Guilin History

Located in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin is a very famous scenic city in the world, which is the key scenic and tourist city and garden city in China. Having a long history, Guilin is the first batch of historical and cultural city named by the State Council.
 

In Ancient Times

In Xia (2100BC-1600), Shang (1600BC-1100BC) and Zhou (1100BC-771BC) Dynasty, Guilin was the residence for Baiyue people (small tribes in the south of China in ancient time). In 214BC, Qin Shihuang (the first Emperor in Qin Dynasty) set three prefectures such as Guilin, Xiang and Nanhai. That was the earliest original name for Guilin. But the early prefecture was not in today’s Guilin City.

In 111BC in Han Dynasty (202BC-220), Shianxian County was set in here and in Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), it was changed into Anhou Kingdom. During the period of Three Kingdom, this place firstly belonged to Shu (a small kingdom in Three Kingdom), and finally to Wu (a small kingdom in Three Kingdom). In 265, Shian Prefecture was built, which is located in Guilin (at present).

In Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), this place belonged to Guangnanxilu which administrated today’s Guangxi and Hainan Provinces and in Ming (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it belonged to Guangxi Guilin government office. In 1911, it was changed into the capital of Guangxi Province.
 

In Modern Time

In 1940, Guilin City was firstly set up. But during 1944 to 1945, it was occupied by Japanese army. After recovering, this place was provincially administered municipality. But in the history, Guilin was the capital of Guangxi Province. In 1949, after the liberation, Guilin became the provincial city.

In 1958, the name was changed again into Guilin City under the administration of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In 1981 and 1983, Yangshuo and Lingui were put under the management of Guilin City individually. In 1996, according to the compartment from the State Council, the government in Guilin City named the suburbs Yanshan District. In 1999, announced by the State Council, the Guilin City and the area around Guilin were merged, building the new Guilin City.

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