The Guangxi Autonomous Region is located in the deep south of China where it borders Vietnam. Since ancient times the region is home to the Zhuang people.
 
The Nanling Mountains to the north contain limestone, and eons of erosion by water and weather have slowly but surely dissolved and carved away the weaker parts. 
The resulting karst formations feature huge caves and outlandishly looking mountain peaks.
 
The 83 km long stretch of the Li River between Guilin and Yangshou is famous for the scenery of misty mountains that line up along the river banks. All of this set in a lush tropical environment with fishermen on bamboo rafts and waterbuffalo roaming in the water.
Taking a cruise on the Li River is a popular way to enjoy this fantastic landscape.
 
People have lived in this fertile area since neolithic times,  the archeological finds in the Zengpiyan cave date back at least 12000 years. Some scolars postulate that this was the place where pigs were domesticated but there is hardly any proof for that claim.
 
Some 1000 years ago local fishermen started using Cormorant fishing but today this technique is no longer competitive and mainly used to please the tourists.
 
Guilin grew in importance after the First Emperor had the Lingqu Canal build in 214 BC to subjugate the resistive Baiyue tribes in the south.
 
Presently tourism is the main source of income here.
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Li River cruise
Guilin
Yangshuo