Guilin Stone Carving Forest

Guilin Stone Carving Forest

A key cultural relics protection unit of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Located at the southern foot of Yaoguang Peak on Moon Hill in Seven Star Park, downtown Guilin, it consists of stone inscriptions from two sites: Longyin Cave and Longyin Cliff. Here, “no wall remains uncarved,” as the tablets stand like a forest. There are over 220 stone tablets in total, covering topics such as politics, economy, military affairs, culture, and ethnic relations. The inscriptions come in forms including poetry, lyrics and odes, inscriptions, couplets, images, and more. Calligraphy styles include regular script, cursive script, clerical script, and seal script. The earliest piece is the "Azalea Poetic Exchange" by Zhang Jun and Liu Chonggui from the first year of the Qianning era (894) during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang. There are over 130 Song Dynasty tablets, among which the famous "Yuan You Party List" stele reflects the internal power struggles of the ruling class in the late Northern Song Dynasty. It is the only complete surviving piece of its kind in China and holds high historical value. The "Inscription of the Three Generals Who pacified the Man Barbarians" records the historical fact of Song Dynasty generals Di Qing and Yu Jing quelling the rebellion of Nong Zhigao against the court. Mei Zhi’s "Dragon Map Lord Mei’s Discourse on Miasma" sharply points out the source of “public resentment and divine wrath” in the prevalence of the “Five Miasmas” among officials, stating, “Some officials may not realize this and instead blame the local miasma — isn’t that absurd?” After reading it, Guo Moruo praised it as “Lord Mei’s Discourse on Miasma that warns the heart.” Shi Manshan (Yan Nian)’s "Farewell to Minister Ye Daoqing," comprising just 28 characters, features firm brushwork and is a rare surviving masterpiece. The poetic exchanges between Mi Fu and Cheng Jie, the poems by Zhu Xiyan, Zhang Xian, Fang Xinru, as well as those by the Ming Dynasty’s Zhou Jinlong and the Qing Dynasty’s Xie Qikun, all demonstrate considerable artistic merit. The Yang-line Guanyin image carved in 1665 during the Qing Dynasty’s fourth year of the Kangxi reign features delicate lines, a plump face, three small faces stacked atop the hair bun, a tiny eye between the brows, and even a pair of mustache-like strokes on the lips, making for a truly unique image. The Qing-era character “Buddha,” blending calligraphy and painting in a uniquely creative way, is highly appreciated for its artistic value. On the left side of Longyin Cliff, a stele pavilion has been added, displaying poetry, lyrics, odes, plaques, inscriptions, and rubbings of stone tablets by cultural figures throughout history who sang praises of Guilin’s landscape.