Riverside Scenic Area

Riverside Scenic Area

The Riverside Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Fubo Hill

The Fubo Hill Scenic Area is located on the banks of the Li River in the city center, offering a beautiful urban mountain-and-forest landscape that combines mountains, water, caves, rocks, gardens, and cultural relics. Half of the hill rests on land, while the other half extends into the Li River. When the river reaches this point, it is blocked by the hill, creating a large whirlpool. The ancients described this as “blocking the waves at the foot of the mountain,” symbolizing taming the turbulent waters—hence the name Fubo Hill. Folklore says the hill got its name because during the Han Dynasty, General Fubo Ma Yuan once shot arrows from the hill to repel enemies and tested his sword by cutting into the rocks. Fubo Hill is renowned for its unique caves, serene scenery, and clear river pools, earning it the reputation of “Fubo Paradise.” It has been a famous tourist destination since the Tang Dynasty. Because Fubo Hill is said to tame the waves, locals in Guilin call it a “land of peace.”

Major attractions include the Huanzhu Cave, Sword-Testing Rock, Mi Fu’s Self-Portrait, Thousand-Buddha Cliff, Princess Bell Pavilion, and the Thousand-People Cauldron.

Diecai Hill

Diecai Hill is located on the west bank of the Li River in downtown Guilin. The hill consists of Yueshan, Siwangshan, Mingyue Peak, and Xianhe Peak. Since the Tang Dynasty, it has been “crowded with visitors, with carriages and horses blocking the way.” From the summit, you can overlook the entire city of Guilin, making it the highest peak within the urban area and earning it the title “Where Mountains and Rivers Meet the View.” A local saying goes, “Climb Diecai Hill, and you’ll live to 130,” giving the hill the meaning of a longevity mountain. Many notable figures throughout history, including Kang Youwei, Sun Yat-sen, Soong Ching-ling, Chen Yi, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and King Hussein of Jordan, have left their footprints here.

Major attractions include the Diecai Pavilion, Yangzhi Hall, Wind Cave, River-Viewing Pavilion, Butterfly Museum, Bird Garden, and Mingyue Peak.

Scenic Area Transportation:

1. Direct Access by Vehicle: You can take the free public shuttle bus (Routes 57 and 58), bus (Route 2), sightseeing bus, or drive directly to the scenic area.

2. Nighttime Boat Tour to View the Three Hills

3. Self-Guided Tour by Vehicle or on Foot: Explore freely along the riverside Binjiang Road next to the Li River.

Special Recommendations:

Fubo Hill: Huanzhu Cave, Sword-Testing Rock, Thousand-Buddha Cliff, Coral Rock, Guishui Pavilion, Tingtao Pavilion, Bell Pavilion, Fubo Corridor, and the Yuan Dynasty riverside embankment.

Diecai Hill: Diecai Pavilion, Yueshan, Siwangshan, Yangzhi Hall, Wind Cave, River-Viewing Pavilion, Nayun Pavilion, Mingyue Peak, Xianhe Cave, Mulong Cave, Mulong Ancient Ferry, Diecai Qionglou, Butterfly Museum, and Insect Museum.

Most Noteworthy Places or Attractions:

Fubo Hill — The Wonder of the Sword-Testing Rock

Diecai Hill — The Butterfly and Insect Museum, one of China’s largest and most comprehensive collections of butterfly and insect specimens

Distance from Downtown Guilin: Both hills are located in the city center by the Li River, with just two to three kilometers between them.

National Honors:

▲ Listed as one of the first national AAAA-level scenic areas in early 2001

▲ Passed ISO9001 International Quality Management System and ISO14001 International Environmental Management System certifications in May 2002

▲ Selected as a “2002 China Tourism Famous Brand” scenic area by China Tourism News in March 2003

▲ Listed as a “World Tourism Organization Recommended Scenic Area” by the World Tourism Organization’s Regional Cooperation Committee for Destination Development and Management in December 2003

▲ Designated as a “Scenic Tourism Demonstration Site” by the Ministry of Construction

District-Level Honors:

▲ Recognized as a “Autonomous Region Civilized Unit” by the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Spiritual Civilization Construction Committee in August 2001

▲ Awarded the title of “Civilized Courtyard” by the Office of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Spiritual Civilization Construction Committee in December 2003

Municipal Honors:

▲ In March 2001, it was listed by Guilin City as a “Women’s Civilization Demonstration Post”

▲ In March 2002, it was awarded the “First Prize for the Ecological Environment Target Responsibility System of Key Tourist Attractions in Guilin for the Year 2001” by the Guilin Environmental Protection Bureau

▲ In May 2003, it was awarded the “First Prize for the Ecological Environment Target Responsibility System of Key Tourist Attractions in Guilin for the Year 2002” by the Guilin Environmental Protection Bureau

▲ In June 2003, it was jointly recognized as an “Advanced Unit in the Guilin Integrity Construction Project” by the Guilin Enterprise Work Committee and seven other organizations

▲ In August 2003, it was awarded the “Advanced Greening Unit” by the Guilin Urban Greening Office

▲ In December 2003, it was designated as a “Demonstration Site for Civilized Scenic Tourist Areas in Guilin” by the Guilin Civilization Committee Office, the Gardens Bureau, and the Tourism Bureau

▲ In March 2005, it was listed by Guilin City as a “Guilin High-Quality Service Brand Enterprise”