Old Fort Scenic Area

　　The township of Laobao was the site of the former county seat of Huaiyuan (now Sanjiang) during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It is located at the confluence of the Xun River and the Rong River, about 30 kilometers from downtown Sanjiang, with the Zhiliu Railway running through the entire area. In 1986, while workers were building a road from the county seat to Laobao, they unearthed a batch of Eastern Han Dynasty relics near a village called Yangdong close to Laobao. This discovery drew the attention of many history and culture enthusiasts. Today, this magical land is dotted with numerous modern rural buildings, yet the millennia-old natural scenery along the river still shines with captivating beauty. Within the area stand three majestic passes formed by the Sili Stone Gate on the Xun River, the Chan Kou Stone Gate on the Rong River, and the Ma Stone Gate on the Rong River. These three natural stone gate wonders each boast unique grandeur and imposing presence, earning the area the nickname “Little Three Gorges.” Across the river from the town of Laobao lie two peculiarly shaped mountains that twist and stand opposite each other like two dragons meeting, with a small island in the river leaning to the north — together forming the naturally occurring “Two Dragons Fighting for a Pearl” spectacle. In addition, there are over ten other scenic spots such as Flying Squirrel Rock and Laoba Misty Terraced Fields, each with its own distinctive charm. In the past, due to limitations in transportation and communication, many of these attractions remained hidden away from outsiders. In recent years, the local Party committee and government have leveraged their regional resource advantages, establishing a development strategy aimed at “achieving new breakthroughs in tourism.” They have invited relevant departments and experts to conduct surveys, scientifically planned the scenic area, and promoted the area’s landscapes through promotional materials. At the same time, taking advantage of the national policy for converting farmland back to forests, they have increased greening efforts along the river, gradually creating a 13-kilometer-long ecological sightseeing corridor stretching from “Sili Stone Gate” to “Ma Stone Gate,” thus laying a preliminary framework for tourism development across the township.

　　Held annually on the 13th day of the fifth lunar month, the traditional Dragon Boat Festival is another highlight of tourism in Laobao Township. The local dragon boat team enjoys a longstanding reputation in Liuzhou City and has won the championship multiple times at the dragon boat races hosted by the three northern counties of Guangxi. The distinctive brand of “Laobao Dragon Boats, Laobao Tourism” is steadily gaining recognition beyond the mountains.