Hangzhou
Facts (杭州)
MY Favourite Places to Visit
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West Lake (西湖)
April 2011
Considered one of the most beautiful sights in Hangzhou, this scenic lake is sheltered on three sides by hills, with open flat land to the northeast where downtown Hangzhou is located. West Lake has influenced poets and painters throughout Chinese history for its natural beauty and historic relics, and it has also been among the most important sources of inspiration for Chinese garden designers. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, described as having "influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries" and reflecting "an idealized fusion between humans and nature".
Traditionally, there are ten best-known scenic spots on the West Lake, each remembered by a four-character epithet. Collectively, they are known as the "Ten Scenes of West Lake" (10 Scenic Spots in West Lake 西湖十景). Each is marked by a stele with an epithet written in the calligraphy of the Qianlong Emperor.
[Dawn on the Su Causeway in Spring (蘇堤春曉); Curved Yard and Lotus Pool in Summer (曲院風荷); Moon over the Peaceful Lake in Autumn (平湖秋月); Remnant Snow on the Bridge in Winter (斷橋殘雪); Leifeng Pagoda in the Sunset (雷峰夕照); Two Peaks Piercing the Clouds (雙峰插雲); Orioles Singing in the Willows (柳浪聞鶯); Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond (花港觀魚); Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon (三潭印月); Evening Bell Ringing at the Nanping Hill (南屏晚鐘)]
Lingyin Temple (靈隱寺)
April 2011
Built in 326 A.D. at the foot of Lingyin Mountain, this temple features a main hall extending 33.5 meters in height, a statue of Sakyamuni carved out of 24 pieces of camphor wood and a laughing Buddha covered in gold.
It was a wonderful experience walking the steep paths around this temple complex. The various temples are beautifully maintained and huge in scale, with intricate and extensive workmanship.
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Yue Fei Temple (杭州岳王廟)
April 2011
The Yue Fei Temple or commonly known in Chinese as Yuewang Temple (Chinese: 岳王廟) is a temple built in honour of Yue Fei, a general of the Southern Song dynasty who fought against the Jurchen Jin Dynasty during the Jin–Song wars, after the capital of China moved south to Hangzhou. The temple ground is located near the West Lake, in central Hangzhou.
The temple was first constructed during the Song Dynasty in 1221 to commemorate Yue Fei. The site includes Yue Fei's Temple, Loyalty Temple and Yue Fei’s Mausoleum inside. In there had 2 bronze statutes representing the evil couple who were responsible for General Yue's death. Visitors used to spit at the bronze statutes to express their hatred but now this action is no longer allowed.
Qinghe Square (清河坊)
April 2011
A stretch of road with shops on both sides. Mainly for tourists to buy souveniers. and most shops selling tea, food and drinks.
This is a street definitely worth visiting. The shops along the roads maintained/ resembled most of the shops that were in the olden days. There were Chinese herbalist shops, puppet plays and very nice Chinese restaurants serving Hangzhou food.
Longjing Tea Garden
April 2011
Longjing Tea or dragon well tea of more than 1200 years old is the No. 1 tea in China and regarded as the “Green Queen”. Visit Longjing Tea plantations in Hangzhou to appreciate the charming verdant sightseeing and know more about the culture of tea and Chinese nation.
It is an amazing view looking at the Longjing tea fields. The tea farmers are all very nice people with warm hospitality, explaining in detail how the tea leaves were harvested and then cooked into tea leaves, ready for sale. They even will make some dishes with newly cooked tea leaves for visitors to try. Their hospitality made you a bit hard to resist buying some tea leaves from them, and they are pricey.
The Grand Canal (大運河)
April 2011
The Grand Canal, about 1,200 miles (1,764 kilometers) long, is the longest and greatest man-made waterway in ancient China, far surpassing the next two of the world: the Suez and Panama Canals. With 27 sections and 58 historical sites, it was placed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2014. Running from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province in the south to Beijing in the north and connecting different river systems, it contributed greatly to ensuring that the Chinese primary economy thrived in past dynasties. Now more than 2000 years old, some parts of the canal are still in use, mainly functioning as a water-diversion conduit.
Taking a boat ride alongside the Canal, you will be able to see lots of run-down houses where they are still the main residences of many. A memorable historical and cultural site to visit. There is also a museum alongside the Canal.
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