West Lake

West Lake – a paradise on water or water in paradise.

West Lake as it has been named since the Sui Dynasty (581-618) is no less than “a paradise on water or water in paradise”. Many poets and Emperors have been electrified by its beauty and divine charisma. The 12 000 years old artificial fresh water lake is of course one of the most popular resorts in China today and has been so for many centuries. Although it’s not a huge lake, 15 kilometres of circumference and an average depth of 1,8 meters, it offers astonishing sights, also to the surrounding shores.

There are four island of which tree are handmade. One usually add up ten sights as a must when visiting the West Lake – all of them unique in its kind and some of them showing their beauty only in special circumstances like the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon where it’s possible to watch… fifteen moons on the water when it’s full moon. The sights you shouldn’t miss are Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, Lotus in the Breeze at the Winding Courtyard, Spring Dawn on the Su Causeway, Autumn Moon over a Calm Lake, Listening Orioles Singing in the Willows, View Fish in the Flower Harbour, Evening Sunshine over Leifeng Pagoda, Evening Bells at the Nanping Mountain. No matter what you’re doing during your visit to Hangzhou; a trip to the West Lake is a must.
NB that there are more than 800 West Lake in China but when talking about the West Lake or Xi Hu it’s generally referred to the West Lake in Hangzhou. West Lake was in 1985 chosen as one of Chinas ten national parks.

 

Map of the West Lake area