Solitary Beauty (Duxiu) Peak abruptly rises, steeps and precipitous, in JingJiang Princely Mansion in Guilin and has long been called “a pillar holding up the Southern Sky”.
Lying at the south-east foot of the peak, Du Shu Cave (Study Cave), a place for the litterateur of South and Song Dynasty Yan yanyan to do the reading, is the oldest famous relic in Guilin of a well-known figure. Yan wrote, “Amid Guilin rises the Solitary Beauty Peak, so towering that no peak is like it”. From then on, the hill has been known as the Solitary Beauty Peak (Duxiu Peak).
396 stone steps leads from the west foot of the hill up to the top of Solitary Beauty Peak, where you can get a panoramic view of the whole city and all the mountains surrounding it. In periods of dawn and sunset, the peak seems to be wearing a purple gown with a golden girdle. So it has another name for it: Purple Golden Peak.
There are three interesting sites at the foot of Solitary Beauty Hill called Study Rock, Peace Rock and Crescent Pond separately. Among them, Study Rock always attracts many students of Guangxi Normal University to come here to further they study Many inscriptions from the Qing Dynasty can be found in the east side of the hill, such as Southern Sky-supporting Pillar and Purple Gown and Golden Belt.
Cultural History
Solitary Beauty Peak is located in Suijingtang village Baiyashi town, the peak is 150 meters high. “Dong’an County Annals” of Qing emperor Guangxu reign: “In the north of city there is Solitary Beauty Peak, graceful, natural and solitary, five hundreds Zhang high.” Because it is craggy, tall and graceful, tower among buildings so it named Solitary Beauty Peak. Peak is cylindrical, such as the inversion of spinning top. There is only a path leading to the top of the mountain. In the Ming dynasty Tianqi Period (1621 ~ 1627), there was a Buddhist nunnery under the foot of peak, and tens of nuns in it.
What to See in Solitary Beauty Peak
【Solitary Beauty Pavilion】
Solitary Beauty Pavilion is in the top of Solitary Beauty Peak, which is a two-floor archaized pavilion with red pillar, hexagonal, double-hipped roof. 7 meters high, 4.8 meters, covers an area of 23 square meters. Between pillars there are beautiful lattice windows with double door in east and west direction.
【Peace Cave】
In the west foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is Peace Cave, formerly known as West Cave, 2.9 meters high, 4.25 meters wide, 31.5 meters long, covers an area of 140 square meters. Ming Jiajing period (1522-1566) a Taiping (means peace in English) Tongbao currency, Jingjiang King believed “this is propitious sign that spirit of mountain told”, “hence this cave was named Peace Cave”. Peace Cave has its own characteristics, the rock mass is like a spacious house, the ground is very smooth, heavy rock roof is hanging stalactites, some like the neat hair of young girl, some like colorful dragon scales, and many strange dazzling shape.
Under the peak of Peace Cave there is a cultural wonder of the world “Taisui” cliff stone carvings. Solitary Beauty Peak alone with one of the four most famous pools in Guilin Crescent Pool contract finely with each other, and it is one of the ancient eight sights of Guilin. In 1996 it was listed as one of the national key cultural relics protection units.
【Crescent Pond】
Crescent Pond is located at the east foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, the back garden of the Jingjiang Mansion. Originally there was Solitary Beauty spring, in Ming the spring was dug into pond, and due to it shaped like a crescent; therefore it was called “Crescent Pond”. The soft breeze stirs the leaves on williows around Crescent Pond which is very comfortable in the backyard.
【Snow Cave】
It is located in the northwest foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, the entrance of the cave face to Crescent Pond, about 3 meters high, 5.6 meters wide, and 32 meters long, area of about 180 square meters. The cave walls are white; the hanging galaliths are as white as snow. In the entrance of cave there was engraved with 2 words of Snow Cave, and beside there is a pair of phoenix stones. Originally there was carved Tang dynasty poetry, now it vanished.
How to Get to Solitary Beauty Peak
1. Taking bus No. 1, 14, 15 and 22 to Cross Street (Jiefang West Road) Stop and then walk to Jingjiang King Palace.
2. Taking bus No.2, 9, 10, 18, 24, and 206 to Cross Street (Jiefang East Road) Stop and then walk to Jingjiang King Palace.
3. Taking bus No.11, 99, and 100 to Cross Street (Center Square) Stop then walk to Jingjiang King Palace.