Once, in ancient times, Xingping Town was the largest town along the Li River, and is 63 km (39 miles) from Guilin and 25 km (15.5 miles) from Yangshuo, on the east bank of the river. The town is really a beautiful place, surrounded by enthralling scenery. Both Mural Hill and Yellow Cloth Shoal belong to this scenic area.
The charm of the Xingping Town is greatly enhanced by the surrounding hills. The town is located at the foot of Wuzhi (five fingers) Hill. The hills in the east are Sengni Hill that resemble a monk and a nun are bickering with each other, Chaoban Hill is said to look like the tablet held by officials in court in ancient times and Arhat Hill looks like a smiling arhat monk exposing his breast to the sun. The hills in the south are Carp Hill and Snail Hill. The hills in the west are Bijia (pen holder) Hill and Meinv (belle) Peak. The hill in the north is Camel Hill resembling a camel crossing the river.
The historic sites here can be found in Xingping Old Street and Fishing Village about 2 km (1.3 miles) from the Xingping Town. The old street is a one-kilometer long stone street lined with old brick buildings and assembly halls like those of many different provinces. The old banyan tree, which needs as many as eight people's outstretched arms to encircle it, and Guandi (General Guan Yu) Temple which was built in the Qing Dynasty both tell the long history of the Xingping Town.
Fishing Village has a history of nearly 500 years. It typically represents the architectural style of northern Guangxi Province during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the houses in the village conform with those in the Xingping Town. They have horse head walls, flying eaves, painted rafters and windows with carved patterns. When the former US president Bill Clinton and his wife visited here, they highly praised the village and were deeply attracted by the residences. The villagers fish for a living with the help of cormorants. Maybe you can go fishing with them on a raft instead of a boat. It's really exciting. Not far from the village is Water-Dropping Village where lies a waterfall, the water from which is often used to make wine.
Three km (1.9 miles) northeast of Xingping Town, there is the newly opened Lotus Cave. The cave is more than 600 meters long and is 2 meters wide along its broadest part. Striking stalactites of different shapes are to be seen in the cave. For example, the main sights include 'the Lotus Petals Suspended Upside down', 'Two Dragons Creeping out the Cave' and the 108 large and small 'Lotus Pods'. The diameters of the 'lotus seed pods' vary from 20 cm to 1.5 meter (4.9 feet) and it's really amazing that the small stones inside the pods look like real seeds! In spring and autumn, the sight is really lifelike under a layer of mist. There is a piece of stalactite which can make euphonic sound when struck. Do you want to have a try?
Traveling in the Yangshuo-Xingping area, you can actually experience the life of local fishermen by going fishing with them. Their fishing techniques are unlike anything you've ever seen. They use bamboo rafts instead of wooden boats and they use cormorants to catch the fish. They do this by tying a noose around a bird's long neck to prevent it from swallowing its catch. After you finish fishing, the hospitable villagers will cook your freshwater bounty.