Do you wake up in the morning, wishing you could Force push yourself out of bed instead of doing it the old-fashioned way? Find yourself at work trying to mind-trick your boss or TK that biro into your outstretched palm? With the China release of "The Last Jedi" in January 2018 so close, yet so far, far away, we reached out for the next best thing: Yangshuo.

Yangshuo’s karst landscape has long been a backpacker haven and firm favorite on the China travel itinerary. A resort town in the south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, it was also the only Chinese filming location ever used in the Star Wars films. Fans of the franchise will recognize these ethereal mountains as the backdrop for the Wookiee home planet of Kashyyyk in "Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith."

Even if you’re not a Star Wars buff, you’re bound to have at least glanced at Yangshuo’s iconic scenery – after all, it features prominently on the back of the 20 yuan Chinese banknote. For centuries, artists have immortalized these sunken limestone peaks in poetry, painting and calligraphy, a combination which can often be found inscribed on Chinese folding fans. 

While Yangshuo is English-friendly, it is invariably peppered with tenacious touts trying to get you to go on a Lijiang River cruise. However, it is well worth the hassle – an afternoon drifting down the placid jade waters of the river aboard a bamboo raft is guaranteed to make all your worries float away. In fact, life here is so chill that many travelers have decided to settle in permanently, and Yangshuo is now home to a sizeable expat community. 

You can be sure that when January comes around, the hills of Yangshuo will once again come alive with the sound of frolicking Wookiees. 

Explore Yangshuo with Travelogue guest host Ji Xiaojun in the seventh episode of our epic 10-part series, “The Pearl River: Mouth to Source.” It broadcasts on CGTN on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 7:30am (Beijing Time). Rebroadcast times: Sundays 4:30pm, Mondays 2:00am and Thursdays 1:30pm.