In some ways, Guilin has often been at the forefront of currents within the rest of China. First founded in 314BCE along the banks of the Li River, the area surrounding Guilin were inhabited by the Baiyue under the first dynasties of China. Under Qin Shi Huang, efforts to build a canal connecting the Xiang and Li River came to benefit the city, allowing it to grow into a burgeoning commercial centre, a factor boosted further as campaigns saw China expand southwards.

Guilin became a provincial capital under Emperor Gaozong, prospering under the Tang and Song dynasties as the city became a connecting sinew between the central government and the southern border. It was the residence of Zhu Shouqian, driving further attention towards the city, and maintaining its position as the capital of Guangxi. Under the Republic of China, the city was briefly superseded by Nanning as the capital of Guangxi Province, before the title was returned in 1932 over security concerns. Local forces were successful in defending the city from Japanese incursions, but the city nonetheless flipped, with Xia Wei proclaiming his support for the spirit of Pan-Asianism.

Guilin's loyalty and that of the Guangxi Province, however, is only truly on paper. Even as he offers lip service to the ideals of Pan-Asianism, Xia Wei remains an ardent supporter of the Kuomintang, and the province's local military might has allowed many Chinese resistance leaders to base themselves within the area. Anti-Japanese and anti-collaborator material and belief is vibrant, and looks set to only grow in strength. As the city remains prosperous, and as tales from Guangdong continue to unnerve many within the area, Guilin looks set to reclaim its military value once more.