I’d had my fill of imperial palaces, warriors, pagodas, jade, and even pandas after a few weeks in China. Although I had been very pleasantly surprised by much of the Middle Kingdom and had relished the opportunity to see many big cities like Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, and Shanghai, the hectic pace and smothering crowds had me ready for more of the countryside as I headed south to Guilin, the Li River, and the small city of Yangshuo.
The Guangxi region looked and felt very different from much of the China I had seen in the preceding weeks. I felt like I’d stepped out of the craziness of big-city smog, traffic, and crowds, and into a time-forgotten traditional Chinese landscape painting.
The Li River area had a misty, ethereal air about it – indistinct mountains off in the distance, a light haze rising off the river, and quiet country folk going about their daily business in the foreground. Time seemed suspended.
The Li River flows languidly amid towering limestone karst formations. Water buffalo plod along the shore and wallow in the shallow water, and fishermen in long graceful boats ply the waters.
Occasionally, a phalanx of boats clusters together on the riverbanks and small markets spring up.
After about four or five hours, the riverboats dock in Yangshuo, a lively town. But rather than bumping shoulders with the many tourists on West Street who have come to souvenir shop, eat, and drink, we almost immediately head off into the countryside for a look at the rice fields and small country homes of area farmers.
Our heads bob sleepily, and our breath slows markedly as we bump along in bicycle-powered buggies and quickly become transfixed by the rhythmic swaying of the rice plants.
Farmers walk unhurriedly behind their buffalo and plows, knee-deep in water. Their deliberate pace is calming to us, and the scenery appealingly soft and green, belying what is surely a chore for them, trudging behind their animals under the hot sun.
We cycle through small villages, seemingly from another era, where we pass quaint stone houses adorned with fresh and dried flowers and plant life.
It is a dreamy day back in time down by the river, a calming escape from the mega-cities, and one of my favorite memories of China.
Prompted by the Weekly Photo Challenge: Time
snowsomewhere said:
Looks and sounds amazing! How was it visiting a small place as an outside, are they used to tourists? I didn’t even know you could actually visit such remote places! I mean, are there hotels, how to get there, etc. I can understand why this was a favorite memory from the trip!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
It’s not as off-the-beaten-track as it looks, although it is still very peaceful. The Li River cruises on these riverboats are a fairly popular thing to do from Guilin, so the people in Yangshuo are certainly used to visitors. For me the best thing was getting right out of Yangshuo; even though it’s small, it’s still busy, and we so enjoyed venturing out into the countryside.
LikeLiked by 1 person
snowsomewhere said:
Sounds like a good compromise! I sometimes get stressed if I’m the only foreigner, I don’t like being the center of attention. Still, I’d like to see “real” life and “real” places, so… sometimes it takes some effort to figure out how to do it 🙂 I love the buffalo picture, by the way!
LikeLiked by 1 person
snowsomewhere said:
…as an outsideR, I meant! Typing on my ipad isn’t always easy…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
philipcambodia said:
You have capture the place well. I enjoyed having a look!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Thanks! Have you been there, too?
LikeLike
philipcambodia said:
No. Not yet… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
awtytravels said:
I just got off a plane where I enjoyed a BBC video on the history of China, where I believe this corner of Guangxi was mentioned (or at least the places looked familiar). Nice to see how quaint and pictoresque it looks like, it certainly offers a different view over the classic stereotype of modern China that we are so used to see these days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Exactly! That’s why it was such a refreshing change after a weeks-long itinerary full of big cities and all their activity. I actually enjoyed all the places I visited in China more than I expected to, but this southern area was a real surprise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
daveply said:
Given a choice between seeing the crowds and smog of Beijing and going to Guilin, Guilin seems much more pleasant.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
They really were like night and day, although I was quite lucky to have brilliant blue skies and nice temperatures in Beijing, making it a very positive memory – the opposite of many peoples’ reactions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
graydaysandcoffee said:
wonderful post. ethereal is the perfect word for your shots!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Thanks! Yes, if I could have used that word multiple times as I described the landscape, I would have!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bama said:
I’ve only been once to China so far, and this part of the country was where I headed back in 2012. I opted to stay a little further than Yangshuo in an even smaller village called Xingping. It was nice, and I did some hiking after taking the boat. The weather was not perfect but it still was a nice travel experience. Love your photos, Lex, especially that old farmer with his buffalo — there’s something peaceful about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
That must have been really cool to be even farther off in the countryside. It’s funny – I found that farmer so peaceful to watch, too, but as I alluded to in the post, what looked relaxing and peaceful to me must have been very hard work for him! I almost felt bad saying he was a relaxing figure to watch when he was probably sweating and aching from that hard work! I have to say that my entire time in China was blessed with amazing weather – even Beijing was devoid of smog and under bright blue skies. I was so lucky!
