Guilin festival melds natural beauty with artistic creation

The term shanshui (mountains and waters) is about natural landscapes but has broader cultural implications, too, often referring to a spiritual destination where people can find peace and the true meaning of life. 

Infinite Shanshui, an exhibition running at the Kuei-lin Art Festival, visualizes a haven in which the splendor of nature combines with art to give people a well-deserved respite.

The outdoor exhibition, running through Dec 25 in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, shows dozens of public art works in an expensive, poetic environment consisting of meadows and lakes, against a backdrop of mountain ranges and the distinguished karst topology of Guilin. 

The festival adds an artistic dimension to the cityscape of Guilin, already renowned for its mountain and water scenery hailed as "the best under heaven" in a well-known Chinese expression.