By tradition, there are ten scenic spots on the West Lake which are of particular beauty, and each is remembered by a four-character epithet. Collectively, they are known as the "Ten Scenes of West Lake", and each is marked by a stele with the epithet written in the calligraphy of the Qianlong Emperor.
The names of the Ten Scenes of the West Lake first appeared in the book "Appreciation of Territorial Splendors" written by Zhu Mu in the thirteenth century. The established list was carefully followed by poets and painters.
Touring all Ten Scenes is a rewarding undertaking, but it involves a lot of walking, so plenty of time and comfortable shoes are a must. The Ten Scenes are: Spring Dawn by Su Causeway, Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard, Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake, Lingering Snow on the Broken Bridge, Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor, Orioles Singing in the Willows, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, Twin Peaks Piercing the Cloud, Evening Bell Ringing at Nanping Hall and Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow.
Su Causeway stretches for three kilometers (1.9 miles) from north to south along the western end of West Lake. It was built by the poet-official Su Dongpo (1037-1101), whose name was given to the causeway to commemorate his achievement. The structure is interconnected by six stone bridges and lined with willow, hibiscus and magnolia trees.
Admission: Free
Opening Hrs: all day
Add: The west side of the West Lake, Hangzhou
Bus Route: K4, 504, 507
Tourism Bus: 2
During the Southern Song Dynasty, Quyuan Courtyard was the site of the imperial winery. During the summer, the scent of lotus blossoms mingled with the bouquet of wine, and it was a place of great beauty. In modern times, the area has been refurbished and expanded to incorporate a park, gardens and woods. Quyuan Courtyard is located in Lingyin Road, close to Hongchun Bridge on the western shore of West Lake.
Admission: Free
Opening Hrs: all day
Add: 101 Beishan Lu, Hangzhou
Tel: 0571-8796 9691
Bus Route: Y2, Y3 (to Yuefen Station), K7, 27
During the Southern Song Dynasty, "Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake" referred to the pleasures of West Lake during the full moon, especially around the time of the mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon is at its largest and people would draw inspiration from its reflection on the surface of the lake.
To commemorate the tour of the Ten Scenes of West Lake by Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722), steles were erected at each of the sites. The western end of the Bai Causeway, where the view of West Lake is broadest, was chosen for Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake. Now this location has taken the name from the stele and has become an attraction in its own right.
The area has been improved by the addition of rockeries and pavilions, and is a favored spot for walking, boating, and, of course, viewing the full moon – especially at the time of the mid-Autumn Festival.
Admission: Free
Opening Hrs: all day
Add: West side of Bai Causeway, Hangzhou
Bus Route: Y1, Y2, 7, K7, 27, 507
This is the most famous of the bridges in Hangzhou. Located at the eastern end of the Bai Causeway, it is particularly beautiful in snow. Of course, it rarely snows in Hangzhou, but this only adds to the bridge's appeal! Another reason for the fame of this spot is its connection with the Legend of the White Snake, a popular folk tale about a white snake who took the form of a beautiful girl and fell in love with a young man. (Another spot associated with the tale is Leifeng Pagoda.)The young lovers are said to have met on Lingering Snow on the Broken Bridge, and locals say that the bridge is an enchanted place and those who visit it will instantly fall in love.
Admission: Free
Opening Hrs: all day
Add: East side of Bai Causeway, Hangzhou
Bus Route: Y1, Y2, 7, K7, 27, 507
Flower Pond Park, at the foot of Huajia Hill on the shore of West Lake, was a private garden in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The emperor Kangxi (1654-1722) rebuilt it and gave it its present name. It was greatly expanded in 1952. One of its attractions is Flower Pond, said to be fed by the waters of Huajia Hill. The pond is stocked with ornamental carp.
This is a 21-hectare (52-acre) park on the southeast shore of West Lake. It was an imperial pleasure-garden during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), but gradually declined over the centuries until it was extensively reconstructed in the 1950s. A feature of the park is its display of many different species of willow from around China and overseas. It is often the scene of evening shows and celebrations in holiday periods.
