Xiapulian Lotus Scenic Area in Baipeng Town

　　Nestled amid majestic Dawushan Mountain, murmuring Xisa River, ancient banyan trees steeped in history, and the magical time-telling spring, the naturally beautiful landscape gives rise to vast lotus seas spanning tens of thousands of mu, with fragrance drifting for miles. Xiapulian Village, Huaihong Village, Baipeng Town, Liuzhou County, long known as the "Hometown of China's Jade Lotus," produces lotus roots that are as tender and white as jade, sweet, crisp, and renowned far and wide.

　　Liuzhou County’s Baipeng Town has long been honored as the "Hometown of Jade Lotus." The county holds an annual Lotus Culture Tourism Festival, establishing a festive culture around the "Baipeng Jade Lotus" brand. Currently, centered around Xiapulian Village, the lotus seas spanning tens of thousands of mu are fragrant with lotus leaves, and lotus flowers are in full bloom, marking the perfect season for sightseeing.

　　Xiapulian Village, Huaihong Village Committee, Baipeng Town, is located in the southern part of Liuzhou City, 1.5 kilometers east of Liulai Road, about 4 kilometers from the town government, 14 kilometers from Liuzhou County, and 28 kilometers from downtown Liuzhou. The Xianggui Railway and Liulai Highway run north-south through the area, making transportation very convenient. The village road is a 5.5-meter-wide cement road. The village currently covers a built-up area of approximately 250 mu, with 303 households and a population of over 1,321. The total arable land area is 1,283 mu, including 717 mu of paddy fields and 400.5 mu of dry land, with a per capita arable land area of 0.9 mu. The main economic activities of the village are planting double-season lotus roots, intercropping water chestnuts with lotus roots, and weaving bamboo products. The villagers are hardworking, kind-hearted, clever, hospitable, and have simple, honest folkways. Everyone in the village, regardless of age or gender, can weave bamboo products, with over 30 varieties, generating an annual per capita income of about 900 yuan from this craft. Xiapulian is one of the main production areas of "Baipeng Jade Lotus®." In front of the entire village lies a 32,000-mu double-season lotus root production base. From early April to early November each year, the scenic lotus seas offer fresh air and beautiful views, attracting countless tourists and photography enthusiasts. Since 2006, leveraging the construction of a new socialist countryside, the village has made full use of its natural advantages such as the vast lotus seas and picturesque landscapes to vigorously develop eco-agricultural tourism. Seven attractions have been developed: the Vast Lotus Sea, LouTai Mountain, Eco Bamboo Forest Leisure Area, Clinging Ancient Banyan, Ancient Residences, Swimming Pool, and Ornamental Lotuses. Continuing folk customs include ox-cart weddings and shigong dances, along with participatory leisure activities such as barbecues, fishing, swimming, and catching fish. The exquisitely crafted bamboo products made by villagers are highly favored by visitors. There are 10 farmhouse restaurants that can accommodate over 500 diners at once, serving dishes made from locally grown ingredients. With a focus on "returning to nature and nutrition," these dishes have earned widespread praise from tourists. The scale of industries such as intercropping water chestnuts with lotus roots and breeding loaches in lotus fields continues to expand. In 2012, the intercropped water chestnut area reached 11,000 mu, making it one of the largest aquatic vegetable bases in the region and even the country. In October 2013, a national aquatic vegetable field conference was scheduled to be held in Xiapulian, Baipeng. Over the years, through adjusting its industrial structure — from double-season lotus roots, to intercropping water chestnuts, to developing leisure tourism — the villagers’ incomes have significantly increased. In 2012, the per capita net income of farmers in Xiapulian reached 7,945 yuan. The village has successively won honors such as "National Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Site," "Guangxi Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Site," "Guangxi Famous Leisure Agriculture Tourism Village," "Guangxi Top Ten Charming Villages," and "Liuzhou Premium Beautiful Village."

　　To this day, Xiapulian Village has become one of the hot spots for agricultural tourism in the suburbs of Liuzhou City.