Guilin Elephant Trunk Hill – A Millennium of Charm in a Landscape Painting

At the confluence of the Li River and Taohua River, a natural sculpture with both form and spirit stands above the water – this is the Elephant Trunk Hill, the emblem of Guilin. Millions of years of flowing water have sculpted this 25-meter-high karst peak into the fantastic posture of a giant elephant drinking water from the river, with its long trunk exploring the water and its eyes full of affection, like the most vivid line of landscape poetry between heaven and earth.

Wonders of Water and Moon: The Two Wonders of Lijiang River
Pass through the Shuiyue Cave between the elephant’s trunk and body, and watch a clear stream flowing through the rocks. When boating on a moonlit night, the reflection in the cave looks like a bright moon floating on the waves. This eternal wonder of “a bright moon under the water and a bright moon floating on the water” has attracted literati such as Lu You and Fan Chengda to leave poems here. There are more than 50 cliff carvings from the Tang and Song dynasties on the cave walls, which make this natural wonder permeated with the fragrance of humanities.

Puxian Pagoda: Buddhist secret language on the elephant’s back
Climbing up to the elephant’s back, the 14-meter-high Puxian Pagoda stands on the green peak like a treasure bottle, or like the handle of a sword pointing to the sky. This Ming Dynasty pagoda and Elephant Mountain together form the auspicious totem of “peace and prosperity”. When the tower’s shadow is reflected in the Li River, it further demonstrates the mysterious artistic conception of “a treasure bottle hanging in the air and a divine elephant carrying blessings”.

Love Island: A romantic landmark with mountains and water as evidence
The Love Island extending from the foot of the mountain is surrounded by water on three sides. In spring, peach and plum trees compete for beauty, while in autumn, red maple leaves look like fire. The giant sculpture of Flowers and Full Moon faces the Elephant Trunk Hill across the river, becoming a natural witness to the vows made by countless lovers.

Travel Tips
Best view: Take a bamboo raft in the early morning mist to watch the “Divine Elephant Bathing in the Clouds”, and climb the observation deck at dusk to watch the “Golden Elephant Drinking from the River”.
Hidden secrets: Yunfeng Temple on the southern foot of Xiangshan Mountain retains the only Ming Dynasty screen wall in Guilin, quietly telling the Zen spirit for 600 years
Night tour experience: The Elephant Trunk Hill under the illumination of lights becomes the real-life stage of “Legend of Elephant Hill”, where light and shadow interpret ancient myths
Linked gameplay: A 10-minute walk will take you to the Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Area, unlocking a 360-degree panoramic water and landscape gallery

This ecological wonder, praised by Xu Xiake as “piercing the edge of the river and straddling the water”, is not only the spiritual footnote of Guilin’s world-class landscape, but also a geological epic left to mankind by nature. Come to the Li River for a thousand-year-old appointment with the divine elephant, and understand the secrets of Guilin’s mountains and rivers in the flow of light and shadow.