Ping'an Seven Stars Chasing the Moon and Nine Dragons Five Tigers Viewpoints

The Ping'an viewpoints loop climbs through Ping'an Zhuang Village in Longji Town, Longsheng County, about 80 km north-west of Guilin in Guangxi, China, to the two best-known lookouts over the Longji (Dragon's Backbone) rice terraces: Seven Stars Chasing the Moon and Nine Dragons and Five Tigers. Access is by express bus from Guilin Qintan Bus Station to Longsheng or Ping'an at roughly ¥35-50 (~$5.19-7.41), followed by the scenic shuttle to the Ping'an car park. A private car for the day costs about ¥400-600 (~$59.26-88.89). A real-name entrance ticket of ¥80 is checked against a passport at the gate, and the village itself has no vehicle access beyond the car park, so the final approach is on foot. The loop covers roughly 5-6 km of stone steps and flagstone lanes between the two viewpoints and takes 3-4 hours at a relaxed pace. The terraces lie between about 600 and 800 m above sea level, with roughly 300 m of ascent from the village base, so the effort is sustained but not technical. The surface is almost entirely cut stone steps, which become slick in rain and mist, plus short stretches of packed earth between wooden Zhuang houses. Shade is limited once the path leaves the village, and the upper sections are exposed to wind and sun. Waymarks and signs in Chinese and English point to each viewpoint, and the village has many guesthouses, tea stalls and small restaurants that serve as informal rest stops and water sources along the way. Porters offer to carry bags for a fee. Seven Stars Chasing the Moon is the shorter climb and is reached first by most walkers, while Nine Dragons and Five Tigers lies higher and offers the wider panorama. Walkers who are short of time can turn back at the first viewpoint and return by the same steps. The terraces change character through the year, from flooded mirrors in late spring to green in summer and gold at harvest in autumn.