TechnoTourist Visits China: Guilin

So far TechnoTourist has seen Beijing and Xi'an. This week, TechnoTourist describes Guilin, one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Li River Boat Tour

Guilin is situated on the west bank of the Li River, and is known for its unique karst scenery. It is definitely one of the most naturally spectacular places I have ever seen. While I was there, I was lucky enough to enjoy a 3 hour cruise on the Li River where I could enjoy the cone-shaped hills up-close.

The southern area of China is one of the few places in the world where one can see a rare example of karst topography. The hills were formed several hundreds of millions of years ago when the Guilin area was a gulf. The salty water wore down the limestone layers which eventually produced the shapes that exist today. As the earth's crust moved, the limestone peaks emerged out of the water.

China is very proud of Guilin's unique landscape, and even though it was raining during my visit, I was thrilled to see the very scene on the Li River that is depicted on the 20 yuan note. During the river tour, our guide pointed out many famous hill formations. Many of the hills formed shapes that roughly resemble animals, like Elephant Trunk Hill. I also spotted the shape of a cat standing happily in the scenery. Some of these formations had their own legends behind them, like the Nine Horses Painted Hill. It is said that the nine horses came from heaven down to earth in secret. As they drank the clean water of the Li River, a man wanted to paint a picture of them. This scared the horses, and they ran into the cliff where they will remain forever. If you can see all nine of the horses on the hill, you will have a very successful life. Unfortunately for me, I could only spot five.

Tea Research Institute

The next stop in Guilin was to the Tea Science and Research Institute, which was the royal tea garden during the Ming Dynasty. The plantation contains 250 different tea plants. The main tea plant is called Camellia sinensis. White, green, oolong, and black tea all come from this plant. All of the 42 tons of tea that are produced each year are picked and processed by hand.

The way the tea is processed and harvested plays a role in the end product. White and green teas are harvested earlier and undergo very little processing. Oolong tea is fermented for 30-40 hours. Black tea is fermented for 70 to 80 hours. There are six classes for tea quality. The quality grade of the tea depends on how many leaves are picked with the top needle of the plant. For example, one needle with one leaf is the first grade of green tea. With more leaves, the quality goes down.

In addition to learning about the tea manufacturing process, we participated in a tea tasting ceremony. Tea tasting is not like tea drinking. It is supposed to be an experience. During the ceremony, the guide demonstrated the proper technique to use while tasting tea. Hold the tea cup with the right hand. If you are a man, place the left hand in front of the cup with the palm facing inward. Females place the left index finger underneath the cup for support. Next, smell the tea and bring it away from the lips. Always taste tea in three sips; any fewer than three and the drinker will seem wolfish to others. We were also introduced to a floral tea made from the osmanthus tree. Many believe that this tea can improve skin complexion, and may help rid the body of excess nitric oxide which has been linked to diseases like cancer and diabetes.

References

Image Credit

Guilin

Editor's Note: See these photos full size on Facebook or Google+.