In a remarkable transition from the flat plains of Kansas to the dramatic karst formations of Southern China, American expatriate Gabrielle Chen documents her profound encounter with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region’s natural wonders. Her journey through Liuzhou, Hechi, and Guilin reveals a landscape so visually stunning it challenges perception itself.
Chen describes Guangxi as a ‘dreamscape’ where mist-veiled mountains pierce the sky and crystalline waters create perfect mirror images of the dramatic topography. This stands in stark contrast to the familiar flat expanses of her Kansas homeland, presenting what she characterizes as nature’s most concentrated artistic achievement.
The experiential highlight occurred during a bamboo raft excursion across Pohao Lake, where the gentle rhythm of waves synchronized with what Chen describes as a spiritual awakening. Passing beneath ancient stone bridges, she felt she was ‘looking into the Earth’s soul,’ witnessing an seamless integration of mountain, sky, and water that transcends verbal description.
Chen’s journey included the iconic Liujiang River in Yangshuo, where she replicated the famous imagery from China’s 20 yuan banknote—a symbolic connection between representation and reality. Her account emphasizes that Guangxi’s beauty remains fundamentally un-capturable through reproduction, existing instead as a purely experiential phenomenon that must be personally encountered to be fully appreciated.
This personal narrative emerges from China Daily’s ongoing series featuring expatriates sharing their experiences across Chinese cities and regions, highlighting cross-cultural appreciation of China’s diverse geographical wonders.