Xingping Fishing Village

Xingping Fishing Village

Two kilometers along the Li River from Xingping Wharf lies a fishing village visited by Kang Youwei, leader of China’s late Qing reformists, Sun Yat-sen, China’s first president, and U.S. President Bill Clinton. The village sits by the Li River, with houses whose style resembles that of ancient buildings in the market town—blue bricks and tiles, sloping roofs, horse-head walls, upturned eaves, painted beams, carved windows, and a unique structure. It features the typical characteristics of residential buildings in northern Guangxi during the Ming and Qing dynasties, with a history of nearly 500 years and remains well preserved. The Li River surrounds the front of the village, and across the river are scenic spots such as Carp Mountain, Golden Treasure Mountain, Gold Ingot Mountain, Sword and Knife Mountain, and Brush Rack Mountain, each with its own distinctive charm.

At 4 p.m. on July 2, 1998, then-U.S. President Bill Clinton and his wife arrived at the fishing village by boat from Guilin for a visit. Clinton nodded in frequent approval of the village’s classic and simple rural Chinese scenery. He was enthusiastically admiring the ancient horse-head walls, strolling through the quiet alleys, and was deeply captivated by the carved doors and windows, stopping to touch them and reluctant to let go. After visiting the small shop of villager Zhao Jiashi, Clinton said, “My grandmother ran a small shop. I like looking at small shops.” He then took the initiative to take a group photo with the entire Zhao family. After nearly an hour of visiting the village, Clinton told the villagers and reporters present, “Here, I want to tell the news media and the Chinese people who have helped us that under the correct leadership of President Jiang Zemin, the lives of the Chinese people will get better and better, becoming as beautiful as flowers.” President Clinton’s visit to the fishing village was widely reported by major media outlets around the world, making this small village famous worldwide.

Address:

2 kilometers along the Li River from Xingping Wharf, Yangshuo County, Guilin, Guangxi

Opening Hours:

All day

Admission:

Free

Best Time to Visit:

Suitable all year round.

Bus:

Take a bus from Yangshuo Bus Station, which runs every 15 minutes. The fare is 7.5 yuan, and the journey takes about 40 minutes.