Guangxi · Nanning — Southwest Gateway · Sunshine Green City

As a person from Guizhou, Guangxi has always been a place both familiar and unfamiliar. It’s familiar because Guangxi borders Guizhou and was the first place connected to Guizhou by railway. It’s unfamiliar because Guangxi is very different from Guizhou, belonging to a distinct cultural region. Compared to Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, and even Hunan, Guangxi seems the most distant. To explore this familiar yet unfamiliar place, I recently took a trip to Guangxi. I didn’t visit many places, mainly just wandered around the capital city, Nanning, but it left a deep impression on me. Nanning was truly a completely unfamiliar city to me. My childhood impression was probably just hearing it on the weather forecast. Later, I learned that it is the capital of Guangxi, an important national gateway to Southeast Asia, and a large city known for its greenery, nicknamed China’s Green City. Taking the Gui-Nan high-speed train from Guiyang to Nanning takes just over two hours. The first impression upon entering Nanning is indeed green—green mountains and fields everywhere. Located in the transition zone between subtropical and tropical climates, Nanning’s temperature and rainfall conditions are much better than Guizhou’s, resulting in richer vegetation, widespread forests, and greenery as far as the eye can see. The name Green City is truly well-deserved. Upon entering Nanning, the first thing I noticed was the excellent urban construction. In fact, with the deepening of reform and opening up, any provincial capital city inland now matches the developed coastal areas in terms of infrastructure: wide avenues, complex interchanges, numerous high-rise buildings, and upscale commercial buildings all showcase Guangxi’s top city’s economic strength. As a Green City, Nanning’s natural environment left an even deeper impression on me. The winding Yong River flows from west to east through the city. The river is wide and majestic, with clear green water, making it the city’s most perfect scenic belt. During my time in Nanning, I enjoyed strolling along the Yong River, taking in the beautiful scenery on both banks. Riverside parks dot both sides of the river like pearls, making the scenic belt even more beautiful. Thanks to abundant water, Nanning also has several large lakes, the most attractive being Nanhu Park. This large park is considered Nanning’s Central Park, located in the city center. The lake reflects vast stretches of green trees and high-rise buildings. Both natural and man-made forests form the backdrop of Nanhu, creating a captivating landscape of harmony between humans and nature. Besides water, Nanning also has mountains. The most famous is Qingxiu Mountain, located on the southeast bank of the Yong River. It is the largest urban park in Nanning. On the tree-covered hills, there are many natural and cultural attractions, making it the best park in Nanning. From the top of Qingxiu Tower, you can see the entire city. Qingxiu Mountain is also home to the Nanning Botanical Garden, with several well-designed specialty plant garden areas on the northern foothills, definitely worth a visit. In addition to natural scenery, Nanning’s cultural attractions are not to be missed. Although located on the southwestern border, Nanning has a long history. As early as the Jin Dynasty, a city was built here, serving as an important frontier town controlling the Annam region of the two Guang provinces, historically known as Yongzhou. After many years of change, few ancient sites remain, with the most concentrated area being the Sanjie Liangxiang Ancient Cultural District in the city center. This is a key ancient city tourism area in Nanning and well worth a visit. As the capital of Guangxi, Nanning also has abundant cultural resources, such as the Guangxi Museum, Guangxi Ethnic Museum, and Guangxi Culture and Arts Center, all excellent places to visit both for their appearance and content.