Guilin facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Guilin 桂林市 • Gveilinz Si Kweilin
Prefecture-level city
From left to right, top to bottom: View of Guilin city; Elephant Trunk Hill, Sun and Moon Pagodas; Longsheng Rice Terraces, Jingjiang Princes' Palace, Reed Flute Cave; Yangshuo scenery
Location of Guilin City jurisdiction in Guangxi
Guilin Location in China
Country	People's Republic of China
Autonomous region	Guangxi
Area
• Prefecture-level city	27,797 km² (10,732 sq mi)
• Urban	2,753 km² (1,063 sq mi)
• Metro	5,041 km² (1,946 sq mi)
Elevation	153 m (502 ft)
Population (2020 census)
• Prefecture-level city	4,931,137
• Density	177.398/km² (459.459/sq mi)
• Urban	1,725,865
• Urban density	626.90/km² (1,623.67/sq mi)
• Metro	2,148,641
• Metro density	426.23/km² (1,103.94/sq mi)
GDP
• Prefecture-level city	CN¥ 231.1 billion US$ 35.8 billion
• Per capita	CN¥ 46,767 US$ 7,249
Time zone	UTC+8 (China Standard)
Postal code	541XXX
Area code(s)	0773
ISO 3166 code	CN-GX-03
License plate prefixes	桂C for Guilin's city proper, Yangshuo, and Lingui; all others 桂H

Guilin

"Guìlín" in Chinese characters

Chinese name

Guìlín

Kweilin

Literal meaning

"Sweet Osmanthus Forest"

Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Guìlín
Bopomofo	ㄍㄨㄟˋ ㄌㄧㄣˊ
Gwoyeu Romatzyh	Gueylin
Wade–Giles	Kuei⁴-lin²
Yale Romanization	Gwèilín
IPA	[ku̯êi̯.lǐn]
Hakka
Romanization	Kui-lìm
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization	Gwailàhm
IPA	[kʷɐ̄i.lɐ̏m]
Jyutping	Gwai3lam4

Zhuang name

Zhuang

Gveilinz

1957 orthography

Gveilinƨ

Guilin is a beautiful city in the northeast of China. It is located in the Guangxi region, right on the west bank of the Li River. The city's name means "forest of sweet osmanthus" because of the many fragrant osmanthus trees there.

Guilin is famous for its amazing natural scenery, especially its unique karst mountains. These are tall, cone-shaped hills that look like something out of a fairy tale! Many people say, "By water, by mountains, most lovely, Guilin." This shows how special the city's views are. The Chinese government has even named Guilin a "National Famous Historical and Cultural City."

Guilin's Past: A Journey Through Time

Before the Qin dynasty (around 221–206 BC), the Guilin area was home to the Baiyue people. A small town started to grow along the Li River in 314 BC.

Early Beginnings

During the Qin dynasty, the first local government was set up in this area. It was called the Guilin Commandery, which is where the city gets its modern name. Later, in 111 BC, during the Han dynasty, a place called Shi'an County was created. This was the real start of the city we know today.

Growing Through Dynasties

In AD 507, the town was renamed Guizhou. It grew steadily during the Tang dynasty and Song dynasty. Guilin was an important link between the central government and the southwest border. Canals were built through the city. These canals helped transport food supplies from the Yangtze plain to distant parts of the empire.

In 997, Guizhou became the capital of a larger region called Guangnan West Circuit. This region later became modern Guangxi. In 1133, Guizhou was renamed Jingjiang Prefecture, and in 1367, it became Guilin Prefecture.

Modern History and World War II

In 1921, Guilin was a key base for Sun Yat-sen's army. The city of Guilin was officially established in 1940. It served as the capital of Guangxi from 1936 to 1949.

During World War II, Guilin became a very important center for military, transport, and culture. Many people moved there for safety, and its population grew from 70,000 to over 500,000 by 1944. Famous writers and artists also lived there during this time. In 1950, the capital of Guangxi moved to Nanning.

In 1981, the Chinese government recognized Guilin as one of four cities where protecting historical sites and natural beauty is a top priority.

How Guilin is Organized

Statue of Ma Yuan at Fuboshan, Guilin.

