Guizhou province known for short as Qian, is situated at southwest of China. It has an area of 170 thousand square kilometers and a population of 33 million.
Guizhou province is located at the northeastern part of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau with high terrain in the west and low relief in the middle. The surface is rugged and rough. The headwaters of these areas belong to the Yangtze River System and Wujiang the principal river flows through the north. The province belongs to the subtropical humid monsoon climatic zone. Mercury, stibium, lead, manganese and coal are ranked as the most important minerals.
In the field of industries, priorities are placed on the development of coal, metallurgy, chemical, machinery, electric power, cigarette, textile and papermaking industries. In the fields of agriculture and by-products, there are mainly paddy rice, maize, rapeseed, tobacco; and the outputs of tung oil, oil tea, Chinese Tallow, raw lacquer, tea and traditional Chinese medicinal materials have occupied a predominant position in the domestic market. Railway is the priority communication line and highway traffic also plays an important role in communication.
The landforms with widely dispersed karst topography in Guizhou Province have created a picturesque scenery with grandeur. Places of historic interest and scenic beauty are the Yellow Fruit Tree Waterfall, Anshun Water Cave of Dragon Palace, Gold-knit Cave, Red Maple Lake and the Lesser Seven-Arched Scenic Site. There are such traditional local products and specialties as Anshun Wax Printing, Jade Screen Whistle and Flute, Ruled Pattern Lacquerware, Maotai and Dong (spirits).
Recommended Scenic Spots
Haungguoshu Falls
One of the grandest sights of Guizhou Province is Chinas largest waterfall-one of the best known falls in the world -- near the Yunnan-Guizhou Highway in Zhenning Bouyei and Miao Nationalities Autonomous County in western Guizhou. When water of the Dabang River which is twenty meters wide comes to Huangguoshu it descends nine times and the largest fall is Huangguoshu Falls. As the water pours down from a cliff over 50 meters high into the people called Rhinoceros Pool, the roaring sound can be heard several miles away. There is a cave in the cliff behind the curtain of water; it is called, as one might expect , Waterfall Cave. A narrow stone passageway has been built leading to Rhinoceros Pool. From there, a tourist can view the waterfall up close and enter Waterfall Cave behind the curtain of water
Zhijin Cave
The Zhijin Cave Scenic Spot lies in Zhijin county. Covering an area of 450 square kilometers, it is one of the scenic spots of state rank. The whole scenic spot consists of four parts - the ancient town of Zhijin, the Zhijin Cave, the Jie River Gorge and the Hongjia Ferry. As the cream of this scenic spot, the Zhijin Cave is the biggest treasury of cave resource, both in scale and peculiar shape, discovered in China at the moment. The cave extends about 10 kilometers. The broadest part of the cave is of 173 meters and the highest reaches 150 meters. There are more than 40 kinds of karst precipitation forms in the cave including the main kinds of those in the karst caves all over the world and known as the "Karst Museum". Out of it are villages of the Buyi, Miao and Yi nationalities.
Huaxi
Located on the outskirts of Guiyang city in Guizhou Province, and embraced by mountains, Huaxi scenic area is endowed with dense vegetation and crystal-clear waters. Its a famous tourist scenic spot for being exquisite, meandering, quiet and secluded yet at the same time, rough, open and broad. There are 108 islands of various size and shape on the lake.
The is
lands resemble numerous brilliant stars embellished upon the transparent sky. Layer upon layer of reflections of the surrounding mountains on the lake are so vivid and clear. The lush mountains rising one upon another and the luxuriantly green forests around the lake enhance its beauty and grace.
Huaxi Park: The Huaxi River serpentines along exquisite small hills which abound in limestone caves with gurgling underground streams. The clear and graceful waters of the winding Huaxi River flow through hills, over cliffs, under bridges and dash against rock walls, giving rise to myriad little torrents, mini-waterfalls, small pools and tiny shoals. Along its two banks orderly arrayed are houses, terraces, pavilions, towers, villas, hotels, stairways etc. built with superb workmanship. All these add up to its fascinating beauty.
Viewed from afar, the nearby Linshan Hill, less than a hundred meters in height, looks like a natural miniature potted scenery. Its covered with tiers of green rocks, circumscribed by zigzag trails, and penetrated by limestone grottoes. The Tower of Drifting Clouds nestles adroitly within the Hill. Ascending to the Hill top, one has a panoramic view of Huaxi: on the mountain sides, small bridges span the churning streams, waterfalls crash down upon the blue waters, and the rolling river slows down to merge with the belt-shaped small lake. Tourists can enjoy the beautiful sights along the riverbanks in a boat.