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| Springtime green willows and peach blossoms at the Bai Juyi Causeway. | The West Lake derives its name from the fact that it lies west of the city of Hangzhou. Over hundreds of years, it changed from a bay to a lagoon, and then before the Tang Dynasty(618-907), to a completely inland lake. During the ensuing Song(960, Yuan(1206-1368), Ming(1368-1644)and Qing(1644-1911)dynasties, the lake underwent repeated building and repairs. By the end of the 20th century. it had grown to an area of five to six square kilometers.
In the 21st century, work began on the rebuilding of the Duke Yang Causeway increasing the lake surface area t0 6.5 square kilometers and its depth from l.65 meters to 2.27 meters.
The first place visitors to Hangzhou should head for is Gu Shan(Solitary Hill),
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| There is culture in virtually every drop of water in the West Lake. | spending a day or two on this, the key to the scenic West Lake. and only then fanning out to the lake scenic sites.
Here the visitor will experience the depth of history as symbolized by the Wenlan Pavilion and the Complete Library in Four Branches of Literature. And it is here too that one hears the tale about a beauty and the love story of Su Xiaoxiao and the deeds of the heroine Qiu Jin, a women's right fighter and killed by the Qing court in l907, tales of eminent monks and poets. offering the visitor an additional note of history. For a greater understanding of the profundity of Chinese culture, the seals and paintings created by the Xiling Engravers Society are a lesson in traditional Chinese art.
Here one gets a sense of the lake's expanse and the depth of local history and culture. Gazing down from this vantage point to the lake below cast your eyes on the lake's three
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| Visitors to the West Lake invariably feel like tasting tea and reading here. | causeways and three islets and you'11 appreciate why this place was described as a heavenly city. You would be well advised to take in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum and Art Gallery for a panoramic view of Zhejiang's civilization. And after that, sample the delights of the West Lake cui sine at the Louwailou Restaurant. From there, a walk along Lingyin Road, the Bai Juyi Causeway or the North Hill Road will reward the visitor with scenic surprises.
Although there are many other West Lake "must see" sights. I believe a trip on the water is most essential, because, it is by taking to the water that gets you closest to the core beauty of the West Lake.
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| The West Lake scenery has been as tender and beautiful as this since ancient times."The light of water shines in the sun, magic the haziness of the hill in the rain." |
The Bai Juyi and Su Dongpo causeways represent the rich collection of poems created by these two poetic geniuses of ancient China. Without going there, how can we experience the true spirit of their poetry? The three islets on the lake are the land of immortals. the recreation of an ideal world, and you must go in person. This way, one can enrich one's sense of the best and most beautiful parts of Chinese civilization.
In the early 20th century. someone praised Hangzhou's color, saying that the city's beauty lay in the jade green color of the West Lake. Hangzhou has on three sides hills each with its own grace. As you stroll among them, you forget their physical bein9. The appreciation of the hills begins with your very first step, the very moment you leave your hotel room. Height is not what matters, but the spirit.
In history, Hangzhou was known as the "Buddhist land in the east." for its flourishing religious life. Many of the temples that used to stand around the lake are gone and those that do remain have acquired a much more solemn atmosphere. Taoism and Christianity also have their own history here and coexist peacefully by the lake, each attracting its own
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| If you want to see the old West Lake, Why not check out what the "westward project" has created? The aim of this massive project, launched in 2002, is to return the lake its former glory. | followers. There are people too who burn incense and pray, not necessarily out of their belief in an afterlife. Every religious building is a hall of art. Many important events in the history of Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity took place here and visiting these religious sites will enrich one's knowledge of history.
The beauty and profundity of Hangzhou cannot be described in just a few words, but they can be seen and feIt. A trip on the lake will introduce the city and vice versa. Lake and city are a single entity. Take a trip on the water and you fall in love with the city.
The Confucius Temple here is little visited but its steles are really worth seeing. Having gone through the busy area of Qinghefang, a few more steps brings you there. And you really should try the Hangzhou tea. The Hangzhou tea you can have at the West Lake cannot be matched elsewhere.
As for museums, the Hu Mansion and the studios of several master painters will lead you into the heart of this city. 1et you feel the heartbeat of the city and feel the pulse of the spirit of the place.
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