LikeLike
Bama said:
City dwellers like us tend to see bucolic scenes as peaceful and soothing, despite the fact that the local people work really hard to make ends meet. In the contrary villagers see big cities as marvelous and magical, at least that’s what they told me. I think it’s very human to see what’s different from us as very interesting and alluring. And that’s why we travel. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
LaVagabonde said:
A very different China from the one we so often hear about. Good to know that there are still tranquil corners over there. I’m going to Beijing in April…trying to psych myself up for the crowds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
You could escape into the hutongs, the traditional old courtyard neighborhoods, where life is a little slower. DO you know what you’re doing there yet? I liked Beijing much more than I expected – hope you enjoy it, too!
LikeLike
LaVagabonde said:
I’m planning on doing the usual stuff: Forbidden City, Summer Palace, etc. I think it will all be fascinating. I’m just hoping the air pollution and crowds won’t be too overwhelming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
That emphatic, capitalized DO in my question was a typo, not an accusation – oops – I hope it didn’t come across that way! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you; it really is a fascinating place, even with its drawbacks. If you can find a hutong tour, do it. It was an interesting look at the “real” Beijing, which was a nice contrast with the imperial stuff.
LikeLike
LaVagabonde said:
No worries. I assumed it was a typo. 🙂
LikeLike
Pingback: Time (Organic) | Chris Breebaart Photography / What's (in) the picture?
anna said:
What a magical landscape!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
It was magical in a soothing, floating way – good word for it!
LikeLike
sweetk8 said:
Lived in China for 2 years and have -0- interest in ever returning there. ;(
I read your post both admiring and admonishing why anyone would want to go there.
Luckily there are lots of place on Earth to see! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Well, I can’t say I’d want to live there, but there’s almost no place on earth I wouldn’t want to see, at least for a short visit. But I do get your point! Where did you live?
LikeLike
sweetk8 said:
I lived In Hunan province, a town called Changsha… ‘famous’ as the birthplace of Mao.
So what is the place or places you wouldn’t want to see?
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
That sounds fascinating, although clearly not a positive for you! Honestly, I’d go anywhere once, although some places certainly appeal to me more than others. I’m sitting here trying to think of places I absolutely wouldn’t want to see, and I can’t think of any total no-gos!
LikeLiked by 1 person
darwinontherocks said:
I love these pictures, it really looks like the kind of trip I would enjoy. Discovering the culture and the unpolluted areas. I’m very scared about visiting big cities, with the pollution and the crowds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
China’s cities are certainly huge, but I was very lucky to be there in October under clear, sunny skies and minimal pollution. I know that’s not often the case there. The countryside was a nice break from the crowds (which did not seem horrible to me either), traffic, and other craziness of any city.
LikeLiked by 1 person
darwinontherocks said:
We are seriously considering going to China in October/November to see the family (in the North). But I don’t think we will have time to visit a lot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
abitofculture said:
Cracking photos, looks more like Vietnam than what we think of China.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Thanks, and I agree 100%. It’s very close to Vietnam, which explains the similarity! I think that differentness is anther reason I enjoyed it so much.
LikeLike
Sreejith Nair said:
This is truly a magical place ….
