Laibin: Where every guest becomes family

In the heart of Guangxi lies Laibin - a city named for its open arms. Born along the Hongshui River in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), its very name whispers an ancient welcome.

Scholars have traced the term "Laibin", meaning "arriving guests", to the Confucian ideals of harmony, while poets such as Dai Fugu have celebrated its role in fostering cultural unity. Formerly a frontier outpost, the Beizhi River now flows through modern water towns, where lanterns mirror the starlight.

Today, copper drums still echo across red-soil hills, and Zhuang hospitality turns travelers into kin. In Laibin, no one is a stranger - only a friend yet to raise a glass of rice wine.