Hangzhou, a grand poetic garden around the West Lake
By Alessandra Andreolli
Located at the south end of the Grand Canal, the longest man-made waterway in China, and about 150km southwest of Shanghai is the city of Hangzhou. Known as one of the seven Chinese ancient capitals, Hangzhou is a fascinating mixture of harmoniously picturesque natural scenery and cultural and historical sights.
West Lake is arguably the main attraction of the city, and when visited to the lake, I learned why it is so popular and appreciated by the Chinese people. The alluring beauty and fascinating relics offer just about everything one could want during a trip in China. At the northwest of the lake corner lies Solitary Island, the only natural island on the lake. Here at the Xiling Seal Engravers’ Society, a hall of art, lots of seal inscriptions and Chinese calligraphy, left behind by famous artists, are on display. You can even watch some professionals while they create new pieces.
A quick boat ride brought me to Xiaoying Island and the famous Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (you’ve probably seen its likeness on the back of the 1 RMB bill). This spot gained its name from the three stone pagodas peaking up from the surface which are said to reflect the evil spirits that could be hidden in the lake. During the full moon, a candle is placed into each of the pagodas, and people come to admire the enchanting splendor of the lights projecting onto the water from the five holes in each pagoda.
The perfectly maintained gardens around the lake (I really wondered how they could be so perfect until I saw workers clipping the grass and hedges by hand with scissors!) are the ideal place to spend pleasant hours cycling or simply wandering around. The gardens are particularly fabulous during the springtime when the flowers are in bloom. Red Carp Pond in the middle of a garden area called Viewing Fish is one of the gardens I enjoyed the most.
Situated northwest of the lake and wrapped in luxurious vegetation, the Lingyin Temple is a great Buddhist sanctuary, the oldest in the city and one of the most beautiful Buddhist temples I have ever visited in China. In its heyday, it hosted more than 3000 monks. On the Peak Flown From Afar, a 209-meter-tall limestone hill with many grottoes, you can admire about 340 impressive Buddha statues carved out of the cliffs. The temple hosts the largest sitting Buddha Sakyamuni in China (24.8 meters high), a superb statue carved out of camphor wood and covered with gold leaf.
Southwest of the lake, Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea Plantations offer a marvelous landscape of hills covered by tea bushes. Here you can watch the locals at work, learn about the tea quality and the processing methods, and taste one of China’s most famous teas. The tea leaves that I bought there are so tender that you can even eat them after they’ve been brewed.
The Six Harmonies Pagoda stands south of the lake, towering over the Qiantang River. From the top of this almost 60-meter-high pagoda, built during the Song Dynasty, you can enjoy a lovely view of the river.
Other places worth a mention are Jade Spring in the Hangzhou Botanical Garden, the Yue Fei Mausoleum (Yue Fei was a patriot hero during the Southern Song Dynasty), and a pair of museums that celebrate Hangzhou’s two most famous treasures, the National Tea Museum and National Silk Museum.
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