Guangxi Guilin Duxiu Peak Wangcheng Scenic Area Ticket + Wangfu Fu Coffee

The Duxiu Peak and Prince City scenic area traces its history back over 600 years to the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. It was originally built as a vassal city for Zhu Shouqian, the grandnephew of Zhu Yuanzhang. Today, it is a national 5A‑level scenic spot in Guilin, with Duxiu Peak as its landmark attraction.

Within the scenic area, natural landscapes and historical and cultural heritage complement each other, creating a scene described as 'a city within a landscape, and a landscape within a city'. It serves as a carrier for Guilin, a world‑renowned city of landscapes and historical culture. The timeless saying 'Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven' originates from the stone walls of Duxiu Peak. It encompasses three major historical and cultural systems of Guilin, making it a typical representative of the city's history and culture. Stepping into the scenic area is like entering the gateway to Guilin's history and culture. This has given rise to the widely circulated phrase: 'Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven; to know Guilin, one must first explore the Prince City.'

As early as the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the great literary scholar Yan Yanzhi studied and composed poetry at the foot of Duxiu Peak, ushering in a cultural wave in the Lingnan region. During the Tang Dynasty, the first government‑run school in Guangxi's history was established here. In the Song Dynasty, Wang Zhenggong inscribed the timeless phrase 'Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven' on Duxiu Peak, which has become Guilin's most representative slogan. During the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang's military strategist Liu Bowen identified Duxiu Peak as a site of excellent feng shui, leading to the construction of the Jingjiang Princes' Palace. In the Qing Dynasty, the Jingjiang Princes' Palace was converted into the Guangxi Imperial Examination Hall, becoming a major imperial examination venue in the southwestern region. It produced a total of 585 successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations (jinshi) and four top scholars (zhuangyuan), one of whom achieved the rare honour of 'Three Yuan and Ji Di' (coming first in all three levels of the imperial examinations). During the Republican era, Sun Yat‑sen passed through here on his Northern Expedition and set up the Jingjiang Princes' Palace as his headquarters. In 1954, Guangxi Normal University moved into the site. Duxiu Peak and the Prince City are not only a place of outstanding people and spiritual energy but also the political, economic, and cultural centre of Guangxi throughout various dynasties.

【Duxiu Peak】

Duxiu Peak is located in the centre of Guilin. It stands alone, rising abruptly from the ground, and is considered the foremost peak and king of the mountains in Guilin. Climbing to the top offers a panoramic view of the entire city of Guilin, evoking a sense of 'looking down upon all other mountains from a lofty height'. It is hailed as the 'Southern Sky Pillar'. As early as the Southern Dynasties, the great literary scholar Yan Yanzhi wrote a poem describing the majestic grandeur of Duxiu Peak: 'None compares to the solitary peak, towering loftily amid the city walls.'

【Jingjiang Princes' Palace】

The Jingjiang Princes' Palace is a well‑preserved vassal prince site in China and a key attraction within the Duxiu Peak and Prince City scenic area. The Jingjiang Princes' Palace Museum, also known as the 'Chengyun Hall', was the place where ancient princes handled government affairs. Today, the museum showcases the history of the Jingjiang Princes' Palace and the transformation of Guilin. Visitors can gain in‑depth insights through high‑tech holographic projections and 3D projections. They can also personally experience the ancient art of rubbing at the 'Prince's Mansion Rubbing Workshop'.

【Duxiu Peak Cliff Inscriptions】

On the cliffs of Duxiu Peak, there are over 200 cliff inscriptions preserved from various dynasties. The famous timeless phrase 'Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven' originates from this site. A large number of precious Buddha and Tai Sui stone carvings, as well as the Five Blessings series that were featured on the 2017 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, are all part of the cliff inscriptions on Duxiu Peak. These are now classified as nationally protected cultural relics.

【Prince's Palace Secret Rubbings】

The Prince's Palace secret rubbing technique has a history of over a hundred years. It is a colourful feng shui rubbing craft developed by Zhu Zuoijing, the third Prince of Jingjiang. It has now been listed as an intangible cultural heritage. Visitors can experience the ancient rubbing technique here. Learning to produce these Prince's Palace secret rubbings holds significant value for the inheritance and development of Chinese historical culture and folk art.