| ¡¡ |
|
|
West Lake
 Lying
on the west edge of Hangzhou city, West Lake is the symbol of Hangzhou as well
as one of the most beautiful sights in China. Early in the Song dynasty, the
famous poet Su Shi compared the lake to Xizi, a Chinese Cleopatra: "Ripping
water shimmering on sunny day; Misty mountains wonder in the rain; Plain or
gaily decked out like Xizi; the West Lake is always alluring". So the Lake is
also known as Xizi Lake. With an area of 6 sq. km. and a circumference of 15km
(9 miles), West Lake, surround in three sides by rolling wooded hills, has
captivated countless visitors for centuries. The beauty of the West Lake lies in
a lingering charm that survives the change of seasons in a year, of hours in a
day, and of different weathers.
Lingyin Temple
Located at the foot of the Lingyin Hill northwest of the city,
Temple of Inspired Seclusion (Lingyin Temple) was built in the Eastern Jin
dynasty (317-420). The 33.6-metre-high main hall (Sakyamuni Hall) is a
masterpiece of ancient buildings with one story and doubled eaves. The two
nine-storied octagonal pagodas in front of the main hall and the two stone
towers containing the Buddhist sutras in front of the Lokapala Hall were all
built in the Five dynasties (907-960). In the caves on the Feilai Hill, there
are some 300 Buddhist stone carvings dating back to the Five dynasties, the Song
dynasty (960-1279) and the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). The elegant stone carvings
are of high artistic value.
Viewing Fish in the
Flowering Harbor
 800
years ago, originally built as the private garden of a Song Dynasty Court
attendant. A clean stream leads from Huajia Hill to the West Lake through here,
so it named as ¡®Flowery Harbor.¡¯ Viewing Fish at Flowery Harbor, now has been
made into a 22 hectares park with many varieties of trees and flowers, featuring
a peony garden which blooms in April and a goldfish pond which is the famous
site for viewing fish.
¡¡
Six Harmonies Pagoda
 Harmonies
Pagoda was built in 970 A. D. in a way to press down the evil of the river tidal
bore. It has thirteen eaves but only seven stories inside with a spiral
staircase leading to the top with 59.85 meters high, it is a masterpiece of wood
and brick structure, and today it is the protection of the national government.
Tiger Pawing Spring Park
Tiger Pawing Spring Park locates at the White Crane Peak of Daci
Hill on the West Lake, five kilometers away from the downtown. It has Tiger
Pawing Temple, Tiger Spring, Dicui Rock, pagoda of Five Dynasties, Dreaming
Tiger sculpture, pagoda of master Hong Yi, Hall of Jigong, compound of Jigong
Bell Tower and five hundred disciples of Buddha. The Tiger Spring, sweet and
pure, ranks third in the country. The famous Dragon Well Tea goes with the Tiger
Spring enjoy high reputation.
Three Polls Mirroring the Moon
Three Polls Mirroring the Moon also called ¡®Lesser Yingzhou¡¯ was
first built Ming Dynasty with the mud dredged from the Lake. With 60% occupied
by water, the 7-hectare fairyland features a characteristic of ¡®An island within
a lake, and lakes within an island.¡¯ The three stone pagodas located south of
the islet were set in 1621. On moonlit night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, people
seal the upper openings of the pagodas and burn candles inside, creating an
image of ¡® the moon in the sky is one, and its image comes to be fifteen on
water surface.¡¯ |
¡¡ |
.jpg)
