Guanyang County 灌阳县

Setting and landscape

The Dupang Mountains form the boundary with Dao County (道县) and Jiangyong County (江永县) in Hunan. Xing'an (兴安) and Quanzhou (全州) lie to the west and north, Gongcheng (恭城) to the south and Lingchuan (灵川) to the southwest; the county government puts Guilin city 159 km away. A local saying describes the county as "eight parts mountain, one part farmland, half water, half villages". Protected areas include Qianjiadong National Nature Reserve (千家洞国家级自然保护区), Haiyangshan Nature Reserve (海洋山自治区级自然保护区) and Guanjiang National Wetland Park (灌江国家湿地公园).

History

The county records say a county called Guanyang (观阳) existed by 168 BC, with its seat in front of Queer Hill (雀儿山) in today's Xinjie (新街). In 617 it took its present name and moved its seat to today's Guanyang Town, and in 1395 it passed to Guilin Prefecture in Guangxi. In 1854 Red Turban rebels who had taken the county town founded the Shengping Heavenly Kingdom (升平天国) here, with their palace on the site of today's Guanyang No. 2 Middle School. In late 1934, during the Long March, Red Army rearguard units fought Guangxi troops around Yangliujing (杨柳井) near Xinxu (新圩), and more than 3,000 Red Army soldiers died. The county government also calls Guanyang the birthplace of Gui opera (桂剧) and the only place in Guangxi where three brothers, Tang Jingsong (唐景崧), Tang Jingchong (唐景崇) and Tang Jingfeng (唐景崶), all became Hanlin academicians.

What to see

Qianjiadong Scenic Area (千家洞旅游景区), a national AAAA site, combines karst cave groups, an underground river with a 4 km boat ride among stalactites, and Yao heritage. It presents itself as the origin of the legend of the Yao ancestor King Pan (盘王), and its visitor route takes in Xiaolong village (小龙村), where guests make Yao oil tea. The Jiuhaijing Red Army Memorial Park (酒海井红军纪念园), about 8 km north of Xinxu Town, marks the place where more than a hundred Red Army soldiers died in the 1934 Xinxu blocking battle. Begun in 2003, it has a monument, cemetery and exhibition hall, is a national AAAA scenic area, and was listed as a national martyrs' memorial facility in February 2025. The county government counts 32 villages on the national list of traditional villages, the most of any county in Guangxi.

Food and local products

Guanyang oil tea (灌阳油茶) is listed as intangible cultural heritage. Guanyang sweet-potato noodles (灌阳红薯粉) and Guanyang snow pears (灌阳雪梨) carry national geographical-indication status, and the county is also known for Guanyang long jujubes (灌阳长枣) and Guanyang oranges (灌阳橙).

Highlights

• Qianjiadong Scenic Area 千家洞旅游景区: AAAA karst caves and underground river with a 4 km boat ride; linked to the Yao legend of King Pan.
• Jiuhaijing Red Army Memorial Park 酒海井红军纪念园: Memorial to Red Army soldiers killed in the 1934 Xinxu blocking battle; national martyrs' memorial facility since 2025.
• Guanjiang National Wetland Park 灌江国家湿地公园: One of the county's protected areas named by the county government.
• Guanyang oil tea 灌阳油茶: Listed as intangible cultural heritage.
• Guanyang sweet-potato noodles 灌阳红薯粉: National geographical-indication product.