Lingjian Stream

Lingjian Stream

Lingjian Stream is a tributary of the Li River. It is also known as Tuojian Shui, Lingjian Jiang, Jian Jiang, and Jian Shui. The stream originates from a pond on the southwestern side of Yaoshan Highway in Shangyangjia Village and Panjia Village, Dahe Township, under the jurisdiction of Diecai District, located to the southwest of Yaoshan Mountain. The pond contains a spring that never runs dry throughout the year. The water winds its way southward along the western sides of Tiansheng Mountain and Baimian Mountain, then bends westward at the affiliated middle school of the Electronics Industry Institute in Qixing District, continues southward past Guanyin Mountain, Pingfeng Mountain, and She Mountain, meanders around the northern foothills of Putuo Mountain, flows by Shengchun Rock, Liuchun Rock, and Danzi Rock, and finally joins the Xiaodong River at Gelaobridge and Huabridge, which then flow into the Li River. The total length of the stream is 10.9 kilometers. The section of Lingjian Stream that flows past Putuo Mountain was historically also called Danwan Stream, first mentioned during the Northern and Southern Dynasties in the "Commentary on the Water Classic" written by Li Daoyuan. In front of Shengchun Rock, the Zhu Sheng Temple was built during the Ming Dynasty. In front of Liuchun Rock, by the stream, lies the Lingjian Stone, which juts out like a sword or halberd and is one of Guilin’s famous rocks. Northwest of Danzi Rock, there is the Xunyuan Bridge built in 1187 (the 14th year of the Chunxi reign in the Song Dynasty) by Zhan Yizhi over the stream. Beneath the bridge, the river converges into a deep pool. Nearby, there is a red piano-shaped tomb where Zhang Shu, a renowned modern musician, is buried. Lingjian Stream weaves together the scenic spots along its course into a famous picturesque route.