Zizhou Park

Zizhou Park

Zizhou gets its name from the Zhi family who resided here during the Tang Dynasty. The long, narrow islet resembles a boat floating on the water, hence it is also called Floating Isle. Encircled by the Li River and surrounded by rolling hills, it lies to the east of Putuo and Crescent Hill, to the west of Elephant Trunk Hill, and borders Chuan Mountain and Tower Hill to the south, with views reaching Fubo, Diecai, Douji, Nanxi, Duxiu, and Yao Hills. In autumn, the lush greenery is punctuated by dancing red and yellow leaves—“Zizhou Red Leaves in Guilin’s Autumn” is one of the area’s celebrated sights. When mist and rain shroud the landscape, veils of fog envelope the islet, rendering it faintly visible amid the drifting haze, light or thick, like an ink-wash painting full of poetic charm. “Zizhou in Misty Rain” is one of Guilin’s famed Eight Ancient Scenes.

The development of Zizhou’s scenic landscape boasts a long history. In the 20th year of the Tang Dynasty's Yuanhe era (817 AD), Pei Xingli, Prefect of Gui Prefecture and Observer of Gui, constructed the Yanting Pavilion on the islet. He built flying pavilions, planted flowers and trees, and pioneered the comprehensive planning and development of Guilin’s landscape gardens. The renowned Tang Dynasty thinker and litterateur Liu Zongyuan, invited to visit the islet, composed the famous “Record of the Zizhou Pavilion,” vividly depicting Zizhou’s beautiful scenery and praising Guilin’s “abundant spiritual hills”—steep and upright, standing densely across the land—and spoke highly of Guilin’s landscape. “Hills encircle the river,” he wrote, “each vying in splendor and beauty, unmatched across the world. Such magnificence is found nowhere but here.” He further declared that “the splendor of this hall surpasses all under heaven,” marking one of the earliest associations of Guilin with the phrase “best under heaven.”

Zizhou Park is located on Zizhou Islet by the Li River in downtown Guilin, on the east bank of the river, facing Elephant Trunk Hill across the water. It is both Guilin’s youngest and oldest park. Here, natural beauty and cultural heritage converge, encapsulating the essence of Guilin’s landscapes and history. It is a comprehensive park integrating ecology, culture, tourism, and leisure.

Zizhou is the most famous islet on the Li River, situated between the main branch and a fork of the river east of Guilin. Surrounded by emerald waters and rolling hills, in autumn the green islet is dotted with red and yellow foliage—“Zizhou Red Leaves in Guilin’s Autumn” is one of the area’s scenic highlights. Distant mountains form a picturesque backdrop, while nearby waters mirror the blue sky. The most enchanting time is during the misty rainy season, when veils of cloud and fog envelop the islet, the river stretches misty and vast, mountains loom faintly, and clouds drift among the peaks. The rain veil drapes the landscape like delicate silk, creating ever-changing ink-wash and watercolor scenes. Since ancient times, “Zizhou in Misty Rain” has been listed as one of Guilin’s Eight Scenic Spots, ranking second.

Zizhou’s landscape has a long history of development and is the earliest verifiable garden site in Guilin. Since ancient times, it has been a sacred spot where literati and poets gathered to view Elephant Trunk Hill from across the river. The park was completed and opened during the 2011 Spring Festival. New features include the Misty Rain Lake, the Exhibition Hall of Celebrities and Guilin, the Poetry and Painting Plaza, the Misty Rain Pavilion, the Elegant Bamboo House, the Secluded Orchid Pavilion, the Leisure Hall, the Zijiazhou Pavilion, the Swallow Pavilion, and the Fragrance Pavilion. Statues of historical figures such as Liu Zongyuan, Pei Xingli, Fan Chengda, and Zhang Xiaoxiang have been erected, and the scenic views of “Zizhou in Misty Rain” and “Zizhou Red Leaves in Guilin’s Autumn” have been restored. Ten new attractions have been created: Cascading Waterfall and Rainbow, Poetry and Painting in History, Maple Leaves in Crimson, Misty Rain over Emerald Waters, Tranquil Bamboo Grove, Camphor Trees in Emerald Embrace, Shaded Bamboo Canopy, Ginkgo Trees in Golden Flow, Monument Pavilion in Fragrant Memory, and River-Mountain Moonlight. With lush trees and swaying bamboos, the serene environment is a great new spot for leisure, entertainment, and fitness for locals, as well as a newly highlight for tourists to explore Guilin’s landscapes and culture.

Transportation Guide

Address: No. 8 Chuanshan Road, Qixing District, Guilin

Getting There: Take bus No. 11 within Guilin city to Qixing Park Station, then walk to the park.