Guilin

A prefecture-level city in the northeastern part of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. Known as a tourist city along the upper reaches of the Gui River, which is part of the Pearl River system. It has jurisdiction over six city districts, including Lingui, nine counties, including Yangshuo and Xing'an, and two autonomous counties (as of 2016). Population: 5,265,000 (2014). Developed as a strategic location south of the Lingqu Canal, which connects the Yangtze River system and the Pearl River system, it was once the political and cultural center of Guangxi Province, and also an important military location. Currently, the city is served by the Xianggui Line (Hengyang-Pingxiang) and the Xianggui High Speed ​​Railway (Hengyang-Nanning), which opened in 2013, and with Guilin Liangjiang International Airport located near the city, it is the northeastern gateway to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is a distribution center for rice, cotton, silk, etc., and industries such as steel, textiles, chemical fertilizers, and electrical machinery are well developed.

Since ancient times, Guilin has been praised for its magnificent scenery, with the words "Guilin's mountains and rivers are the best in the world." It is the number one tourist destination in the autonomous region, and attracts many foreign tourists. The city and its outskirts are surrounded by a forest of solitary peaks, which are unique to limestone regions, and the city's limestone caves are also well developed, presenting a unique sight. In the center of the city, there is Dokushuifeng Mountain, and to the north, there is Jiaxing Mountain. From the peaks of these mountains, you can see the panoramic view of Huobo Mountain below, Qixing Mountain, Yueya Mountain, and Byobu Mountain across the river, and Zoubi Mountain downstream. The limestone cave at Luo Fue Rock is also beautiful. These karst topography were added to the World Heritage List of Natural Heritage Sites in 2014 as a component of the "Southern China Karst" (World Natural Heritage). River boat rides are also famous.

[Aoki Chieko, Kono Michihiro, Editorial Department, August 21, 2017]

"Hiroji Kubota, "Hiroji Kubota Photo Collection: Guilin Dreams" (1982, Iwanami Shoten)" ▽ "China Color Library 4: Travels in Guilin" (1981, Minomi) edited by China People's Art Publishing House"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国南部、広西(こうせい)チワン族自治区北東部の地級市。珠江(しゅこう)水系に属する桂江(けいこう)上流の江(りこう)に沿う観光都市として知られる。臨桂(りんけい)など6市轄区、陽朔(ようさく)、興安(こうあん)など9県および2自治県を管轄する（2016年時点）。人口526万5000（2014）。長江(ちょうこう)（揚子江(ようすこう)）水系と珠江水系を結ぶ霊渠(れいきょ)運河の南の要地として開け、かつては広西省の政治、文化の中心地で、軍事上の重要地点でもあった。現在は湘桂(しょうけい)線（衡陽(こうよう)―憑祥(ひょうしょう)）や2013年開通の湘桂高速鉄道（衡陽―南寧(なんねい)）が通じ、また市街近郊には桂林両江国際空港があり、広西チワン族自治区の北東の入口となっている。米、綿花、絹などの集散地で、鉄鋼、紡織、化学肥料、電機などの工業が発達している。

　古くから「桂林の山水は天下に冠たり」とたたえられた絶景の地で、自治区第一の観光地であり、外国人の観光客も多い。市内および市周辺を囲むように石灰岩地域特有の孤峰が林立し、鍾乳洞(しょうにゅうどう)も発達、世界に類のない奇観を呈する。市の中心部には独秀峰、その北に対峙(たいじ)して畳彩(じょうさい)山がそびえ、それらの山頂からは眼下に洑波(ふくは)山、江を隔てて七星山、月牙(げつが)山、屏風(びょうぶ)山、江の下流に象鼻(ぞうび)山などが一望のもとに望まれる。ほかに蘆笛岩(ろてきがん)の鍾乳洞も美しい。これらのカルスト地形は2014年に「中国南方カルスト」の構成資産として世界遺産の自然遺産に追加登録された（世界自然遺産）。江下りも有名である。

［青木千枝子・河野通博・編集部　2017年8月21日］

『久保田博二著『久保田博二写真集　桂林夢幻』（1982・岩波書店）』▽『中国人民美術出版社編『中国カラー文庫4　桂林の旅』（1981・美乃美）』

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