Li River Scenery

The famous stretch of Li River from Yangdi to Xingping is well known as the most spectacular and beautiful scenery to grace the shores of the Li River. It is also the location of the scene on the 20 yuan bank note.

Towering limestone karsts dwarf traditional village life that in some areas remains pretty much the same as it did hundreds and hundreds of years ago. A hike through this area is an excellent way to truly appreciate the scenery and surrounding rural life. At the very least a boat trip along these waters should be on your Yangshuo itinerary.

China is a land teeming with ancient legends and sayings - the limestone karsts peaks here have not escaped this practice and in fact it seems to compliment this mythical landscape that has featured in traditional Chinese poetry and painting for more than 1,000 years. However it also helps to take along a good dose of imagination when trying to find where the horses, chicken, sheep, pen, lovers and many other namesake images supposedly reveal themselves.

Xingping to Yangdi

Nearing midway between Xingping and Yangdi, and rising some 400 meters from the shores is one of the most famous views along the river - Jiu Ma Hua Shan or Nine Horses Fresco Mountain . It is said to look like nine horses in a beautiful picture. An old Chinese saying is that if you can find 7 horses you will pass the imperial examination but if you can find 9 horses in this mountain formation then you will be number one in the imperial examination. Rumor has it that revered Chinese premier Zhou En Lai saw 9 horses when he viewed this scenic wonder back in 1960.

If you are looking for a more magical explanation on Nine Horse Fresco Mountain then perhaps this tale about the Jade Emperor and the Monkey King will help you conjure up a more appropriate vision.

According to legend, the Jade Emperor gave the job of looking after his sky horses to the Monkey King. But apparently the Monkey King decided this job was too small to worry about so he let the horses roam freely in the heavens. These horses found Yangshuo and Xingping to be so beautiful they decided they did not want to return to the Jade Emperor.

Realising the monkey king had failed him the Jade Emperor sent a leading imperial horseman to track down and return the sky horses. Meanwhile, fearing they would be found the sky horses decided to hide in the stone of Fresco Mountain on the banks of the Li River. The imperial horseman knew this, and fearful he would not be successful on his mission he decided to sit it out and just wait for the horses to come out of their hiding place.

The Jade emperor became so furious that the imperial horseman was unsuccessful and did not return that he turned him into stone as he sat waiting for the horses to show themselves.

Also from the heavens and immortalized in stone nearby are the seven beautiful celestials, who came to visit the Yangshuo region and decided that they too did not want to leave.

On the same side of the river as the Nine Horse Fresco Mountain , the legend of Chao Ban Mountain refers to one of
China 's literary giants, Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. Apparently when Li Bai met with the emperor he held a board made from ivory – it was this board that was transformed into Chao Ban Mountain ; identifiable by its large, sheer, creamy-coloured cliff face.

Luo Han Mountain (Arhat ) is as the name suggests said to look like an Arhat , a person who has gained Buddhist enlightenment.

Of course, this stretch of scenery also needs to have a touch of scandal which has been met with the legend of two karsts which appear as though they are two lovers kissing and embracing. Unfortunately the two lovers were a Buddhist monk and nun who were initially attracted by Yangshuo's views but ended up falling in love. As punishment they were turned into stone.

Further upstream towards Yangdi you will find Bi Jia Mountain ( Pen Holder Mountain ) named for its similarity in appearance to a rack for holding old styled calligraphy brushes which were in ancient times used as pens. While nearby Chicken Cage Mountain gains its name for its resemblance to a chicken pecking at rice.

These being just a few of the highlights you will enjoy on a journey through this wonderful landscape.

Xingping to Yangshuo

The concentration of karsts close to the river reduces as you head further downstream. While it is still a very beautiful journey to Yangshuo it doesn't quite have the same level of splendor as the stretch from Yangdi to Xingping.

Probably the most famous karsts mountain here is Luo Si Mountain ( Snail Mountain ). A large crevice reveals a limestone cave containing spiral shaped formations on its roof. This cavern gains its name from the legend of a man called He Teng Jiao who sought shelter here in bad weather whilst traveling along the Li River. He made a wish for the weather to improve and that he also might pass his exam. Vowing that if his wishes came true he would return and build a temple. The weather cleared and He continued on his journey and went on to also pass the exam, some time later it is said He retuned and built the promised temple. Nowadays, people bring their children here at various times of the lunar calendar to wish for their child's good fortune and success.

A popular stopping off point along this section of the river is a tiny fishing village, which incidentally is the village's actual name (Yu Cun). Just as visiting Xingping is almost like visiting Yangshuo ten years earlier, a visit to Fishing Village will see you stepping even further back in time.