Streets of Guilin during World War II

Guilin is divided into seventeen smaller areas. These include 6 districts, 8 counties, 2 special counties for different ethnic groups, and 1 county-level city.

Districts

Xiufeng District
Xiangshan District
Diecai District
Qixing District
Yanshan District
Lingui District

Counties and Cities

Lipu city
Yangshuo County
Lingchuan County
Xing'an County
Quanzhou County
Yongfu County
Ziyuan County
Guanyang County
Pingle County

Autonomous Counties

Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County (for the Yao people)
Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County (for different ethnic groups)

Guilin's Landscape and Climate

Map including Guilin (labeled as 桂林 KUEI-LIN (KWEILIN) (Walled)) (AMS, 1954)

Guilin is in northern Guangxi. It shares borders with other cities in Guangxi and with Hunan province. The total area of Guilin is about 27,809 square kilometers.

Unique Karst Landscape

The land in Guilin is famous for its karst formations. These are special rock shapes made from limestone and dolomite rocks from the Triassic period. The beautiful Li River flows right through the city, adding to its stunning views.

Hills, Mountains, and Caves

Guilin has many interesting hills and mountains:

Diecai Hill
Elephant Trunk Hill
Wave-Subduing Hill
Lipu Mountains
Kitten Mountain (the highest peak in Guangxi)
Yao Hill

There are also famous caves to explore:

Reed Flute Cave
Seven-star Cave

Guilin's Weather

Fog on the Li River

Guilin has a warm, wet climate. Winters are short and mild, while summers are long, hot, and humid. Spring is often cloudy and rainy. Summer is also rainy but gets the most sunshine. Autumn is usually sunny and dry.

The average temperature changes from about 8.4°C in January to 28.4°C in July. The city gets a lot of rain, especially from April to June, which can sometimes cause floods. Guilin gets about 1,487 hours of sunshine each year.

People of Guilin

In 2020, Guilin had a population of over 4.9 million people. About 2.1 million lived in the main city area.

Most people in Guilin are Han Chinese, making up about 84.5% of the population. Other large groups include the Yao (7.79%) and Zhuang (4.81%). People in the city speak a dialect of Mandarin, while those in the suburbs often speak Pinghua.

Guilin's Economy and Products

Guilin Museum and Library

Guilin's economy includes both traditional and modern industries.

Local Industries

Some of the local industries produce things like:

Pharmaceutical goods (medicines)
Tires
Machinery
Fertilizer
Silk
Perfume

Before 1949, Guilin had only a few factories. But since the 1950s, it has added factories for electronics, engineering, and rubber. Food processing is still a very important industry. More recently, Guilin has developed high-tech industries and a strong tourism and service sector.

Famous Local Products

Guilin is known for its special agricultural products:

Shatian Pomelo (a type of citrus fruit)
Summer orange
Fructus Momordicae (a sweet fruit)
Ginkgo nuts
Moon persimmon
Lipu Taro
Sanhua Alcohol (a type of rice liquor)
Pepper sauce
Fermented bean curd
Guilin Rice Noodle
Water chestnut

Getting Around Guilin

Guilin has good ways to travel, both by air and by land.

Air Travel

Guilin Liangjiang International Airport

The main airport is Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL). Many airlines fly to Guilin, connecting it to other cities in China and beyond.

Train Travel

Guilin North railway station

Guilin has several high-speed train stations, including Guilin North, Guilin West, and Guilin Station. A new station is also in the Lingui District. These stations connect Guilin to major cities like Changsha, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. High-speed trains make it much faster and easier to visit Guilin. For example, it takes only about 2-3 hours to get from Guangzhou to Guilin.

City Transportation

Inside the city, you can travel by bus or taxi. Guilin is special because it uses double-decker buses on many of its main routes. You can also take sightseeing boats on the city's canals and lakes. There are plans for a Guilin Metro system with 7 lines and 117 stations by 2040.

