Twenty years ago, southwest China was a relatively isolated area of the country frequented by some foreigners interested in studying the fauna endemic to the region or its many minority groups. Today, this haven is a booming tourist destination and a progressive commercial center, linked to the rest of China and the world by modern transportation systems.
Guangxi is best known for its vibrant capital city of Nanning and its popular tourist destination Guilin. Less known by tourists but very important to the province’s and China’s economy is the city of Liuzhou, the province’s second largest city and its industrial hub. Surrounded by Guangxi’s famous karst hills, Liuzhou City sits on the fringes of the clean and clear Liu River. To reach the center of the city, one must cross any of the 14 bridges that span the snaking waterway.
A major highlight of any visit to Liuzhou is not only to view the city, but to revel in the landscape of towering limestone mountain formations, which have been popular with sightseers for over a thousand years. These were created over 300 million years ago, when the whole of the region emerged from the sea bed, exposing the rock to bombastic erosion from wind and rain. The resulting spectacular karst scenery, with its pinnacles peppering the river plain, has poetically and artistically enriched the people’s lives for generations. In return, man has made a modicum of embellishments to enhance the senses, including delicate pavilions, winding paths and rock sculptures. Exploring the peaks and gazing out over the azure river is a source of great inspiration and satisfaction.
Liuzhou is a modern city with a historic past founded 2,100 years ago. It was once called Dragon City due to a legend dating back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589) that tells of eight dragons emerging from the Liu River and settling in the area. As the ancient gateway to Cathay, it was the end of the Silk Road over which Marco Polo traveled on his way to see the Great Khan.
The city, with its pleasant subtropical climate, offers many pleasures, like exploring old temples and pavilions, sipping exquisite tea, finding bargains in the shops and markets, sampling excellent spicy Liuzhou cuisine. "What the West has, China will have, what the West does not have, China will also have," proclaimed the ailing Chairman Mao whose maxim has been realized on the culinary front. Food has always taken a primary place in the lives of the Chinese and, today, they welcome and support the international exchange of flavors from their neighboring Asean countries.
It was a delightful gastronomic exchange fostering regional flavors and camaraderie for the city just hosted a Philippine food festival originally scheduled for one week beginning April 27. Extended until the end of May due to popular demand, savory dishes and delectable desserts featured in the festival included kare-kare, chicken and pork adobo, pancit, arroz valenciana, misua, sinigang na hipon, nilagang baka, inasal na baboy, and sapin-sapin. The Liuzhou Hotel, where the event was held, reports that the food festival beat existing restaurant revenues on its very first day.
The Liuzhou Hotel, the city’s best address for visitors, is conveniently located near the commercial area of the city adjacent to the twisting Liu River. The breathtaking scenery typical to Guanxi Province amazes every guest of the hotel.
The Philippine food festival in Liuzhou City was conceived last February when Philippine Consul General Erlinda Gavino visited Liuzhou City with Maria "Baby" Villegas to promote education and tourism. The previous successful food festivals enticed the Liuzhou City Municipal Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office to host a Philippine food festival, in cooperation with Muntinlupa City, its sister-city in the Philippines. Muntinlupa Mayor Ernesto Fresnedi coordinated with Consul General Gavino and Villegas to ensure a delightful epicurean experience for the citizens of Liuzhou. I look forward to attending the fourth Philippine food festival on June 14 in Guangzhou to celebrate Philippine Independence Day.
While in Liuzhou, we explored its many cultural and natural attractions, like the unique Jianphanshan Fantastic Stone Garden and Museum, which exhibits hundreds of stones carved through the ages by natural forces obtained from the surrounding area. According to sources, Liuzhou has about 19 kinds of stones such as mountain stones, water stones, land stones, cave stones, rocks, fossils, and mixed stones, each characterized by their shape, color, pattern, and location on the surface. Its largest stone is the lovely limestone karst hill located in the park. Every two years, the city hosts the International Stone Festival. There will be one held this coming September. No wonder, Liuzhou is called the "Capital of Fantastic Stones."
Included in our itinerary was the Da Long Tan Scenic Spot, a beautiful park surrounded by karst hills, mountains resembling green jade and tranquil waterscapes. The park features vignettes of the various cultures of the many nationalities that are distinct to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Recent times have seen a ceaseless drama of energetic development and economic advances unfold in China. The country is now a full member of the World Trade Organization, and is home to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Massive investment has radically improved the quality of transport, and travel has become steadily speedier and more comfortable. China has never been so transformed except perhaps when the Mongols passed through with their own blueprints for change.
A significant discovery of the Liuzhou City is the proliferation of industrial tourism. There are over 2,200 industrial enterprises in the city making Liuzhou proud of its ranking among China’s powerhouse cities. A trip to Liuzhou will not be complete without a visit to one or more of its modern factories, such as the SALC GM Wuling Automobile Company, Guangxi Liuzhou Iron and Steel Company, and Liuzhou Guanxi Cigarette Plant General.
It is remarkable that in this resplendent haven that offers evidence of the earliest advanced civilization, well-maintained remnants from bygone dynasties are just a stone’s throw away from modern, gleaming glass-and-steel towers.
Truly, this dynamic nation has undergone a massive industrial revolution without having forgotten the timeless precious cultural heritage of its past.
Several domestic airlines land in Liuzhou’s Bailian Airport from Guangzhou, Shanghai and Xiamen.
Liuzhou’s train station is the most important railway traffic hub in southwest China.
Numerous buses stop in Liuzhou from most major cities in China.
All photos are courtesy of the News Office of Liuzhou Municipal People’s Government and Liuzhou Municipal Tourism Bureau.