Li River, Guilin

The Li River rises in the Mao'er Mountains of Xing'an County and flows south past Guilin and Yangshuo before joining the Gui River. In 214 BC the Lingqu Canal was dug to link its upper reaches with the Xiang River, which drains north towards the Yangtze, connecting south China with the heartland of the Qin empire; it is often cited as one of the oldest surviving canals in the world.

The landscape itself is far older. Guilin is famous among geologists for its tower karst (fenglin) and cone karst (fengcong), and the study of these hills produced what is known as the Guilin model of karst evolution. In 2014 the Guilin karst was added to the South China Karst World Heritage property, joining earlier components such as Shilin in Yunnan.

For centuries the river's scenery has inspired Chinese poets and painters, and in modern times it has become one of China's most recognisable views, appearing on the fifth series of the 20 yuan banknote.

Life along the river still follows the water. Farmers grow rice, pomelos and other fruit on the flat land between the peaks, boats ferry villagers and goods between the banks, and the image of a fisherman on a bamboo raft with trained cormorants has become a symbol of the region, though today it is seen more often as a photo opportunity than a working practice. Guangxi is home to the Zhuang, China's largest ethnic minority, and Zhuang, Yao and Han communities all live in the Guilin countryside. Local food leans on rice noodles, river fish and fresh vegetables; Guilin rice noodles are the regional staple.