Mountain Syanbishan, China

There is no exact data regarding the foundation date of Guilin. As Chinese historic documents do not mention this, local scientists still argue on this subject. However, there is an approximate date – 214 BC. Even at that time, the new settlement immediately became an important city. Guilin had a beneficial location – it was situated near an ancient canal that connected the south and north parts of China. During the reign of the Han dynasty, the city had another name – Lingui.

When the reigning forces changed in the second part of the XIV century, and the Ming dynasty became the ruler of China, the Chinese city became the capital of Guangxi province. Guilin kept this status until the mid-20th century. The city played an important role during the reign of Tang and Song dynasties. As the city was located not far from the border, a regular army was placed in Guilin to protect the region. In order to supply water to the army, the city’s authorities decided to make Lingqu that connected two rivers, namely, the Xiang River and the Li River. Thanks to this, the army was never short on water.
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