Elephant Trunk Hill

Situated on the western bank of the Li River in the southeastern part
of the city, Elephant Trunk Hill is a landmark of Guilin.



The hill got its name because of its appearance resembling a huge
elephant drinking at the riverside with its long trunk. With an
elevation of about 200 meters (660 feet), the hill was the result of
limestone deposits left around 3.6 million years ago. Between the
trunk and the legs of the elephant, there is a round cave running
through the hill from north to south. It looks like a moon floating on
the water, hence the name Water-Moon Cave. On a fine evening, the cave
with the waving waters gleaming under the moonlight creates a
spectacular scene of 'three moons': the water-moon cave, the moon in
the sky and the moon reflected on the water. A pavilion was built in
the cave where poets gathered and now on the cliff in and around the
cave are numerous poets' inscriptions from past dynasties.





Walking out of Water-Moon Cave, you will find a flight of steps
ascending to the elephant's 'eye' at the southern hillside. The 'eye'
is actually a 2-meter-high (7 feet) , 20-meter-long (66 feet) cave
that goes through the hill from south to north. It is called 'Elephant
Eyes Cave'. The 'eye' on the northern hillside is inaccessible. The
cave offers excellent views of the Li River. Leaving the 'eye', the
steps continue to the top of the hill where a Tibetan-style stupa
stands. It dates from the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and is called
Puxian Pagoda.