Guilin, located in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and ranks second on the list of China's 10 best tourist destinations. Guilin's downtown covers an area of 565 square kilometers and the stunning surrounding landscape has a kind of magic that is all its own. Two crystal-clear rivers meander through Guilin, encircled by mountains containing strange and wonderful rock formations and caves.

Shifting in the earth's crust that took place between 180 and 200 million years ago thrust limestone sediment from the sea bottom, which was forced upwards more than 200 meters to the surface. This karst formation was formed through many years of erosion by wind and rain to become the hills and rocks that make up the landscape of Guilin.

Guilin, which means "forest of sweet osmanthus", saw its first inhabitants in the Qin Dynasty over 2,000 years ago and prospered and flourished during the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties under the patronage of succeeding emperors.