[Guilin | Fall Fantasy in an Ink Painting Scroll]

When the morning mist of the Li River drifts over the verdant peaks, and the rice waves of Longji ripple into golden steps, Guilin’s autumn is painting an ultimate romance on the karst canvas with a millennia-old Eastern brushstroke! From October to November, this mountain-water city praised by Xu Xiake as the "World of Jade Lotus and Jade Bamboo Shoots" will unlock the pinnacle of Chinese aesthetics for you with the fragrance of osmanthus, ginkgo rain, and red Chinese tallow. 📍 Five Sacred Autumn Scenes ❶ Li River Essence Section "Green Ribbon" 🌫️ Magical Moment: Fishermen poling bamboo rafts in the morning mist from Yangdi to Xingping 📸 Classic Shot: The 20 RMB banknote scene with a tripod for perfect light and shadow 🎑 Immersive Experience: Bamboo rafting past the reflection of Huangbu and the Nine Horse Fresco Hill ❷ Longji Terraces "Golden Stairway to Heaven" 🍚 Harvest Festival: Viewing golden rice waves from the Jiulong Wuhu viewing platform in Ping’an Village 🔥 Cultural Wonder: Red Yao women harvesting with bamboo baskets like moving rainbows 🌄 Photography Magic: Capture ink-wash effects of terraces in early morning mist ❸ Lingchuan Haiyang Village "Ginkgo Empire" 🌳 Stunning Scale: A million ancient ginkgo trees creating a golden kingdom 💛 Tree Pilgrimage: Thousand-year-old ginkgo leaves in Datongmuwan thick as quilts 🧺 Exclusive Experience: Learn to make ginkgo leaf collage bookmarks with villagers ❹ Mao’er Mountain "Peak of South China" 🍁 Color Explosion: Southern hemlocks and sweetgum trees weave a rainbow forest 🚡 Easy Summit: Cable car ride through the sea of clouds to harvest autumn colors 🐾 Secret Exploration: Visit the habitat of the Chinese giant salamander at the Li River source ❺ Jingjiang Princes’ City "Osmanthus Palace" 🏮 Ancient Charm: Century-old golden osmanthus petals carpet the Ming dynasty city walls 🎎 Cultural Elegance: Mid-Autumn poetry gathering in Hanfu under Duxiu Peak 🍵 Exclusive Delicacy: Osmanthus aged lotus root soup served at the Princes’ City Hotel 📅 Autumn Timeline ▪️ Osmanthus Season: Sept 28 - Oct 20 (city filled with sweet fragrance) ▪️ Golden Rice Window: Oct 8 - 25 (before terrace harvest) ▪️ Ginkgo Peak: Nov 1 - 20 (three weeks of falling leaves rain) ▪️ Maple Red Season: Nov 15 - Dec 5 (latest at Mao’er Mountain) 🚣 Classic Itinerary Plan D1: Guilin → Daxu Ancient Town for honey tangerine picking → Bamboo rafting on Li River chasing the sunset D2: Longji Terraces hiking → Huangluo Yao Village long hair dance → Stay at mountaintop guesthouse D3: Haiyang Village ginkgo rain → Jingjiang Princes’ City night tour → Boat ride on Two Rivers and Four Lakes 🍜 Autumn Delicacies 🔸 Osmanthus jelly: a crystal-clear dessert made with city-wide golden osmanthus 🔸 Li River beer fish: paired with freshly harvested rice for autumn richness 🔸 Ginkgo old duck soup: slow-cooked three hours over farmhouse fire in Haiyang Village 🔸 Longji chili stuffed pork: a terrace red chili wrapped local pork masterpiece 🏡 Unique Stays ✅ Li River riverside guesthouse: Poetry & Distance · Xiangshan Pavilion (window view of city emblem) ✅ Terrace view room: Yunqi · Yao Village (terrace facing Seven Stars and moon) ✅ Ginkgo ancient courtyard: Haiyang Village Ginkgo Manor (sleep under thousand-year-old tree crowns) 📸 Photo Tips ▪️ Li River fishing lights: long exposure at dusk to capture starry lights and reflections ▪️ Terrace lines: aerial shots revealing geometric beauty of harvested land ▪️ Ginkgo portraits: wear Hanfu and toss leaves for dynamic flying effect ▪️ Osmanthus rain mood: macro lens to capture falling petal trails 💡 Traveler’s Tips ❗ Weather Key: Li River clouds and mist are most magical after early autumn rain clears ❗ Transport Tip: Rent an electric bike to ride along field paths (30 RMB/day) ❗ Pitfall Alert: Be cautious of “wild guides” collecting ginkgo fruit ❗ Cultural Respect: Ask permission before filming Yao village long hair dressing performances 🛶 When the raftman’s mountain song startles the egrets, you will understand what it means to "wish to be a Guilin local rather than an immortal" in this autumn fairy tale~