Situated 25kms to the north of Yangshou, Shitou Cheng is an ancient town which covers approximately 10kms in total.
This remarkable town has been constructed entirely from different stones, originally constructed by the Kingdom of Chu during the Warring State Period. Shitou Cheng was then extended during the Later Han Dynasty and a massive stone wall was built around the circumference, measuring about 9,000 meters in total.
The wall circling the stone city features four enormous stone gates leading in four different directions. There are also 18 small stone gates in the inner wall. Many visitors to Shitou Cheng also take the time to climb the nearby mountains, which are situated 400 meters above sea level. It is about three kilometers from the foot of the mountains to the summit, and the climb isn’t too difficult.
Shitou Cheng is a good place to visit on a daytrip from Yangshou as it is just 25kms away and there are regular buses. There are plenty of accommodation and tourist attractions in Yangshou. However, getting to Yangshou is a little tricky as there is no airport or train station and most visitors arrive in Guilin first.
Getting There & Away
The easiest way to get to Shitou Cheng is by flying into Guilin Airport and then taking a bus (90 minutes). Guilin Airport is connected to the international airports at Beijing and Hong Kong (50 minutes). There are also buses to Shitou Cheng from Yangshuo (20 minutes).