The "Two Rivers and Four Lakes" in Guilin refer to the Li River, Taohua River, Mulong Lake (including Tiefotang), Gui Lake, Rong Lake, and Shan Lake. The circular urban water system is 7.33 kilometers in total length with a water surface area of 385,900 square meters. This project was first formed during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). At that time, boats crisscrossed on Rong Lake, Shan Lake, and Gui Lake, attracting numerous tourists and thriving for a time. Due to the long passage of time, some lakes and ponds have been filled in.
In order to recreate the prosperous scene of Guilin's "water city" in ancient times and restore the urban water tour mode of Guilin in the Song Dynasty, the concept of the "Two Rivers and Four Lakes" project in Guilin was first proposed by the Guilin Municipal Government on September 18, 1998. After more than 1000 days and nights of arduous efforts by the builders, the "Two Rivers and Four Lakes" of Guilin was navigable on the morning of June 2, 2002. The dream of the famous Southern Song poet Liu Kezhuang to praise Guilin as "thousands of mountains surround the wild standing, a river embraces the city flow" has now become a reality.