Admission: Free
Opening Hrs: All day
Add: Nanshan Lu, Hangzhou
Tel: 0571-8706 5684
Bus Route: Y1, Y2, Y12, 30
Three Pools Mirroring the Moon is another name for Lesser Yingzhou Isle, the largest of three man-made islets in West Lake. The islet was built during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) , and improvements and additions, including the beautiful zigzag bridges, were made during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Just off the southern edge of the island, three beautiful gourd-shaped stone pagodas, first built in 1089 AD, stand in the lake. On moonlit nights, locals row out to the pagodas and place lighted candles in the hollow tops of the pagodas, creating the illusion of one moon and three reflections in the calm waters of the lake.
Admission: RMB 20
Opening Hrs: 7:30 am – 4:30 pm (Summer)
8:00 am -4:00 pm (winter)
Add: In the middle of the West Lake, Hangzhou
Tel: 0571-8798 5304
Getting There: By Passenger boats from West Lake's banks
The Twin Peaks, located to the northwest and southwest of West Lake, are a famous feature of Hangzhou and have been the subject of many traditional landscape paintings. Neither is particularly high – the Northern Peak is 256m (840 ft) high, while the Southern Peak stands at 355m (1165ft) – but their appeal lies in their proportions and the way in which they seem to speak to each other across the 5km (3.1 miles) that separates them. One of the best viewing points for the peaks is Hongchun Bridge, on the western shore of West Lake.
Admission: Free
Opening Hrs: all day
Add: Hongchun Bridge, Lingyin Road
Bus Route: Y1, Y2, Y3 (to Shuangfengmeiyun Station), K17, 27 (to Hongchun Bridge Station)
Nanping Hill is one of the "Ten Views of West Lake" with the longest and richest history. During the Northern Song Dynasty, the distinguished artist, Zhang Zeduan painted a famous view of it named "Evening Bell Ringing at Nanping Hill".
Nanping Hill stretches for nearly a kilometer along the southern shore of West Lake, which gives it an imposing aspect despite the fact that it is no more than 100m high. The hill takes on different moods as the weather changes: on sunny days its green woods are a delight to walkers, while in wet weather, the summit is often shrouded in mist and low cloud, giving it a mysterious quality.
The numerous temples on its slopes give the hill the alternative name of "Hill of the Buddhist Kingdom". One of the most important places of worship is Jingci Temple, where distinguished visitors gather at midnight on lunar New Year's Eve to ring the temple bell.
Admission: RMB 10
Opening hours: 6:30 am - 5:30 pm
Add: 56 Nanshan Lu, Hangzhou
Tel: 0571-8797 5134
Bus route: K4 ,504
Tourist Bus Route: 1, 2, 3
The famous Leifeng Pagoda, on the south shore of West Lake, was originally built in 975 AD on the order of Qian Hongchu, the King of Wuyue Kingdom, to celebrate the birth of a son to his favorite concubine, Huang Fei. In fact, the pagoda was originally known as Huang Fei pagoda.
Part of the pagoda's renown comes from a folk tale – "The Legend of the White Snake" – which is a love story about a white snake who took the form of a beautiful girl and fell in love with a young man. An evil monk imprisons the snake beneath the Leifeng Pagoda.
During the Yuan dynasty the pagoda was a magnificent structure, but during the Ming dynasty, Japanese invaders burnt it, destroying most of its outer features and leaving only a brick skeleton standing. Over the generations, bricks were pilfered from the building for superstitious reasons, and the whole structure finally collapsed in 1924. This prompted the author Lu Xun (1881-1936) to write an influential article saying that the fall was a symbolic blow against China's old feudalistic order.
There was a long-running debate in China about whether the pagoda should be rebuilt. Arguments in favor of restoration pointed to the archeological and cultural significance of the building. One of the many stories about it was that it once held relics of the Buddha. In 2001, a number of ancient Buddhist relics were in fact discovered in an underground chamber of the pagoda. The final decision to rebuild the Leifeng Pagoda was taken following the formation of an expert committee in 1999, and construction was completed in 2002.
Admission: RMB 40
Opening Hrs: 8:00am - 5:45 pm
Add: On the Xizhao Hill, Nanshan Lu, Hangzhou
Tel：0571-8717 9603
Bus Route: Y1, Y2, Y3 (to Nanpinwanzhong Station), K4 (to Jingshansi Station)
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