Daxu Ancient Town (大圩古镇), located along the banks of the Li River, is a place of extraordinary beauty and rich history. As one of Guangxi’s four major market towns, Daxu boasts a well-preserved old street that stretches over two kilometers, lined with traditional bluestone slabs. The narrow street is flanked by ancient houses that have stood the test of time. The town is also home to several historical sites, including the Wan Shou Bridge, a single-arch stone bridge dating back to the Ming Dynasty, as well as the Gaozu Temple and Hanhuang Temple, which were built during the Qing Dynasty. The town also features guild halls for Guangdong, Hunan, and Jiangxi provinces.
In addition to its historical charm, Daxu Ancient Town is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, including attractions like Fuzi Rock, Mopan Mountain, and Maozhou Island, which add vitality and a picturesque backdrop to this ancient town.
Travel Information about Daxu Ancient Town
Tickets and Opening Hours
Admission: Free
Opening Hours: Open all day
Best Time to Visit
Suitable for visiting year-round, with summer being the best time. Every May, the town hosts a variety of vibrant folk festivals.
How to Get There
Location: Daxu Ancient Town, Lingchuan County, Guilin City
Transportation Options:
- By Bus: Take the Guilin-Lingchuan intercity bus route 306, which passes through Guilin City. The final stop is Daxu Ancient Town.
- By Car: From Guilin, drive towards attractions like Crown Rock (Guanyan) and Gudong Scenic Area. Near Daxu Town, you’ll find a crossroads; follow the signs, with Xiong Village (Xiongcun) to the north and Daxu Ancient Town to the south.
Tourism Ratings
- Beauty: ★★★★
- Leisure: ★★★★
- Romance: ★★★★
- Adventure: ★★★
- Culture: ★★★
- Uniqueness: ★★★
Highlights of Daxu Ancient Town
Stone Slab Road
The stone slab road in Daxu Ancient Town, built in the early Republic of China era, stretches along the riverbank for about 2.5 kilometers and is approximately 2 meters wide. It is paved with around 15,000 bluestone slabs, creating a path that has witnessed the passage of time. The houses lining the road are mostly two-story buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, constructed with green bricks and tiles, exuding a sense of historical charm.
Along this ancient street, lush bamboo provides shade, and the old brick-and-wood structures with their green tiled roofs add to the town’s quaint and traditional atmosphere. The town still retains many ancient handicraft workshops, such as bamboo weaving, straw shoe making, traditional funeral goods stores, herbal medicine clinics, and old barbershops. Elderly residents can often be seen reading yellowed books, sipping tea, or playing cards by the roadside, living their lives in peaceful simplicity. This tranquil scene itself is like a beautiful painting.
Wan Shou Bridge
Wan Shou Bridge, originally built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in the 25th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty (1899), is a single-arch stone bridge located at the confluence of Ma River and the Li River in Daxu Ancient Town. The bridge is sturdy and exudes a sense of ancient simplicity. Its surface is paved with bluestone slabs, with guardrails on both sides. The four corners once featured beautifully crafted stone lions, though they were later destroyed. The overall design of the bridge is elegant and visually appealing.
Wan Shou Bridge holds historical significance as it was a filming location for the movie “Liu Sanjie.” The famous folk song sung by Liu Sanjie, “Flowers bloom atop the mountain, fragrance drifts to the foot, cool waters under the bridge, a cool breeze above; when injustice fills the heart, songs burst forth like fire from the chest…,” was performed on this bridge.
Maozhou Island
Maozhou Island, located across the Li River from Daxu Ancient Town, is a serene oasis surrounded by water, with small rivers winding through the landscape. The island is covered with lush forests and ancient vines that create natural pathways, intersected by fields and rural paths. The entire island, with its small bridges, flowing water, and traditional homes, resembles the picturesque water towns of Jiangnan, known for their delicate beauty.
Maozhou Island is famous for its abundant production of citrus fruits, including mandarins, sweet oranges, pomelos, and grapes. From a higher vantage point, the orchards and farmlands spread out like a vibrant and intricate tapestry, adding to the island’s enchanting charm. The combination of natural beauty and agricultural abundance makes Maozhou Island a peaceful and idyllic retreat.
