst landforms and the fascinating water and hills as its characteristics, it is a state-rank key scenic spot. The lake is divided in four. The north part has a boundless expanse of blue water. The hills are wonderful and water is deep at the centre. Peaks rise one higher than another in the south and the back part is surrounded by peaks. Then natural hills, waters and caves are in perfect harmony here.
Located in the southwest of Dafang County, the Nine Caves Scenic Spot extends nearly 23 kilometers. A river valley of 13 kilometers runs with sheer precipice and overhanging rocks along both of its banks covered with luxuriant wild plants. Groups of wild monkeys often gambol on the cliffs here and there making an even fantastic view. Going boating down the river, tourists may enjoy the magnificent natural beauty. In the low reaches of the river lie nine caves with underground stream running through, known as the Nine Caves. Each "cave mouth" is surrounded with strange karst landscape forming a unique scene of subterranean river and karst caves.
The One-Hundred-Li Azalea Belt Scenic Spot
Situated between Jinpo in Qianxi County and Pudi in Dafang County. The One-Hundred-Li Azalea Belt covers a large area of wild azaleas, one to four kilometers in breadth and more than fifty in length. Guizhou is rich in azaleas, with seventy and more varieties, but most of them grow in this area. When spring changes into summer every year, the different azaleas are all in their full bloom, just like rosy clouds showing off their charms to make tourists intoxicated.
Located in the outskirts of Weining County town at an elevation of 2,200 meters, the Caohai Lake with an area of more than 30 square kilometers is a natural freshwater one in Guizhou Plateau. The lake is surrounded with exuberant trees and thus a unique natural environment is formed here. In early spring and late autumn each year, many kinds of birds come together here in crowds. And the black-neck cranes, the only plateau crane left in the world, dwell on the lake.
The Maling River Canyon Scenic Spot
The Maling River Canyon Scenic Spot is located in the northeast of Xingyi County. In the gorge of about 15 kilometers, green cliffs stand aloft along the two sides and blue water runs tortuously. This natural scenic spot, characterized by magnificence, marvelousness, perilousness and beautifulness, consists of the Colour Cliff Valley, the Godsend Grotto, the Rainbow Locking Heaven, the Winding Peak Cliff, the Five Li Deep Valley, the Waterfall Group, the Art Hangings Cliff, the Dragon's Head Islet and others.
The Zhaodi Dyke Scenic Spot in Anlong
Lying in the northeast of Anlong County town, the Zhaodi Dyke was built up in the thirty-third year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (A.D.1694). With weeping willows lining up along the sides of the dyke, there are a lotus pool of 53,000 square meters, the Winding Bridge of 300 meters, the Pavilion for Enjoying Lotus and several other painted pavilions and corridors. All of these are joined in perfect harmony. Near the dyke there are the Eighteen Officials' Tombs built up in Ming Dynasty, the grave of Zhang Linxiang together with Ma Hetu who were the leaders of an uprising of the Hui Nationality during the period from Emperor Xianfeng to Emperor Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Drill Ground of the Ming Dynasty, the Examination Hall of the Qing Dynasty, the stone carvings in the Warrior's Temple and other historic sites. Owing to its picturesque scenery and the ancient buildings in elegant style, the scenic spot becomes a tourist attraction and has great value in studying the history of the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty.
The Attractive Spots of the Minority Customs
The traditions and customs of the Miao and Dong in Kaili are most colourful in Guizhou Province. Currently, the major tourist attractions in east Guizhou consist of the villages of the Miao, Dong and other nationalities, namely Qingman, Wengxiang, Matang, Upper Langde, Xijiang around Kaili, Shidong, Baojing, Fanpai and Tonggu. Each nationality dresses its own gorgeous costumes and celebrates varieties of festival. The Pile Dwelling of Miao and Dong, the drum tower, the roofed bridge and other traditional buildings are unique in style and structure. Paying a visit to these villages, one may enjoy watching the minority women making handicrafts, embroidering, weaving, spinning and wax-printing. There the tourists may buy the fantastic handicrafts, taste the local dishes and take part in the traditional entertainment specially organized for the guests.