Thank you so much for sharing these stunning images with your beautiful narration 🙂
Have a beautiful day ahead 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Thank YOU for your very kind words! It was a magical, mystical place so the photos and the words came easily! A good day to you too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
estelea said:
This all looks so very calm, so still. Had you posted B&W pictures, I would have thought that you were telling a story that happened some 50 years ago. Same men, same buffalos, same rice paddies. I hope they are still wifi free there 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
You are so right! And here’s a real sign that I’d gone back in time – I didn’t even check to see if there was any wifi!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
estelea said:
That’s indeed a sign!!! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
lisadorenfest said:
Sublime! Time stopped for me for a few minutes today when I read this post. Every picture was like a gentle meditation. I really needed this today. Thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Glad a few photos and words could bring a teeny measure of calm for a short while. Hoping things are improving or clarifying or whatever they need to do for you to feel good again. While I miss your images and thoughts, I know you are storing your energy for other things. I’m keeping you in my positive thoughts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lisadorenfest said:
Thanks for your support as I continue to navigate through uncertain waters. Positive thoughts, friendship, and your beautiful travel images welcomed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
badfish said:
Lex, just reading this and viewing the images brought my spinning head back down to a more peaceful earth. I’ve been so busy, I haven’t written a thing, and haven’t done much commenting. I was trying to write a post on this topic–Time–and noticed your name in the WP page…couldn’t help myself from reading! I’m still thinking about what to post. I really like the ssecond image of the limestone karsts. And the buffalo with his head under water is a hoot!! Was he fishing…or just trying to figure out what was tickly his ankle?
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Thanks, Badfish! I’ve been pretty overwhelmed myself these days, but I got lucky because I’d been working on a post about the Li River anyway and it was all about how chill it was and how time stood still, so hey, I just plugged in the WPC link and voila! (Cheating, I know, but it worked this week.) Hang in there – and the blogs are supposed to be fun, not balls and chains, so post whenever … we’ll be happy whenever it is!
LikeLiked by 1 person
badfish said:
yeah…who wants balls and chains, eh?It’s that I WANT to post, but …have balls and chains keeping me from it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
James said:
Beautiful captures, Lex! My favourite ones are of the buffalo and his master in the paddy fields. The Li River looks a lot more peaceful than the time I went a couple years ago – I was expecting total serenity but did not anticipate all the PVC “bamboo rafts” with outboard motors!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Thanks, James! I liked all the buffalo photos, but I also particularly loved the man and his working animal. Funny, I do not remember any noisy motors from that day – I wonder if it is selective memory and there really was more noise and traffic than I remember?!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shelley @Travel-Stained said:
Gorgeous photos! I feel peaceful just looking at them. Our favourite part of China was def Yunnan province. I remember staring out the windows of the bus in breathless wonder for hours, the landscapes were so beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
Thanks, and I definitely agree from a geography standpoint. I enjoyed some of the bigger cities for their culture and liveliness, but the countryside was the most beautiful part for sure.
LikeLike
Tina Schell said:
One of my many favorite places in China Lex. Altho I too loved the excitement of the big cities and the glamour of places like Shanghai, the backcountry spots were by far my favorite. The Li was wonderful and I too loved the oxen working the fields. How lucky are we to have seen it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
VERY lucky! China was one of the most different places I’ve been. I’ve been to more remote places, stranger places, etc., but China was culturally unique, I thought. Some good, some bad, but vastly interesting everywhere we went.
LikeLike
Peta Kaplan said:
Beautiful photos, especially of the water buffaloes and farmers. Looks very similar to a region we explored just slightly South of Hanoi. Looking at your post gas made me more curious about visiting China. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
And seeing that southern China landscape made ME eager to visit Vietnam!
LikeLike
domendolenc said:
omg, i want to go there too. so cool. thanx for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
You’re welcome – and I hope you get to go! It’s a beautiful place.
LikeLike
LDG luciledegodoy said:
I’ve twice to China but only to the big cities. These were business trips and in one occasion I stayed longer to visit the wall. That was back in 2004, when Beijing was under reconstruction…during my second visit I was shocked to see so many buildings, and sometimes empty big cities.
I’d have liked to get out of the big cities and visit the tea plantations or places like this one.
Great post. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lexklein said:
It would have been fascinating to visit China before the building boom, I think – how lucky that you could go for work! Other than the Forbidden City stuff in Beijing, I found the cities after a few days to be like most cities, so getting out into the countryside was really a nice respite. Next time you go, I hope you can sneak away to a more bucolic province!
LikeLike
LDG luciledegodoy said:
It was incredibly different. I went to Beijing and Shanghai in 20o4 and came back in 2012 to both as well as to two more cities. I was shocked with the growth and also to see ghost cities.
I want to go and visit the tea plantations one day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
dumplingjourney said:
Reblogged this on Dumpling Journey and commented:
A poetic account of one of my favorite travel destinations in China: the Li River in Yangshuo, Guangxi.
With unique karst mountains taken right out of a painting, green vegetation lush and full of life, and the rustic lifestyle of local farmers and fishermen, the Li River is an easily accessible, must-visit stop on your journey.
LikeLike