The picturesque Lijiang River comes alive as local fishermen set out for the morning's catch. Liu Xianglong / Asia News Photo
They say water nourishes man and that woman is made of water. It is only when you visit Guilin that you realize the truth of this. Pauline D. Loh pays a pilgrimage to the world-famous Guilin hills and the river that flows through them.
Have you noticed the beautiful scenery on the back of a Chinese 20-yuan note? Even in sepia tones, the hills are breathtakingly beautiful, rising almost upright from the banks of the Lijiang, the "flowing water" that cuts right through Guilin in Guangxi.
Now we have the geography mapped out, we can get down to real details like how proud the residents of Guilin are of this river.
In fact, Guilin natives take pride in all they have - the wonderful moist climate which the women claim gives them their famous complexion, the snail noodle dish now widely exported to major cities all over the country, the famous chili bean paste, and of course, the unique Arhat fruit or luohan guo, the latest all-natural sweetener to fascinate the health-conscious community worldwide.
Guilin literally translates into "osmanthus woods" and the city is similarly famous for its incredibly aromatic osmanthus flowers, frequently used to infuse and scent the green tea which grows on the steep slopes of the karst hills.
Chili bean paste is one of the hottest products in Guilin. Pauline D. Loh / China Daily
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