The Wuyanghe River Scenic Spot
Located within Zhenyuan, Shibing and Huangping Counties, the Wuyanghe River Scenic Spot includes the Wuyang Three Gorges, Mount Yuntai, the Tiexi Stream, Zhenyuan -- a well-known ancient cultural town and others. Covering 400 square kilometers, this scenic spot becomes one of the major tourist sites of the state for it is combined perfectly with the places of historic interest, the natural scenic beauty and the customs of the nationalities. The Wuyang Three Gorges, characterized by grotesque cliffs and green water running as long as 35 kilometers, is the main part of this spot. Situated to the upper reaches of the Wuyanghe River, Mount Yuntai consists of ridges and peaks with great relief to form a fantastic karst landscape while many ancient temples, historic ruins and stone sculptures among the mountains may catch your eyes. A tributary of the Wuyanghe River is the Tiexi Stream where the rich natural vegetation covers aloft along its valley. Zhenyuan, located in the lower reaches of the Wuyanghe River and with a history over 2,000 years, is one of the major historic cultural cities of the state. Inside the town there are the Black Dragon Cave, the Zhongyuan Cave, the Peace Village, the Ancient City Wall. Among them the ancient building group of the Black Dragon Cave shows a most wonderful view because it presents the cultures of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism comprehensively and is unique in layout. This ancient building group, on a hillside and beside a stream, is the largest and well preserved one in Guizhou Province.
The Protected Natural Region of the Fanjingshan Mountain
Located at the juncture of Jiangkou, Songtao and Yinjiang counties, the State-Rank Natural Conservation of the Fanjingshan Mountains covers an area of 567 square kilometers and is one of the typical regions in China where the subtropical forest ecosystem is completely preserved. As early as in the 16th century, Mount Fanjingshan already became a well-known Buddhist shrine nationwide. In this region, the green peaks rise upon ridges and the gullies and valleys are deep and serene with some cliffside waterfalls plunging down among the grotesque stones. Plenty of temple and stele remains are dotted over landscape. Within this virgin forest of about 300 square kilometers grow the dove trees, the Chinese tulip trees, the crape myrtle and other rare plants and dwell the golden monkey of Guizhou and other rare birds and animals. On reaching the Golden Summit, the highest peak of Fanjingshan Mountains range, the tourists will enjoy a sea of cloud with turbulent waves and hear the wind whistling, just as in a fairyland.
The Nine-Dragon Cave Scenic Spot
The Nine-Dragon Cave Scenic Spot is situated at the northern end of Mount Liulong in the east of Tongren County and consists of the Guanyin Mountain, the Lotus Temple, the Nine-Dragon Cave, the Shishan Cave, the Jingjiang River and other scenic sites. Being the centre part of this spot, the Nine-Dragon Cave is made up with eight large halls, one of them tops over the others, and a subterranean river as well. The whole cave is divided into two levels: the upper one is dry while the lower is filled with running water. Inside the mysterious cave, crowds of stalactites and stalagmites in different appearances and colours show their charms.
The Maolan Karst Forest Natural Conservation
The Natural Conservation of Maolan Karst Forest, located in the southern suburbs of Libo County, is a treasured land where the virgin forest is well preserved on the karst landforms of the middle subtropical zone in China. Its total area amounts to more than 130 square kilometres of which 91.58 percent is covered with the primeval plants. There grow more than 500 kinds of arbor trees, such as the ginkgo known as the living fossil and the Chinese tulip tree and other rare plants, and dwell many wild animals, such as the forest musk deer, rhesus monkey, musk deer, the south China tiger, wild ox, bear, leopard, white monkey etc. In addition, there are the Xiangshui River Waterfall, the Small Seven-Hole Cave Group, the Mandarin Duck Lake, the Big Seven-Hole Cave and the rich customs of the Yao nationality.
The Xifeng Hot Spring lies to the northeast of Xifeng County and is well-known in southwest China. It is surrounded with undulating hills, among which the Heitan River and the Qingshui River join. The hot spring water gushes out from three mouths with temperature between 53șC and 56șC and a flow capacity of 1,032 ton per day. Pure and crystal-clear, the hot spring water contains more than ten kinds of elements, such as radon, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, etc. Among them radon is quite abundant and of great value for medical treatment. The potable water is possessed of special curative efforts for many diseases, for example, the chronic arthritis, the pain over the back and loins, the gastritis, the poisoning of lead, mercury and manganese. Presently there has been built a sanatorium. In addition, the nearby Tiantai Forest, the Sweet-Sounding Stream, the White-Stone Welling-Spring, the Grotesque-Stone Waterfall, the Buddha in Lovely Clouds, the Hongshui Ancient Grave, the Rhinoceros Horn Peak, the Godsend Bridge and other scenic sites greet a beautiful natural view. In a word, the Xifeng Hot Spring is noted as a convalescent and tourist resort.
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