Daxu Old Town

Explore Charming Old Town Daxu, Guilin

Daxu Old Town is situated in southeast Guilin, about 11 miles (18 kilometers from Guilin). Known as one of four great ancient towns in Guangxi Province, Daxu Old Town was constructed in 200 CE. The ancient street stretches a little over a mile (2 kilometers) along the Li River and well-preserved old folk houses of the Ming and Qing dynasties stand on both sides. Some traditional shops are still open in the town, like Chinese medicinal herbs stores and straw sandals shops. The old in the town live a leisurely life by reading old books, drinking tea or playing cards.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Daxu was a famous and prosperous trading center which housed nearly all kinds of shops. Merchants throughout China built their own guild halls here such as Guangdong guild hall, Hunan guild hall and Jiangxi guild hall. Now the prosperity of the town during that time can still be experienced by rambling around it.

Some historical relics can be found in the town as well. The tomb of Tang Jingsong, the famous anti-Japanese governor of Taiwan during the late Qing Dynasty, was built at the foot of Maozhou Mopan Mountain. In August of 1928, the Communist Party of China organized its sub-party at Daxu.

Wanshou Stone Bridge is the most famous spot, which is located at the intersection of the Ma and Li Rivers. It was built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1899. It is the best location to enjoy the serene vista of Luosi Mountain and the Li River. In addition, some other spots, like mosques, ancestral temples, and residential houses, also can’t be missed.

When the tourist road from Guilin to Mopan Mountain Pier was built in 2001, an ancient tomb cluster was found. The seven ancient tombs were arranged in the form of the Great Dipper constellation and the sizes of the tombs have something to do with the brightness of the seven stars. The relation between the tombs and the Great Dipper are still a mystery, but many ancient articles like pottery utensils and bronze swords prove that the tombs should be dated back to the period between the Warring States (403 BCE – 221 BCE) to the Western Han Dynasty (207 BCE – 25 CE).