Guangxi is famous not only for its Zhuang ethnic attractions, but also its appealing natural landscapes, especially the karst formations in and around Guilin, which have made the city an iconic travel destination in the region. However, population growth and ever-expanding urbanization have largely tarnished this singular environment. Today, by observing the entirety of Guangxi using Google Earth, the only visible dark green karst formations remaining are primarily in the southwest, which is probably the last of Guangxi's untouched land. This rare “paradise on Earth” is known as Nonggang.

After a busy workday, Nong Weihong, a forest ranger at Nonggang Nature Reserve Administrative Station, rushed to the village shop for rice liquor to toast the arrival of Mid-Autumn Festival, one of China's most important traditional celebrations. As he poured the wine into a bottle, a strange animal sound began echoing from the cliffs above. Nong glanced up the side of the cliff and exclaimed, "This one is big! They're often seen recently."

The creature, which was attracted to the scent of the spirit for our meal, is known by locals as a “gejie” which is onomatopoeic for its cry. Scientifically known as reptile phrynosoma, the lizard is the world's largest species of gecko, and it is believed by advocates of traditional Chinese medicine to be effective in treating phthisis, asthma, emphysema, as well as kidney and spleen deficiencies. Villagers tell cautionary tales of hunters in past years climbing the mountain to capture the animal, only to fall off the precarious cliffs. The gecko is known for its fierce temper, and in China it can only be found on mountain cliffs and withered trees of karst landforms in Guangxi and Yunnan. During mating season, the geckos tweet zealously to attract the attention of the opposite sex.

Chen Tianbo, director of the reserve’s administrative station, claims that Nonggang is now the best-managed reserve in Guangxi, with a strict ban on catching the gejie. “Possessing one of this species is punishable by a year in prison,” he explains. As the station head, Chen has dedicated his knowledge in zoology to his work. Nonggang, in the limestone monsoon forest region of southwestern Guangxi, embraces a 10,077-square-kilometer protected natural forest of diverse vegetation, including dense limestone flora. As a result of floral diversity, a similarly wide variety of animals inhabit this area, and considering the many untouched cliffs and precipices, both domestic and foreign experts believe that Nonggang is a sanctuary for some of China's most endangered animals.