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---History
Guilin has a long history, dating back to over 2,000 thousand years ago. It was first established by the Emperor Qinshihuang (the First Emperor in China�s imperial history whose Terra Cotta Army Museum is among the best-known sights in China). Guilin�s good location near the junction of two waterways connecting the South and Central China made it a significant historical city. Guilin began to develop as a political and cultural center in the Three-Kingdom Period when it served as the capital of the Shi�an Shire(a kind of administrative unit used in China�s ancient Qin an d Han Dynasties more than 2,000 years ago). Guilin flourished during the Tang Dynasty when it became a big city with great halls and huge city walls. Guilin was the capital of today�s Guangxi and Hainan Inland provinces during the Song Dynasty. Guilin had its political heyday during the Ming Dynasty when generations of Jing JIang Princes ruled here. Their palace is well preserved and is now the site of one of the campuses of the Guangxi Normal University. It served as the capital city of Guangxi Province until the founding of the People�s Republic of China in 1949 when it was replaced by Nanning. Guilin has become a a city renowned for its beauty and tourist attractions and enjoys great fame throughout China and internationally.
---Local Specialties
Guilin sanhua alcohol, Guilin fermented bean curd and Guilin chili sauce are considered to be Guilin's three treasures, and are top choices with visitors to the city.
Products made from sweet-scented osmanthus are also recommended since the name of Guilin literally means forests of osmanthus. Osamnthus tea, sugar and wine will bring you sweet memories of this city.
The gingko tree is described as a living fossil. Gingko is said to promote healthy blood circulation, moistens facial skin and so chases away wrinkles. It is so versatile that it can also be made into drinks and snacks.
Guilin chufas can be eaten as fruit or as a vegetable. Chufas, sometimes referred to as tiger nuts in the West, are grown in Guilin and are very sweet and crispy. Chufa paste, chufa panocha and canned chufa each have their own unique flavors and will add extra zest to your cooking.
Luo Han Kuo got its name as it looks like the belly of Buddha. Luohan means arhat in Chinese. This fruit has long been a traditional Chinese herb. It is sweet and mellow and is considered conducive to the system and helps lower blood pressure. Instant Luo Han Kuo tea is a very convenient way to prepare it and preserves the original flavor of the fruit.
Shaddock is the best-known fruit in Guangxi. Shaddock is sweet with a light scent. It is rich in Vitamin C.
Cumquat is a citrus like fruit with a sweet rind and acidic center. It can be eaten fresh or be made into a sweetmeat, canned or squeezed as a fruit juice drink. It is rich in Vitamin C1, B2, B1, P, Ca, etc.
Sugar cane is one of the main winter crops in Guilin. It is a must during the Spring Festival as it can help to dispel a hang over and the unwelcome effects of fatty foods.
Lipu taro, chestnut, persimmon and green tea are worth trying, too
---Shopping
Guilin International Tourism Commodity Wholesale City is one of the largest wholesale markets for tourist souvenirs in China. You can find Guilin paintings, stones, root carving as well as Burmese jade ware, Fujian woodcarving, Qingtian stone carving, Yixing clay pot, Suzhou embroidery, and Hunan embroidery.
Every evening, thousands of locals and travelers will rush into the Guilin Zhengyang Buxing (pedestrian) Street for shopping, entertainment and dining. The dazzling lights from various shops, the bubbling people, the multifarious goods justify this stree's reputation as "the first street in western China". | 
