Guiyang
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Southwest China (西南) » Guizhou (贵州) » Guiyang (贵阳)
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[edit] Overview
Known as the "Pearl on the Plateau", Guiyang is situated on the east of the Yungui Plateau in central Guizhou province. It is the capital of the province, and serves as the political, economic, cultural, scientific and educational center, as well as southwest region's transportation and communication hub, industrial base and business travel services center.
Guiyang adopted its name about 400 years ago because it's located to the south of Guishan Mountain.
Guiyang in the ancient times was known for its bamboo groves and its bamboo musical instrument known as a Zhu (筑). So today the city is also often called as Zhu.
[edit] History
Guiyang has a history of over 1000 years.
The city was first constructed as early as 1283 AD during the Yuan Dynasty. It was originally called Shunyuan (順元), meaning obeying the Yuan (the Mongol rulers). Originally the area was populated by non-Chinese. The Sui dynasty (AD 581–618) had a commandery there, and the Tang dynasty (618–907) a prefecture. They were, however, no more than military outposts, and it was not until the Yuan (Mongol) invasion of southwest China in 1279 that the area was made the seat of an army and a "pacification office." Chinese settlement in the area also began at that time, and, under the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, the town became the seat of a superior prefecture named Guiyang. Locally Guiyang was an important administrative and commercial center with two distinct merchant communities, consisting of the Sichuanese, who lived in the "new" northern part of the city, and those from Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi province, who lived in the "old" southern part. Nevertheless, until the Sino-Japanese War (1937–45), Guiyang was no more than the capital of one of China's least-developed provinces. As elsewhere in the southwest, considerable economic progress was made under the special circumstances of wartime. Road transport infrastructure with Kunming in Yunnan province and with Chongqing in Sichuan (China's wartime provisional capital) and into Hunan were established. Work was begun on a railway from Liuzhou in Guangxi, and after 1949 this development was accelerated. Guiyang has subsequently become a major provincial city and industrial base. In 1959 the rail network in Guangxi was completed, allowing seamless connection from Guizhou to Chongqing to the north, to Kunming to the west, and Changsha to the east.
--from wikipedia.org
[edit] Map
Click here to open Guiyang map.
[edit] Weather
Guiyang boasts year-around pleasant weather. It enjoys a moderate humid subtropical climate with cool summers and warm winters (temperature rarely goes below zero and above 30 ℃). Guiyang does not have dry air and sand storms.
Late July sees the hottest weather with an average temperature of 24 ℃. The coldest days are in early January with the average temperature of 4.6 ℃.
March and April are the best travel seasons. In addition, you can also catch up with a lot of traditional festivals of Miao people during that time.
Current Conditions (2010-03-14 08:00:00, local time)
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Guiyang |
Temp: 57°F (14°C) |
Guiyang Weather Forecast
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| Weather averages for Guiyang | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Avg high °C (°F) | 8 (46) | 10 (50) | 15 (59) | 21 (70) | 24 (75) | 26 (79) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 25 (77) | 20 (68) | 16 (61) | 11 (52) | |
| Avg low °C (°F) | 3 (37) | 4 (39) | 8 (46) | 13 (55) | 16 (61) | 19 (66) | 21 (70) | 20 (68) | 17 (63) | 13 (55) | 9 (48) | 5 (41) | |
| Rain cm (inches) | 1.8 (0.7) | 1.78 (0.7) | 3.16 (1.2) | 5.78 (2.3) | 12.79 (5) | 15.36 (6) | 13.55 (5.3) | 9.54 (3.8) | 5.76 (2.3) | 6.51 (2.6) | 2.79 (1.1) | 1.42 (0.6) | |
| Source: per MSN 2009 | |||||||||||||
[edit] Video
| Guiyang |
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[edit] Getting in & Getting out
[edit] By Air
Guiyang is relatively easy to get to by air with multiple flights daily coming in from Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing as well as other cities in Southwest China - particularly Kunming and Chengdu. The airport (KWE) is officially an "international airport" but options are extremely limited. There is weekly service to and from Hong Kong, Macao, and Bangkok and perhaps Singapore and Malaysia. Travelers flying in from abroad will most likely transfer to a domestic flight to Guiyang in Kunming, Guangzhou, Shanghai or Beijing. From the airport, taxis (¥60 - flat rate) or the airport shuttle bus (¥10, drops off in a few locations around town) take fifteen to twenty minutes to reach downtown. Those interested in saving money may opt to catch a taxi from the bus stops in town rather than directly from the airport. Doing so brings the total for a solo traveler to ¥20 from airport to hotel.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] By Train
Guiyang is a major rail transportation hub in Southwest China. Four major railways (Sichuan-Guizhou, Guiyang-Kunming, Hunan-Guizhou, and Guizhou-Guangxi railways) intersect here.
