Yangshuo County

The area has been inhabited for about 3,000 years.^[1]

In 590 CE, under Emperor Wen of Sui, Yangshuo County was incorporated.^[1] At the time, the county hosted a street 5 metres (16 ft) wide, and 200 metres (660 ft) long that would become contemporary West Street [zh].^[1]

Yangshuo County would briefly fall under Japanese occupation in 1944, and Imperial Japanese troops looted many prominent local businesses in the county during that time.^[1]

By the 1970s, domestic tourism in Yangshuo County was commonplace, and the government made efforts to open up the county to foreign tourists, including European and American tourists.^[1] The area became a destination for young foreign backpackers, who would often visit during a gap year.^[1] Foreign tourism in Yangshuo County would grow rapidly in subsequent decades, with West Street serving as a major hub for foreign tourists.^[1] By the 1990s, nearly all shops on West Street were operated by foreigners,^[1] and organized tours in the area began.^{[citation needed]} Foreign tourists in Yangshuo County would outnumber domestic tourists by 2005.^{[citation needed]} Since West Street is popular with locals and foreigners alike, signs are written in both Chinese and English.^{[citation needed]} Because of the relatively high number of foreign visitors, many locals speak some English, unlike most Chinese towns of its size.^[2]

The Yangshuo region has numerous locations for climbing, and they are accessible by bicycle, public bus, or taxi van.^{[citation needed]} The most famous of these crags is Moon Hill, which has several lines graded 5.13 in the Yosemite scale.^{[citation needed]} Other crags of note include Low Mountain, Twin Gates, Baby Frog, the Egg, Bamboo Grove, and Wine Bottle Cliff.^{[citation needed]}

Yangshuo County is divided into 6 towns and 3 townships:^[3]

Towns

• Yangshuo [zh] (阳朔镇)
• Baisha (白沙镇)
• Fuli (福利镇)
• Xingping [zh] (兴坪镇)
• Putao (葡萄镇)
• Gaotian [zh] (高田镇)

Townships

• Jinbao Township [zh] (金宝乡)
• Puyi (普益乡)
• Yangdi Township [zh] (杨堤乡)

Tourism is a major component of Yangshuo County's economy.^[1] West Street [zh] serves as a major local focal point for tourism, receiving over 21.1 million tourists in 2023, and is lined with various tourist-oriented shops and restaurants.^[1] Due to the county's popularity with foreign tourists, including those who speak English, the county has a sizable English language learning industry.^[1]

• Li River
• Moon Hill
• Yulong River
• Silver Cave

• Baisha, Yangshuo County
• Putao, Guangxi
• Puyi Township, Guangxi

Yangshuo has city partnerships with the following cities and/or regions:

• Morehead, Kentucky, United States (1994)
• Rapid City, South Dakota, United States (2000)
• Bled, Upper Carniola, Slovenia (2009)
• Annecy-le-Vieux, Haute Savoie, France (2011)

• Yangshuo County
• 
  Li river
• 
  Waterfront
• 
  Street in Yangshuo
• 
  The town of Yangshuo
• 
  Market of Yangshuo
• 
  Mushan village
• 
  Farming between karst peaks
• 
  Farmer's home
• 
  View of Moon Hill
• 
  Impression Liu Sanjie