Guilin is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world today due to its natural beauty. However, the charm of Guilin would be nothing without the Lijiang River.
The Lijiang River runs from west to east through Guilin city proper, Yangshuo, Pingle and Wuzhou, and then flows as tributary into the Xijiang River. The total length of the Lijiang River is 437 kilometers and the most popular section is between Guilin and Yangshuo. It takes about three hours to visit this part of the river by boat, and on most boats lunch and guides are provided. The best way to enjoy the river is to go up to the top deck to view the "long art gallery".
Approaching the Lijiang River, one will find its gem-like color is captivating. Upon closer inspection one will find the water is as crystal clear. The best season to visit is in March and October due to the temperate weather during these two months and ideal water level. In the summer months, the river is muddied by frequent flooding, and in the winter months, the water levels drop to a point where boats cannot pass safely.
One might want to study a map of the river before departure so as to get an idea of the famous attractions along the banks of the river. The scenery is made spectacular by the veritable forests of precipitous karst formations jutting out of the earth and into the tropical sky. Lush vegetation clings onto and engulfs the great karsts in an unbroken, verdant caress, as if these austere mounds were once pillars of some great architecture, long since fallen and reclaimed by the jungle. The tortuous, winding river makes its way through this landscape, reflecting the distorted, broken images of this almost extraterrestrial scenery on its surface, rippled by the passing of the locals in their bamboo fishing rafts.
Sometimes in the deep mountains one might stumble upon groups of hikers or locals who are working in small orchards or in their terraced patties. This ember of humanity evokes a sense of spirit and beauty that shines upon the lush depths unforgiving nature in which it burns.
Another of the prominent features of the banks of the Lijiang River is a type of bamboo, called 鈥淧hoenix Tail Bamboo鈥? This evergreen variety of Bamboo was brought over land from Sichuan to decorate the Lijiang River 30 years ago. The Chinese think that bunches of this bamboo look like phoenixes drinking from the river, which is where the bamboo got its name. They say, if you want experience the beauty of the mythical phoenix, this bamboo can give you a picture.
The Fishermen on the Lijiang River are unique in the world. They propel their bamboo rafts by using long bamboo poles to push against the bottom of the river. On their rafts sit several cormorants with their necks tied with ribbons. When a cormorant sees a fish in the water it will scoop it up, but because of the ribbon around its neck it is unable to swallow the fish. The fisherman waits until the bird returns to his raft and removes the fish from the bird's beak before releasing the bird again. Of course this is traditional way of fishing in Li River, though many have adopted more modern techniques for catching fish, there are some who still embrace this tradition today. (Text by Peng He Photo Source:www.guilininvest.cn)
source:crienglish.com
