Duxiu Peak and Prince Jing's Mansion
Duxiu Peak (独秀峰, "Solitary Beauty Peak") is a single limestone pinnacle standing inside the walls of the Ming dynasty residence of the Jingjiang princes, in the middle of Guilin. One ticket covers both: 100 yuan for adults in 2026, half price for students and children aged 6 to 18. From 8 October to 7 December the site opens 07:30 to 18:00. Summer hours (1 May to 7 October) are 08:00 to 18:30, and winter (8 December to the end of February) 08:00 to 18:00. Come for two reasons: the rock inscription at the foot of the peak where the saying "Guilin's scenery is the finest under heaven" was first written down, and the short, steep climb to the top. Allow two hours.
The rest of the city is in the Guilin travel guide.
The inscription at Reading Rock
Everyone in China knows the line 桂林山水甲天下, "Guilin's scenery is the finest under heaven". For a long time nobody knew who wrote it first. In 1983, while cleaning rock carvings at Reading Rock (读书岩), a small cave at the eastern foot of Duxiu Peak, local heritage workers found a Southern Song inscription under a crust of flowstone. It carried the Jiatai reign name and the signature of Wang Zhenggong of Siming (modern Ningbo). It was a pair of poems he wrote in 1201 for a banquet honouring successful local examination candidates, and the famous line opens the second poem.
The carving is small and easy to walk past. Ask a guide or follow the signs to Reading Rock. When a tour group is gathered in front of it, wait a few minutes rather than reading over shoulders.
The princes' city
The first Prince of Jingjiang was a grand-nephew of the Hongwu Emperor, the first Ming emperor, and his residence was completed in the 15th year of the Hongwu reign. The walled compound survived the dynasty and was later used for the provincial examination hall, the largest in Guangxi's history. In the 1920s Sun Yat-sen made it his headquarters for the Northern Expedition. Today it shares its grounds with a campus of Guangxi Normal University, so you'll see students walking to class between the gates and halls.
The site's themes are the Ming princely system, the examinations and the blue-and-white meiping vases found in the princes' tombs outside the city. Labels are mostly in Chinese. If you don't read it, the walls, gates and the peak itself still make the visit worthwhile, but expect atmosphere more than detailed explanation. By the Crescent Pool at the eastern foot of the peak stands a memorial tower to Sun Yat-sen.
Climbing the peak
The peak got its name from a line by the fifth-century poet Yan Yanzhi, who praised a solitary peak "towering among the city walls". Reading Rock, on its eastern side, is said to be where he studied. The stairs to the Duxiu Pavilion at the top are steep and narrow, with handrails, but the climb is short. The reward is a 360-degree view over central Guilin, with the Li River to the east and karst peaks rising out of the city in every direction. In hot weather, climb early or late, as the upper section has little shade. After heavy rain, parts of the path may be closed.
If you can't manage the stairs, the visit still works. Reading Rock and the halls are at ground level.
Tickets
| Ticket | 2026 price |
|---|---|
| Adult (18 to 64) | 100 yuan |
| Full-time students (18 to 25, with student ID) | 50 yuan |
| Children aged 6 to 18 | 50 yuan |
| Under 6 or under 1.2 m | Free |
Buy at the gate or through the scenic area's official WeChat account (桂林独秀峰王城景区), under "门票预定". The scenic area has warned about cut-price tickets resold on second-hand platforms, so stick to official channels. Other concessions, for older visitors, soldiers and others, are handled at the ticket window with ID.
Getting there and timing
The main gate is at 1 Wangcheng Road in the city centre, a short walk from the Zhengyang pedestrian street area and the central hotels. Most city buses along Jiefang Road stop within a few minutes' walk.
It works well in two places in a Guilin trip:
- On the city day before the Li River cruise, after Elephant Trunk Hill in the morning. In that case skip Diecai Hill, since one city summit is enough.
- On the way back from Yangshuo, after a morning raft on the Yulong River. Check the last-entry time, since the road back can take longer than planned.
If you're choosing between this and Reed Flute Cave for a spare half-day, pick Duxiu for history and Reed Flute for geology.
Frequently asked questions
Where does "Guilin's scenery is the finest under heaven" come from?
From a poem by the Southern Song official Wang Zhenggong, written in 1201 and carved at Reading Rock at the foot of Duxiu Peak. The carving was rediscovered in 1983.
How much is Duxiu Peak?
100 yuan for adults in 2026, covering both Prince Jing's Mansion and the peak. Students and children aged 6 to 18 pay 50 yuan.
Is the Duxiu Peak climb difficult?
It is short but steep, on narrow stairs with handrails. Avoid the middle of a hot day, as there is little shade near the top.