Colleges and Universities

Guilin is home to several public colleges and universities:

Guilin University of Technology
Guilin Medical University
Guilin University of Electronic Technology
Guangxi Normal University
Guilin University of Aerospace Technology
Guilin University

Amazing Places to See in Guilin

The Li River connects Guilin and Yangshuo County
Ship tour on Li River
Longsheng Rice Terrace (Ping An)
Cuiping Village
Xingping Village
Rafts sailing down the Yulong River in Yangshuo, a county of Guilin
Sun and Moon Pagodas in Shan Lake
Reed Flute Cave
Scenic view of the town from Seven-star Park
Longji rice terraces

Guilin is famous for its beautiful natural and historical sites. Here are some popular places to visit:

Jingjiang Princes City: A royal palace complex from the Ming dynasty in the city center.
Reed Flute Cave: A colorful cave with amazing rock formations.
Silver Cave: Another stunning cave to explore.
Li River: Take a boat trip to see the famous karst mountains.
Yangshuo: A nearby county known for its beautiful countryside.
Seven-Star Cave and Seven Star Park: A large park with a famous cave.
Camel Mountain and Elephant Trunk Hill: Two iconic hills that look like animals.
Piled Festoon Hill
Crescent Hill
Fubo Hill
Nanxi Hill
Erlang Gorge
Huangbu (Yellow Cloth) Beach
Moon Hill: A hill with a natural archway.
Longsheng Rice Terrace: Stunning terraced rice fields.
Daxu Ancient Town and Xingping Ancient Town: Old towns with traditional charm.
Duxiu, Solitary Beauty Peak
Liusanjie Landscape Garden
Yao Hill
Sun and Moon Pagodas: Beautiful pagodas on a lake that light up at night.

Guilin's Delicious Food

Guilin pickled tofu

Guilin's food mixes flavors from Cantonese cuisine and Zhuang cuisine. It's known for its tasty snacks and spicy dishes, especially using chili.

Three Treasures of Guilin

Guilin has "Three Treasures" that are very important to its food culture:

Guilin chili sauce: Made from fresh chili, garlic, and fermented soybeans.
Guilin Sanhua Jiu: A strong liquor made from rice.
Guilin pickled tofu: A special kind of fermented tofu.

Guilin rice noodles

Guilin rice noodles are a local favorite for breakfast and have been eaten since the Qin dynasty. They are famous for their delicate taste. You can often find them with horse meat, but you can also order them without it. Another popular snack is Zongzi, a dumpling made from glutinous rice and mung bean paste, wrapped in a bamboo or banana leaf.

Famous Sayings About Guilin

People have admired Guilin's beauty for centuries.

"I often sent pictures of the hills of Guilin which I painted to friends back home, but few believed what they saw." - Fan Chengda (a Chinese scholar from the Song dynasty)
"Guilin's scenery is best among all under heaven." - A popular Chinese saying

Guilin's Global Connections

Guilin has "twin town" or "sister city" relationships with several cities around the world. These connections help promote friendship and cultural exchange.

Sister Cities

– Nishikatsura, Yamanashi, Japan (with Lingchuan County)
– Kumamoto City, Japan
– Toride City, Japan
– Miho, Ibaraki, Japan (with Lingui)
– Jeju, South Korea
– Hastings, New Zealand
– Toruń, Poland
– Orlando, United States
– Tlaxcoapan, Hidalgo, Mexico
– Langkawi, Malaysia

The relationship with Hastings, New Zealand, began in 1977. It started because both cities had similar interests, like farming and a mix of city and country life. Guilin also started an exchange program with Ōta, Gunma, Japan, in 1997.

Notable People from Guilin

Many important people have come from Guilin, including:

Bai Chongxi: A general and politician.
Jiang Zhenbang: A badminton player.
Li Zongren: A general and acting president of the Republic of China.
Ma Junwu: A scientist, educator, and politician.
Ou Hongyi: A climate activist.
Ouyang Xiadan: A news anchor.
Pai Hsien-yung: A writer.
Qiao Zhenyu: An actor and dancer.
Shi Zhiyong: A weightlifter.
Tang Jingsong: A general and politician.
Daniel Weihs: An Israeli professor of aeronautical engineering.

Famous Quotes About Guilin

People have admired Guilin's beauty for a long time.

"I often sent pictures of the hills of Guilin which I painted to friends back home, but few believed what they saw."

- Fan Chengda (a Chinese scholar from the Song dynasty)

"Guilin's scenery is best among all under heaven."

- A very popular Chinese saying