Zhaoping County 昭平县

Setting and landscape

Zhaoping sits among outliers of the Nanling range (南岭), mostly earth-covered mountains. The land is higher in the north than the south, with karst depressions in the northeast. The Gui River links the Li River (漓江) upstream with the Xi River (西江) downstream, and the county is one of Guangxi's centres of heavy rain, with about 2,046 mm a year. The county government reports forest cover of 81.73 percent, rising to 98.21 percent in the Qichong National Nature Reserve (七冲国家级自然保护区). Zhaoping is a host venue of the China Dragon Boat Open.

History

The county government dates the area's first administration to 520, when the Liang dynasty set up Jingzhou (静州). A Longping county (龙平县) followed in 972. In 1124 Emperor Huizong renamed it, and the name settled on Zhaoping, whose first character means "bright" (昭). The county reverted to the Longping name in 1179, and Zhaoping county was re-established in 1576.

What to see

Huangyao ancient town (黄姚古镇) lies in the northeast of the county, 40 km from Hezhou's urban area, and takes its name from its two most common surnames, Huang and Yao. Its origins go back to the Song dynasty; it was built up in the Wanli reign of the Ming and flourished under the Qing Qianlong emperor. Guangxi Daily counts more than 300 Ming and Qing buildings, eight flagstone streets and eleven bridges; the best-known sights are the former Guangxi Provincial Working Committee site (广西省工委旧址), the old opera stage (古戏台), the Guo family hall (郭家祠) and Dailong Bridge (带龙桥). Because it is ringed by mountains and was hard to reach, many of its houses keep their Ming and Qing style; during the Japanese invasion many patriots fled here from Guilin. It was named a Chinese historic and cultural town in 2007 and became a national AAAAA scenic area in 2022.

Food and local products

Zhaoping calls its tea "mainland China's earliest spring tea" and has 266,000 mu of tea gardens. Huangyao is known for two geographical-indication products, Huangyao Solomon's-seal wine (黄姚黄精酒) and Huangyao fermented black beans (黄姚豆豉).

Getting oriented

The county seat is Zhaoping town (昭平镇). The Baotou-Maoming Expressway (包茂高速) and National Highways 241 and 355 cross the county.

Highlights

• Huangyao ancient town 黄姚古镇: Song-origin town with over 300 Ming and Qing buildings; national AAAAA scenic area since 2022.
• Qichong National Nature Reserve 七冲国家级自然保护区: Forest cover of 98.21 percent, according to the county government.
• Zhaoping tea 昭平茶: Promoted as mainland China's earliest spring tea.
• Huangyao fermented black beans 黄姚豆豉: Geographical-indication product of Huangyao.