Diecai Hill


Located north of Guilin by the Li River, Diecai Hill rises abruptly with an elevation of 73 meters. The
grotesque-looking rocks, with patterns suggesting a great pile of folded brocade, gave the hill its present
name Folded Brocade Hill. Covering an area of 2 square kilometers, the hill consists of Yuyue Hill,
Siwang Hill (Look-on-All-Direction Hill), Crane Peak and Bright Moon Peak.

Composed of four scenic peaks is one of the three renowned tourist attractions in the city of Guilin. (The
other two are Fubo Hill and Solitary Beauty Hill.) Many charming scenes such as Diecai Pavilion, Diecai
Archway, Windy Cave and Cloud-catching Pavilion scatter on the hill.

The hill became well-known during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) 1,000 years ago. It was a place where
poets and writers found and gathered their poetic inspiration amidst the enthralling surrounding scenery
. Hundreds of poems inscribed on the hill’s cliffs from the past dynasties add extra charm to the site.

Diecai Pavilion, covering an area of 64sqm, is 5m high, 7.5m long and 8.5m wide with Yuyue Hill in the
east, Siwang Hill west and Bright Moon Peak north. Dexterously designed and elaborately built, the pavilion is single-storied with four angles, red
pillars and a flat top, which is harmonious with the surroundings.

With a horizontal board inscribed "Diecai Hill" hanging on it, Diecai Archway is a quite exquisite ancient building. A cave penetrating the Bright Moo
n Peak was named Windy Cave, which is roomy in both mouths and narrow in the middle. The cave is famous for 90 Buddha images of the Tang
and Song dynasties, as well as dozens of ancient stone carvings inside. Located at the top of the Folded Brocade Hill, Cloud-catching Pavilion,
which is round and single -eaved in shape with a pinnacle, commands a splendid view of scenery noted early in the Tang dynasty.

Besides these, there are stone inscription on cliff by many celebrities in Climbing up Bright- Moon
Peak and wandering around Catching Clouds pavilion visitors can have bird's eye view of the
whole city of Guilin. A famous poem says "when you are enjoying spreading fog among hills
around, you might wonder if you stayed in heaven".