In the northeastern part of Guilin City, there is such a town: dotted with hills, blessed with beautiful mountains and clear waters, it becomes extraordinarily stunning when the peach blossoms are in full bloom in March; it also boasts ancient temples and old villages, along with countless local delicacies to savor. This is Gongcheng, a tranquil and peaceful small town.
Shatian pomelo, citrus, betel nuts, andred melon seeds; local specialties include sweet wine, moon persimmon fruit wine, and yellow bamboo shoots.
Guan Di Templeis a temple dedicated to the worship of Guan Yu, the famous general from the Three Kingdoms period. Originally built in the 31st year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1603 AD), it has a history of400 years to date. It is now a key cultural relic protection unit of the autonomous region. The entire temple covers an area of 2,100 square meters, with a construction area of 1,033 square meters. It is located on the right side of the Confucius Temple at the southern foot of Yinshan Mountain.The architecture of the Wumiao (Temple to the God of War) includes a stage, the main hall, Xie Tian Palace, the rear hall, and side halls on the east and west. The east and west side rooms display the legendary stories of Guan Yu in sculptural form, such as the Oath of the Peach Garden, the First Meritorious Deeds of the Yellow Turban Heroes, and Wenjiu Slaying Hua Xiong. The Wumiao stage is one of the two best-preserved ancient stages in Guangxi (the other being inHuangyao Ancient Townin Zhaoping County), and despite four hundred years of vicissitudes, it remains as splendid as ever.
3.Zhou Wei Ancestral Hall:Locals in Gongcheng call it Zhou Wang Temple or Jiaying Temple. Built in the 14th year of the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty (1478 AD) and renovated in the 1st year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1723 AD), it is a temple dedicated to the worship of Zhou Wei, an imperial censor of the Northern Song Dynasty.
4.Hunan Guild Hall:Built in the 11th year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1872 AD), it was funded by the fellow provincials of Sanxiang at the time. Covering an area of 1,847 square meters with a construction area of 1,420 square meters, it consists of a gate tower, stage, main hall, and side rooms on both sides. With its unique structure, ingenious design, rich carvings, and intricate floral and human figures, it is hailed as "the flower of the Hunan Guild Hall." It is the only one of Gongcheng’s "Four Great Guild Halls" (Guangdong, Hunan, Fujian, and Jiangxi Guild Halls) that remains completely preserved to this day.
5.Dalingshan Peach Blossom Garden:When the peach blossoms are in full bloom in March, the hillsides of Dalingshan in Gongcheng County are covered with blooming peach flowers. The peach blossoms of Dalingshan come in two colors: one is a delicate pink, and the other is a vibrant crimson, complementing each other beautifully.
After the opening of the high-speed railway in Guangxi, Gongcheng became one of its stops. Next time you visit Guangxi, remember to check out this charming little town too~