The train schedules for Guiyang can be found at Guiyang train schedules.
[edit] By Bus
Guiyang has two major long-distance bus stations, one on Nanming Lu near Hebin Park and the second along the road near the train station. Sleeper buses depart for Kunming and towns in Guizhou and Yunnan along the route as well as places as far away as Shenzhen. The long-distance bus stations are also the best location to get buses to Anshun (60-90 minutes) - the gateway to Guizhou's signature Huangguoshu Waterfall. Buses north to Zunyi (two hours) depart every 30 to 60 minutes.
--from wikitavel.org
[edit] By Ship
[edit] Getting Around
[edit] By Public Bus
Guiyang has a well developed bus system although it is entirely in Chinese and takes some getting used to. A local can help you if you know where you are going. All bus fares cost ¥1. Small local buses pick up passengers at various points around town and can take you to Huaxi or more distant districts of the city for ¥2 per person. These buses can get crowded and are forbidden (technically) to carry standing passengers. As a result all of the standing riders are asked to duck when passing the police.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] By Tour Bus
[edit] By Metro
[edit] By Taxi & Rental Car
Guiyang taxis charge ¥10 at flagfall. Short trips withing the city should cost ¥10. This is an excellent way to get around as taxis are everywhere. Note that taxis charge extra late at night (¥12 starting rate although for short trips the driver may let you off with the old ¥10 flat rate). Taxis heading into or out of the city center may pick up extra passengers.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Attractions
- Cave of the Unicorn (Qilling Dong)
- Guiyang Zoo (贵阳动物园)
- Huangguoshu Waterfall (Huanggshu Pubu, 黄果树瀑布)
- Huazi Gongyuan Park (花溪公园)
- Mount Qianlingshan (黔灵山)
- Obelisk
- Jiaxiu Pavilion (zh:甲秀楼)
- Qianlingshan Gongyuan Park (黔灵公园)
- Temple of Great Fortune (Hongfu Si)
- Underground Gardens (Dixia Gongyuan, 地下公园)
[edit] Hotels
[edit] Budget
[edit] Luxury
- Guizhou Park Hotel
- Guilong Hotel
- Jinjiang Flower Hotel
- Miracle Plaza Hotel
- Nenghui Hotel
- Ramada Plaza Guiyang
- Regal Hotel Guizhou
- Trade-Point Hotel
- Howard Johnson Plaza Guiyang
- Shengfeng Hotel
[edit] Restaurants
Guiyang food mainly includes Qian cuisine and local snacks, but it's the typical spicy food throughout Southwest China where extensive use of red chilies and salty dried chili powder dips for hot pots is ubiquitous.
[edit] Video
| Guiyang |
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| Guiyang, China & Hongguoshu Waterfall |
[edit] Shopping
The main shopping streets in Guiyang are Zhonghua Road (中华路) and Yan'an Road (延安路). Zhonghua Road is Guiyang's busiest commercial street with many upper-scale department stores and shopping malls. The Yan'an Road hosts numerous small goods stores and the night market, and they stay open very late into the night.
- Maotai Liquor (茅台酒) - produced in Maotai Town of Renhuai County in Zunyi Prefecture, Maotai holds itself to be one of the world's three most famous distilled liquors. In 1915, Maotai won global fame at the Panama World's Fair. According to Maotai lore, the booth at the fair was largely overlooked by the liquor judges because of the cheap labels and black bottles. In frustration one of the attendants smashed a bottle of Maotai releasing the distinct aroma attracting the judges who later awarded the drink a gold medal. Since 1949, it has won 14 international gold prizes and has been exported to over 100 countries and regions. It is officially known as China's national liquor and served at state banquets. At 106 proof (53% alcohol by volume) it is not for the faint of heart. Maotai is clear and offers a lingering mild and mellow fragrance some liken to soy sauce. For foreigners it can be a bit of an acquired taste but no visit to Guizhou would be complete without trying the province's most famous product.
- Anshun Batik (安顺蜡染画) - Batiks are a traditional handicraft of the Buyi people in the Anshun region to the west of Guiyang. Traditional ethnic designs include flowers, birds, fish and insects on indigo-dyed cotton cloth. More recently artisans have produced more colorful silk and wool batiks. There are over 1,000 different types of batik products now produced including whole cloth, bedding, tapestries, caps and purses. Anshun Batiks can be purchased at expensive tourist shops in Guiyang or for more reasonable and negotiable prices in Anshun itself.
- Guiding Yunwu Tea - Produced in Yunwu Mountain in Guiding County, this tea was offered as tribute to the early Qing court. The leaves resemble fishhooks, thin and soft, with whitish hairs. This green tea is much favored for its low caffeine and high catechol content.
