Elephant Trunk Hill
Local People, Elephant Trunk Hill
Elephant Trunk Hill
Located at the confluence of Taohua River and Li River in Guilin City, Elephant Trunk Hill is widely acknowledged as the landmark of Guilin City. It is given its name due to its resemblance of a giant elephant stretching its trunk for water drinking.
The natural view and human landscape there reflect each other. The major tourist sites include Shuiyue Cave, Xiangyan Rock, Xiangbi Rock, Puxian Pagoda and Hongfeng Monastery.
Elephant Trunk Hill is 108 meters (118 yards) long, 100 meters (109 yards) wide and 55 meters (180 feet) higher the water surface. Shuiyue Cave (Water Moon Cave) is between the elephant trunk and elephant leg. The formation of it can be traced back to 12,000 years ago. The elevation of the crust of the earth and the shrink Li River accelerated the development of semi-circular cave - Shuiyue Cave, which covers an area of about 150 square meters 9179 square yards) with the length of 17 meters (18.6 yards) long, the width of 9.5 meters(10.4 yards) , and the height of 12 meters (39.4 feet). The reflections of the cave and that above the water form a full moon.
Entering Shuiyue Cave, you will see the Zhaoyang Pavilion, which dated from Song Dynasty (960 - 1276). As early as 800 years ago, a battle of words broke out between two successive governors regarding the title of the cave, which has become an everlasting topic for visitors who came here. In the year of 1166 AD, Zhang Xiaoxiang came Shuiyue Cave for sightseeing, the scenery is so attractive that he revisited there before long. He was so excited that he inscribed the poem on the north screen of the cave. As the cave faces east, he entitled the pavilion, cave and rock as Zhaoyang. Next to Shuiyue Cave is Xiangbi Rock (Elephant Trunk Rock). It is named so because it is a bit backward of the huge trunk. It occupies an area of 44.5 square meters (53.2 square yards) with the height of 1.9 meters (6.2 feet), the width of 3.3 meters (3.6 yards) and the length of 13.5 meters (14.8 yards). It is an excellent position to overlook the river view. The scholar Mao Binquan in Ming Dynasty once read the Book of Changes here, and later the characters of Reading Rock was inscribed on the mouth of the rock.
Xiangyan Rock (Elephant Eyes Rock) is on the sides of the mountainside passable from north to south. It has an area of 274 square meters (327.7 square yards) with the height of about 2 meters (6.6 feet), the width of 5 to 10 meters (5.5 - 11.0 yards), the length of 52.8 meters 957.7 yards). It was originally an ancient watercourse underground earlier than Shuiyue Cave in formation. It is right in the eyes of huge elephant. The north eye is craggy and steep. Standing in the position of the two eyes, you will command a spectacular view of the surroundings.
On the summit of the hill is there a two-storeyed pagoda set up in Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The image of Bodhisattva Puxian is inlaid on the second floor of the north seat. From a distance it looks like the hilt as well as the precious vase.
The elaborately-carved elephant sculptures are easily found in the park, it is very necessary to take some pictures. As the representative attraction in Guilin, it is worth your visit.
Entrance Fee: CNY 40 (kids under 1.0 m are free); CNY 20 (kids between 1.0 - 1.4 m)
Opening Hours: 08:30 - 16:40
Best Time to Visit: Apr. to Oct.
Bus Routes:Take Bus No. 2, 16, 23, 33, 58, 88 or Tourism Bus No. 1 and get off at the Elephant Hill Park stop.
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