Attractions in Hangzhou

West Lake

West Lake, called so because it lies in the west of the city, is what the beauty of Hangzhou is all about. Hills embrace the lake on three sides; the city proper lies to the east, West Lake covers a water surface of 6 square km, yet it forms the center of a garden resort. Dozen's of historical sites are scattered about some fifty-square-kilometer scenic area around the lake. The wooded hills encircling the lake are studded with pavilions, towers, pagodas, and caves. Springs, steams, and pools are scattered among peaks, rocks, caves, and gullies.

Soul's Retreat Temple

Towering over the foot of the statuesque mountain of the same name, Lingyin (Soul's Retreat) Temple is one of the best-known Buddhist monasteries in China. Its major buildings are Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings (Tianwangdian) and the Grand Hall. In the center of the Grand Hall, which is 33.6 meters high and roofed with glazed tiles, is a gilded nine-meter-high statue of Sakyamuni sitting on terrace shaped like a lotus flower. In front of him stands a statue of Maitreya and behind him a statue of Skanda. Buddha's four warrior attendants and other gods and goddesses line the two sides of Sakyamuni. Ancient trees thrive in front of the temple, and a number of pavilions (such as Spring Stream, Gully Thunder and Cold Spring) are built around the Cool Spring.

Broken Bridge

The Broken Bridge lies at the eastern end of the White Causeway. According to the Joumal of West Lake Visit in the Ming Dynasty, the place was so named because the White Causeway from the Solitary Hill was cut off here. The Broken Bridge is the most famous bridge at the West Lake. Ts name is seen in the folktale of Madam White Snake, where the touching and sad love story of Lady White and Xu Xian begins when they meet at the Broken Bridge and borrow the umbrella as their love-promise. The scene of their reunion at the Broken Bridge after suffering lots of hardships has made every Broken Bridge visitor fall into a long reverie. In addition, the Remaining Snow on the Broken Bridge is also one of the famous "Ten Scenes of the West Lake".

Baoshu Pagoda

Reposed onthe Baoshi Hill, the Baoshu Pagoda was first built in the period of the Northern Song Dynasty, ruined and rebuilt many times later. Now a solid hexagonal pagoda with 7 stories and with a height of 45.3 meters, it was built in 1933 according to the design of the Ming Dynasty. The body of the pagoda is straight and slight, looking very much like a fair lady, slim and graceful, standing by the West Lake. It is one of the symbols of the West Lake, praised by people as "Baoshu the fair lady".

Mini Yingzhou

In the water of the West Lake, there are three islands with different features, with the Mini Yingzhou being the largest of them. Built in 1607, the island has a feature of "having an island in the lake and having a lake in the island", praised as a "floating miniature garden".

Three Pools Mirroring the Moon

The Three Pools Mirroring the Moon is one of the Ten Scenes of the West Lake. The three stone pagodas are 2 meters in height respectively, and were first built 800 years ago on the bank of the lake.Spherical in shape, they are hollowed inside, with 5 holes on the surface of the bulb. When the full moon is shining high above in the sky, people would light candles in the pagodas and seal the holes with thin paper. Shining through the holes, the candlelight is reflected on the surface of the water as if there were many little moons, producing a marvelous scene of "one moon in the sky, three silhouettes in the water". The Three Pools Mirroring the Moon is thus named.

Autumn Moon on Calm Lake

Also one of the Ten Scenes of the West Lake, the Autumn Moon on Calm Lake is located at the western end of the White Causeway, surrounded by water on its three sides and against the Solitary Hill on its back. With an open and calm water surface, the place is best for watching moon on the Mid Autumn Festival, hence its name. The spot has an area of 6,000 sq. meters, with many pavilions, stages, and plant gardens in it.

Yue Fei Temple

The Mausoleum of General Yue Fei is one of Hangzhou's most popular attractions with Chinese visitors, perhaps due to the feelings of patriotism that it stirs in many people.

Yue Fei was a military hero in the 12th Century during the Song Dynasty, and the founder of the martial art of Xingyiquan (body-mind-fist). Although Yue Fei was successful in keeping the invaders out of China, he was betrayed by a court official, Qin Hui and wrongly executed. In 1163 his reputation was recovered and his body dug up and reburied at this Mausoleum.

It is quite an experience visiting here as the Chinese really despise Qin Hui, and statues of the traitor, his wife and two accomplices kneeling are spat at by passers-by!

