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Chuanshan Park

The Li River offers plenty of beautiful sceneries, such as the graceful idyllic Chuanshan Park on its east bank, with the clear Xiaodongjiang River passing by. Chuanshan park is famous for its Cockfighting Hills, formed by the Chuanshan Hill and Pheasant Hill. The two hills together resembles 2 cockerels itching for a fight. Other significant spots worth taking in are the Pagoda Hill on the west bank of Xiaodongjiang River, the Chuanshan Hill Cave, a large karst cave, and the Moon Cave.

Cockfighting Hills

Cockfighting Hills (Dou Ji Shan) in Chuanshan Park is one of the highlights of the park, consisting of the Chuanshan Hill and Pheasant Hill, lying on both banks of the Li River. The former consists of five coterminous peaks that formed the head, wings, tail and back of one cockerel. The latter flaps its wings getting ready for a fight. It seems that if the river doesn't separate the two challengers, they would have already engaged in a mortal combat.

It was said that a long time ago, a group of intellectuals went to Guilin to take imperial examinations. While passing by the Cockfighting Hills, one of them composed 'Dou ji shan shang shan ji dou' (Two cocks are fighting on Cockfighting Hills) as the first line on a couplet. The rest racked their brains trying to come out with a second line in response to the first but no one succeeded. Years later, two of them went back to Guilin again. When they dropped by a place called Dragon Hiding Cave (Long Yin Yan), the name inspired one of them to come up with the second line - 'Long yin yan zhong yan yin long' (A dragon is hiding in Dragon Hiding Cave). The long awaited puzzle was then solved.

Chuanshan Hill (Tunnel Hill)

It is one of the 'fighting cockerels'. The Moon Cave on the west slope is the cockerel's eyes, running through the hill like a tunnel. There are five peaks forming the cockerel's body, which also resembles a pen rack. Hence, the hill is also nicknamed as Pen Rack Hill.

Chuanshan Hill Cave

It is a karst cave in Chuanshan Park, containing numerous peculiar stalactites, at the hillside. With the clever use of lights, the natural cave is decorated as an Asgard. This cave is 1,531 meters (5,023 feet) in length, with 25 spots distributed in it. These stalactites are of various shapes, such as petals, fluffs, buds and pine needles. A Guinness World Record has come from this cave, which is 'one stalactite pole conjoining the most cave shields'.

Moon Cave

The Moon Cave is also called the Crystal Cave because of its shiny stalactites hanging from the roof. As its name implies, this hallow cave is like a bright moon in the sky during the night. Together with the Water Moon Cave of Elephant Trunk Hill, they form the unique scenery of 'Two Moons on Li River', with one of them in the sky and the other on the water.

Pagoda Hill

Pagoda Hill inside Chuanshan Park belonged to the same mountain range as the Chuanshan Hill a million years ago. The movement of the earth's crust divided them into two hills on the opposite bank of Xiaodongjiang River.

Pagoda Hill got its name because of the hexagonal Longevity Buddha Pagoda on it. Built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the seven-storey brick tower has a multi-eave pagoda with a height of 13.3 meters (44 feet). A statue of the Longevity Buddha (Amidabha Buddha) was carved on the north wall of the tower.

Pagoda Hill is also called Warship Hill because of the similar shape. Many maple trees are planted at the foot of the hill. Fiery-red maple leaves give visitors another stunning view in late autumn.