- Yuping Flutes - These elaborately carved flutes are made of local bamboo and produce a clear and beautiful sound. Yuping flutes are traditional local products that have gone on to win international prizes.
- Ethnic Silver Articles - Two ethnic groups, the Miao and Gejia, are famous for silver smithing. Both groups produce headgear, necklaces and bracelets. Each type has its distinct shapes, patterns and motifs. Miao ornaments mainly use dog, cat, horse, insect, flower or bird motifs. The Gejia prefer sun, stars, dragon, phoenix, bat and certain plant motifs. Both styles give Huangping silver ornaments great artistic value.
- Embroidery and Cross-stitch - Miao embroidery is a traditional local handicraft. Design motifs are typically butterflies, birds and interestingly enough marine animals. Cross-stitch patterns follow the warps and wefts of the cloth and the most popular ones are colorful geometric figures.
- Exotic stones and fossils - Guizhou's limestone hills yield a wealth of valuable stones and fossils. As the province also has impressive and commercially exploitable deposits of gold, silver and other minerals, there are a wide variety of mineral stones and samples available. Fossils of Missippian Crinoids and the Guizhousaurus (贵州龙 - a small semi-aquatic dinosaur) are available in many tourist shops. The Guizhousaurus is a common fossil and often found intact and complete so there is actually a fair chance the fossils are legitimate! The buyer will likely notice, however, that the fossils are painted to show the bones more starkly against a darker background of stone.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Night Life & Entertainment
South Park (南方公园 nan fang gong yuan): This is currently the main hangout for the English teaching community and English-speaking local residents. The staff speak excellent English. Local beer starts at ¥5 per bottle and imports start at ¥40. South Park is fairly laid back and unpretentious. Newcomers are always welcomed into the community. London Soho: This bar on Shengfu Lu remains popular with locals and expats alike. The ambiance is a cross between a bar and a Chinese coffee shop.
[edit] Sports & Recreation
[edit] Excursions & Day Trips
Huangguoshu Waterfalls - The waterfalls are on the Baishui River, 15 kilometers From the Zhenning county seat, and 137 kilometers from Guiyang. It measures 74 meters high and 81 meters wide and boasts the biggest of its kind in China and also one of the world's most magnificent. The water billows down into the Xiniu Pool, sending up great spray and creating rainbows. A visit to Huangguoshu Waterfalls is a must for all visitors to Guizhou. It has become a holiday resort where you can forget the outside world and enjoy fabulous scenes and sights, including limestone caves and stone forests. The trip is also tainted with ethnic flavor with a visit to the local Buoyei people. Local legend says that in ancient times the sky suddenly cracked open, causing part of the Milky Way to smash to pieces on the ground. The largest piece hung on the verge of a cliff and became the Huangguoshu Waterfalls, which, in the process of crashing down the cliff, broke into several dozen cascades. When the Milky Way fell, numerous stars came down with it, which were converted into stone forests, crystal-clear pools, bridges and caves. Admission to the park is steep but the scenery is spectacular. The falls can be reached by direct bus from the bus station next to the train station on Zunyi Lu.
Zhijin Cave - As the national scenic spot, the cave is located in Guanzhai Township, 14 miles northeast of Zhijin and 93 miles from Guiyang. It is a gigantic karst cave with the length over 6 miles. Although it looks still primitive in appearance, its karst landform is imposing and magnificent. Covering an area over 74 acres, its widest part is 574 feet and its height exceeds 328 feet. The cave consists of 47 halls and 150 scenic spots in its 11scenic areas.
Longgong Cave (Dragon Palace Cave) - As the national scenic spot, the cave is located in Matou Township, 130 kilometers from Guiyang. Longgong refers to over 90 karst caves linked up like a chain of beads that run through 20 hilltops. Within these 4,000-metre-long caves there are also underground karst lakes. Tourists can enter Longgong Caves at Tianchi (Heavenly Pool) by taking a small boat.
Red Maple Lake - As a national scenic resort, Red Maple Lake is located in the suburb of Qingzhen, 33 kilometers from Guiyang. Covering 57.2 square kilometers, it is the largest man-made lake on the Guizhou Plateau. The lake consists of the North and South lakes. It's renowned for the 170 isles, the numerous caves, the clear water and the quiet bays. Folklore of the Dong and Miao people is demonstrated in the resort.
Wuyang River - Lying in Zhenyuan and Shibing counties, the national scenic area consists of Zhuwan Gorge in Shibing and the Three Gorges in Zhenyuan and extends 50 kilometers. Wuyang River is famous for it picturesque mountain scenes and crystal-clear water. It flows among mountains in eastern Guizhou, creating secluded caves, gurgling springs, rugged rocks and spectacular waterfalls.
--from wikitravel.org
