Ten-Mile Gallery (Shili Hualang)

Sauntering down a country road makes you feel like you are travelling in a painting. This is true of the Ten-Mile Gallery in Yangshuo County, a fairyland on earth. As the name implies, Ten-Mile Gallery is a picturesque road stretching from the Yangshuo town area to Moon Hill, endowed with rolling hills, endless fields, idyllic villages and clear rivers on both sides. The peaks form natural sculptures in various shapes against the blue sky and beautiful flowers adorn the road. Birds chirping all the way make the atmosphere merry. As the road is not too long and in good condition, most visitors choose to travel by bike so that they can stop every now and then to enjoy the roadside landscape and take photos. After getting out of the town, head forward along Kangzhan Road. Before long, you will see the Totem Ancient Path in Ten-Mile Gallery. It reproduces the scenes of daily life of Zengpi People in ancient Guilin. Stone and pottery wares, totem columns, bows and arrows are exhibited. The natives still use the primitive utensils made of stones, bones, and clam shells. Wearing colorful furs and skins, they sing songs composed for fishing and hunting to the beat of drums. As they are unable to speak modern languages, it is not easy to communicate with them. You can try to make yourself understood by using gestures.

Guide Map of Ten-Mile Gallery

 Continuing forward, your second stop might be the Butterfly Spring Park. You can see a giant butterfly statue on a rock of the mountain. The butterfly, being a Monarch Butterfly, is the biggest species among Chinese butterflies. With an area of more than 280 square meters (3,014 square feet), the statue is regarded as a wonder here. In the park, peculiar peaks, grotesque rocks, magnificent waterfalls, and bubbling springs can be found everywhere. A winding path meanders to the sightseeing terrace in the Southern Heavenly Gate (Nan Tian Men). Standing there, you have a bird’s eye view of Ten-Mile Gallery. No wonder it is said that without visiting the Butterfly Spring Park, one will never know how beautiful the gallery is. In addition, the show interpreting the famous Butterfly Lovers’ Story is very impressive. 

As the journey of Ten-Mile Gallery goes on, you will encounter a Big Banyan Tree, which is more than 1,400 years old. This time-honored tree, resembling a huge green umbrella from a distance, has a circumference of over seven meters (23 feet) and a height of nearly 17 meters (56 feet). The reputation of the tree is partially attributed to a legendary figure of Zhuang Ethnic Group, Sanjie Liu, who is believed to be the Queen of Folk Songs. In 1960, the world-famous film Sanjie Liu was produced. In the film, the banyan tree is a witness to the everlasting love between Sanjie Liu and her lover. From then on, the tree is also called the Tree of Love. People in relationships often come here to make wishes for their future.

Enchanting Scenery along Li River

Big Banyan Tree

 

Next, you will reach the Assembling Dragon Cave, which gives an impression of a dragon's palace. The cave is nestled in lush woods near rivers, very much like the entrance of Dragon Palace in fairy tales. The numerous lifelike stalactites inside the cave, taking the shapes of lying dragons, coiling dragons, dancing dragons, swimming dragons, dragons playing the water, the dragon king and the dragon queen, offer stunning natural beauty.

 

The last stop on your trip of Ten-Mile Gallery is Moon Hill. On the top of this hill, there is a precipice, which is pierced with a great round hole. Watching from a distance, it looks like a moon hanging on the sky, hence the name. Walking around the hill, you can see the waxes and wanes of the moon, like full moon, crescent, and lunar eclipse. The best place to view Moon Hill is Licun Village facing the hill, also known as Moon Village. Behind the village, there is the Golden Water Cave. Owing to the advantageous landform and underground water source, a mud pool has emerged. You can take a bath in it, which is humorously called a natural ablution.

Villagers Harvest Rice

Local Dwellings

 Take a direct bus from Guilin Qintan Bus Station to Yangshuo West Street where you can find many places to rent an electric bicycle and ride toward south to explore the gallery. The rental fee is CNY 20-50 per day and the deposit of CNY 100-200 shall be paid. 

From Yangshuo Railway Station, take Yangshuo High Speed Rail Shuttle Bus to Fengming Tourist Transprt Center, then transfer to the Shili Hualang (Ten Miles Gallery) Sightseeing Line. The ticket price is CNY 10.

Bike Tour along Yangshuo Ten-Mile Gallery

Boarding Li River Cruise Ship

 There is no admission fee to walk or ride along the Ten-Mile Gallery, however, there are fees to enter the scenic areas along it.

Scenic Spot	Admission Fee	Opening Hours	Recommended Time
Totem Ancient Path (temporarily closed)	CNY 45	8:00-17:30	1 to 1.5 hours
Butterfly Spring Park	CNY 60	8:30-18:00	1 hour
Big Banyan Tree	CNY 26	8:00-17:30	0.5 to 1 hour
Moon Hill	CNY 26	8:00-17:30	2 hours
Assembling Dragon Cave	CNY 70	8:00-17:00	2 hours
Golden Water Cave	CNY 55	9:00-17:00	45 minutes for visiting caves, 30 minutes for the mud bath, and 30 minutes for the hot spring bath

 Read More: Top 10 Things to Do in Yangshuo