Mopan Mountain
Mopan Mountain, located across the Li River from Daxu Ancient Town, is a prominent natural landmark named for its unique appearance. Viewed from the north, the mountain’s rock layers resemble a traditional stone mill, giving it the name “Mopan” (Millstone) Mountain. From the east and south, it takes on the shape of a giant ship, complete with rock formations resembling boilers, chimneys, winches, and a command deck, earning it the nickname “Huochuan” or Fire Ship Mountain.
At the foot of the mountain, by the river, lies a stone slab protruding over the water, supported by rock pillars intricately carved with dragon and phoenix motifs, known as the “Fishing Platform of Jiang Ziya.” The eastern face of Mopan Mountain presents a dramatic stone wall, likened to a vast mural, known as the “Ship Mountain Mural.” To the west, there’s a rhinoceros-shaped peak, gazing skyward, forming the scenic spot “Rhinoceros Looking at the Moon.”
Mopan Mountain also holds historical significance, as it is home to the tomb of Tang Jingsong, a famous general who resisted French and Japanese forces in the late Qing Dynasty.
Legend about Mopan Mountain:
According to a local legend, a young man, blessed by a celestial being, climbed Mopan Mountain. After drinking from a mountain spring, he transformed into a powerful rhinoceros. Every night when the moon rose, he would circle Mopan Mountain 99 times, trying to keep the moon from setting. One night, as the moon descended and the skies darkened, he could no longer move the mountain. The young man chased the moon westward, but after a few steps, he became motionless, forming the “Rhinoceros Looking at the Moon” that we see today.
Daxu Ancient Tombs
In Daxu Town lies a rare and mysterious ancient tomb cluster known as “Qixingpo,” located on the eastern slope of Mashan Mountain. This tomb group features seven ancient tombs arranged in the pattern of the Big Dipper constellation, with the size of each tomb mound correlating to the brightness of the corresponding star. This unique alignment between the tombs and the stars is the first of its kind discovered in China.
The connection between the tombs and the Big Dipper remains an unsolved mystery, but local folklore suggests that these tombs belong to the ancestors of the Zhu family, who were relatives of the Jingjiang Princes. However, the burial artifacts uncovered, including pottery boxes, pottery jars, bronze swords, iron axes, and stone bi disks, indicate that this belief might be a misconception. The tombs bear a resemblance to those discovered at Yingshanling in Pingle, dating from the Warring States period to the Western Han Dynasty, suggesting that the Daxu Ancient Tombs belong to the same historical period. These tombs hold significant research value due to their unique arrangement and the artifacts found within them.
Daxu Docks
Daxu Ancient Town boasts an impressive 13 docks, five more than those in the city of Guilin. These docks, extending into the Li River at right angles from the town, are strikingly prominent. Compared to the typical docks in other market towns of northern Guangxi, Daxu’s docks are grand and stately. In contrast to the deep-water docks of Beihai, they are petite, charming, and imbued with a rustic elegance.
The docks are arranged along the Li River in a staggered pattern, giving them a unique aesthetic appeal. The shore end of each dock often connects to a stretch of flat land, shaded by ancient banyan trees, adorned with pavilions, scented by osmanthus, or surrounded by swaying bamboo, offering both practical and scenic value. Pathways connect the docks to the town, with stone-paved streets flanked by high walls, creating a sense of depth and vitality as you approach the river.
Xiong Village
Located just 8 kilometers north of Daxu Ancient Town, Xiong Village is a historic settlement with a rich history spanning over 2,000 years, making it more than a millennium older than Daxu. The village is known for its numerous ancient alleys, gatehouses, and stone archways, each with unique names like “Tianxiang Gate,” “Renshou Gate,” “Dexing Gate,” and “Ziqi Gate,” showcasing a variety of architectural styles.
The village’s architecture predominantly reflects the Ming and Qing dynasties, featuring timber structures with overlapping beams and exteriors of gray brick, resulting in an overall design that is both rustic and elegant, with smooth lines and delicate proportions.
One of the most charming aspects of Xiong Village is its long street, where a small stream meanders past the doorsteps of the houses. Residents have casually placed bluestone slabs across the stream, forming quaint little bridges. Here, locals wash their clothes and vegetables, while children play in the water, evoking the idyllic charm of a Jiangnan water town.