Lying in the mid-west of Guangdong Province and north of the Xijiang River, Zhaoqing is a thriving river port and commodity distribution center whch can be reached by train from Guangzhou.
Seven-Star Rocks (Qixingyan)
In the northern outskirts of Zhaoqing and 13 kilometers from Guangzhou there are seven peaks arranged somewhat like the stars of the Big Dipper. A summer resort with its lakes, rocks, and caves, it has both the charm of Guilin's mountains and the placid beauty of Hangzhou's West Lake. Since the Jin Dynasty (265-420), many tourists have inscribed the walls of the caves with poems eulogizing the fascinating beauty of the place. The most famous inscription is an essay written by Li Yi of the Tang Dynasty in a cave on Stone Chamber Rock (Shishiyan).
Pot Lake Hill (Dinghushan)
A folktale handed down through the ages says that the Yellow Emperor or Huang Di of ancient China used to cast three-legged cooking vessels on this hill eighteen kilometers northeast of Zhaoqing. The spot became a Buddhist shrine in the Tang Dynasty, is one of the four biggest temples south of the Nanling Mountains. The temple still has a huge pot capable of cooking food for more than a thousand people. The hill is a good summer resort with its towering peaks, ancient trees, abundant waterfalls and nice hotels.