Six Harmonies Pagoda

Loc acted on the north bank of the Qiantang River to the south of the city, the Six Harmonies Pagoda was first built in the year of 970, with a purpose of keeping down the river's tide. Rebuilt in 1153, today's pagoda was nearly 60 meters high, a pavilion-style structure of brick and timber, with 8 facets and 7 stories. Seen from the outside, it has 13 stories, but it has only 7 inside, with 6 of them closed and the seventh floor connected with the body of the pagoda, where there are numerous brick statues. Ascending to the top of the pagoda and looking down, one has a panoramic view of the beauty of the Qiantang River, feeling as if "standing above the highest level of the sky".

In 1993, on the Yuelun Hill behind the Six harmonies Pagoda was built a Chinese Ancient Pagoda Exhibition Park, collecting and building nearly a hundred miniatures of famous pagodas in the history of China. Visitors can see ancient pagodas with various artistic designs and architectural features in the Pagoda Park.

Fish Wonder at Huagang Crook

Huagang Fish Pond is situated on Solitary Island between the Su Causeway, Yinbo Bridge and Solan Bridge. In the Lu garden at the foot of the Huajia hill, is a pond that was originally used for fishing. Now it is a huge pond filled with gloriously colored fish. The pond is inside the Zhongshan Park which is a lovely place to rest under the shade of the trees. The park is immaculately well maintained.

Prince bay Park

The Prince Bay Park lies at the south hill road, against the Nanping Hill, with an area of 300 mu (1/15 of a hectare). It is the largest park for wedding celebration, with smart and natural artistic taste, suitable for Western-style wedding. There are programs such as "Love Forever" and "A Devoted Couple".

The wedding ceremony begins with the merry Wedding March, with the bride holding flowers hand in hand with the bridegroom, walking across the tiny bridge through an open lawn to a wedding church. They'll come upon a red heart shaped carpet in a rain of colorful paper flakes and will receive the colored ribbons and release pigeons before sitting down at the round table. The ceremony girls will take to them a big bottle of champagne and present them with a red card to congratulate them on their marriage, and ask the couple to drink form a nuptial cup. At the end of the ceremony, the couple will be carried to the small room in the wood in a bridal sedan chair, where they will perform a special ritual in the bridal chamber after kowtowing to the heaven and earth, and to their parents. Afterwards, the couple will ride in a horse-drawn carriage and go into the Western-style garden by a winding pathway, where they will have a wedding feast with their families, thus putting an end to the Western-style wedding.

To the park has been added the Lover's Column and Lover's Post Office and other attractions, to create a merry and romantic atmosphere.

Yellow Dragon Cave

Located n the thick bamboo forest at the foot of Qixialing to the north of the West Lake, the Yellow Dragon Cave is a tourist attraction reputed for its stones and walled pools.

It is one of the Ten New Scenes of the West Lake, the Yellow Dragon Spitting Emerald Green, the specific feature of the Yellow Dragon Cave is that crooks, pools, pavilions, corridors, pines and bamboo are condensed in a hill valley, thus forming a best recess for enjoying bamboo with dozens of rare bamboo species in a beautiful and lively surroundings. In recent years, in addition to these original attractions, activities in close association with "Yuan" (predestination or luck) have been developed, for example, there are Yuan Introducing, Yuan Probing, Yuan for Marriage, Yuan Inquiry, Yuan Realization. There are also huge stages for dramas and operas and music played with traditional stringed and woodwind instruments in South China. Visitors can enjoy the fine and sweet scenery of South China and acquire a knowledge of the "Yuan" folklore, which makes the matchmaker companion of the Yellow Dragon, the bride taken by the son of the Dragon, thus enriching the man-made attractions for the Yellow Dragon Cave.

The Yellow Dragon Cave provides visitors with sightseeing, relaxation, and entertainment at the same time, making it a good place for rest, recreation and leisure.

Tiger Running Spring

This park known as "Tiger Running Dream Spring" (Hupaomeng Quan) is one of the nicest parks in Hangzhou and filled with tea houses, pretty trees and pavilions.

Legend has it that when the Great Master, Xing Kong visited Hangzhou he bemoaned the lack of fresh water available, and quickly made plans to leave. Suddenly a god appeared before him and told him not to worry about the water as two tigers had been dispatched to deliver some! The next day, two tigers appeared as promised and the spring water flowed. The tigers were running, hence the bizarre name!

The Spring remains (although the tigers are long gone), and this is now one of the most famous springs in Hangzhou. The combination of the Dragon Well tea and the spring water here, is said to be uniquely refreshing.