Daxu Ancient Town

Founded in 200 A. C, Daxu Ancient town is one of the four famous ancient towns in Guangxi province with a history over 1000 years. The ancient town is very peaceful, most of the old people and children are left in the old house, more show a little aloof from worldly appearance. Daxu Ancient Town has not been fully commercial development, it's well worth visiting for those who are interested in Chinese old town and culture. We recommend that you go together with a guide, so you can better understand the story behind it, instead of just seeing the small houses in the village.

Facts

- In Chinese: 大圩古镇

- Address: No.250 Linjiang Road, Lingchuan County, Guilin

- Opening time: all year round

- Best time to visit: Apr - Oct

- Entrance fee: free

guilin daxu

History of Daxu Old Town

It’s always easier to settle down near water. It situated on the east bank of the Li River, 25 kilometers southeast of the Guilin city. Daxu means the Large-Scale Fair in Chinese, and it used to be a prosperous bazar and trade center ever since the Song Dynasty period. By the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties, Daxu Old Town was a place where merchants from north and south gathered. Daxu was benefited from its strategic location on the banks of a busy waterway, which connects the Yangtze River system and the Pearl River system. This made Daxu a natural transit hub for trade between merchants far away and the population in Daxu zoomed up. With the booming of railways and highways during the 1930s, Daxu's commerce declined rapidly thereafter. However, since the opening-up of China, Daxu Ancient Town has revived as a tourist spot.

What to See?

The ancient streets are not wide. A 2.3km-long and 2m-wide street paved with dark green quadrate stones that have been ground and washed smooth by shoes, carts and rain runs through the town. Various ancient buildings line on both sides of the streets, including old residences, shops and stalls.

The old houses on both sides are mostly two-story buildings of Ming and Qing dynasties. The residential buildings in Daxu are low in the south and high in the north, houses are designed in a reasonable way, combining business and residence, those which rely on the street are engaged in commerce with stairs to the second floor.

Daxu ancient town

Many ancient handicraft workshops, such as bamboo weaving, straw shoe workshop and grass doctor's office, old barber shop are still preserved, the historical vicissitudes can be seen everywhere.

The antique architectures of the ancient town are famous for their magnificence and refinement dates to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Well-preserved residences, Old Chinese pharmacy, mottled walls with yellowing photos and posters hanging on it, ancient single-arched bridge named Longevity Bridge, every corner of Daxu Ancient town delivers the flavor of ancient charm.

If you are going to visit Daxu, remember to have a taste of the salted eggs, which is said to be enjoyed by Former President Clinton of USA when he visited Daxu Ancient town during his tour of Guilin. Chili sauce and Osmanthus bean jelly are also popular local delicacies.

How to Get There?

Drive. If you try to drive to there, it’s easy and available. Follow the route from Shizi Avenue – Qixing Road – Qixingdian Road – Tieshan Road - Guimo Avenue – Daxu Ancient Town. It’s not far from the city, it’ll take no more than 1 hour to get there.

Take a bus at Guilin Bus Station, special line to Crown Cave will stop at Daxu Old Town. It takes about 40-minute driving. The first bus operates at 07:30, and runs every 20 minutes. The last returning bus runs at 18:30. RMB12 for one way.


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