Cormorant Karst River

Cormorant Karst River is an original illustration set in Guangxi Karst Rivers, China. It lies in the subtropics, where the climate is humid subtropical — hot summers, no dry season.

A long narrow bamboo raft carries two cormorants perched at its bow with a small glowing lantern. Rounded tower-karst peaks recede in flat layers of mist. The river is calm, and the first light is soft and low.

Why fish with trained cormorants and a lantern at night?

Fishing with trained cormorants at night, with a lantern to draw fish upward, works on calm shallow water where the birds can see — a technique tied to this kind of river. The peaks are tower karst: limestone dissolved along vertical joints until only isolated towers remain, which requires very heavy rain and a warm humid climate over a very long time.

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