West Lake Scenic Area is located in Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and a famous ornamental freshwater lake in China. Centered on West Lake, the scenic area is surrounded by mountains on three sides and adjacent to the city on one side, covering a total area of 49 square kilometers, with the lake area being 6.38 square kilometers. West Lake is renowned for its unique geographical pattern of "three sides of cloud-capped mountains and one side of the city". It boasts numerous natural and cultural landscapes such as the "Ten Scenes of West Lake", integrating natural scenery, historical culture, celebrity relics, and religious art. It has long been a gathering place for cultural elites in Chinese history and a popular tourist destination for visitors at home and abroad. The scenic area houses various cultural relics, museums, and memorial halls with diverse architectural styles, reflecting the cultural characteristics of different historical periods. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2011.
History and Culture
West Lake has a profound historical and cultural heritage. The earliest record of West Lake can be found in "Hanshu" (Book of Han), where it was called "Wulin Water". Since the Tang Dynasty, the regulation and development of West Lake have gradually unfolded. When Bai Juyi served as the governor of Hangzhou, he presided over the construction of Bai Causeway and dredged West Lake, promoting the development of the surrounding areas. The Song Dynasty was an important period for the cultural development of West Lake. When Su Shi served as the prefect of Hangzhou, he carried out large-scale dredging of West Lake and used the excavated silt and weeds to build Su Causeway, which remains an important landscape of West Lake to this day.
West Lake is closely linked to traditional Chinese culture. Literati and poets of all dynasties have left a large number of poems, songs, and paintings here. For example, Bai Juyi's "I never tire of walking east of the lake, where green poplars shade the white sand causeway" and Su Shi's "I would liken West Lake to Xi Shi, with light or heavy makeup, she is always charming". These poems have spread the fame of West Lake all over the world. In addition, West Lake has close ties with Buddhist and Taoist cultures. Ancient temples such as Lingyin Temple and Jingci Temple have witnessed the inheritance and development of religious culture.
In the course of history, West Lake has undergone numerous renovations and protections, forming the basic pattern of "one lake, two towers, three islands, and three causeways" today. The landscape systems such as the "Ten Scenes of West Lake" (formed in the Southern Song Dynasty) and the "New Ten Scenes of West Lake" are the perfect combination of West Lake's historical culture and natural landscapes, becoming a model of Chinese classical garden art.
Main Attractions
Spring Dawn at Su Causeway
Spring Dawn at Su Causeway is the first of the "Ten Scenes of West Lake". Located on the west side of West Lake, it starts from Nanping Mountain in the south and ends at Qixia Ridge in the north, with a total length of 2.8 kilometers. Su Causeway was built under the supervision of Su Shi when he was the prefect of Hangzhou in the Northern Song Dynasty. There are six stone arch bridges on the causeway, which are Yingbo Bridge, Suolan Bridge, Wangshan Bridge, Yadi Bridge, Dongpu Bridge, and Kuhong Bridge from south to north. In spring, peach blossoms bloom and willows sway gently on the causeway, presenting a charming scenery. It is an excellent place to enjoy the spring scenery of West Lake and attracts a large number of tourists every year for spring outings.
Melting Snow at Broken Bridge
Melting Snow at Broken Bridge is one of the "Ten Scenes of West Lake". It is located at the eastern end of Bai Causeway in West Lake, connecting Beishan Road and Bai Causeway. The name of Broken Bridge comes from its isolation in the lake. After snow in winter, the snow on the sunny side of the bridge melts, while the snow on the shady side remains. From a distance, the bridge body seems to be broken but not broken, forming the unique landscape of "melting snow at broken bridge". Broken Bridge is also the place where Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian met in the folk legend "Legend of the White Snake", adding a romantic touch. It is one of the iconic scenic spots of West Lake.
Autumn Moon over Calm Lake
Autumn Moon over Calm Lake is located at the western end of Bai Causeway in West Lake, leaning against Gushan Mountain and facing the outer lake. With a wide view, it is the best place to enjoy the autumn moon over West Lake. On clear autumn nights, the lake surface is as calm as a mirror, and the bright moon hangs high in the sky. The moonlight and the lake water reflect each other, forming a peaceful and beautiful picture. There are buildings such as the Imperial Stele Pavilion and the Autumn Moon over Calm Lake Tower in the scenic area, embodying the delicacy and elegance of Jiangnan gardens. The plaque "Autumn Moon over Calm Lake" was inscribed by Emperor Kangxi.
Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow
Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow is one of the "Ten Scenes of West Lake", located on the top of Xizhao Mountain on the south bank of West Lake. Leifeng Pagoda was first built in the second year of Taiping Xingguo in the Northern Song Dynasty (977). The original pagoda collapsed in 1924, and the existing Leifeng Pagoda was rebuilt on the original site in 2002, with a height of 71.679 meters, which is a pavilion-style pagoda. When the sun sets in the west, the shadow of the pagoda slants, and the afterglow spreads on the lake, creating a magnificent scene, hence the name "Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow". There is an elevator in the pagoda, and tourists can climb the pagoda to overlook the beautiful scenery of West Lake and Hangzhou City.
Lingyin Temple
Lingyin Temple is located beside Feilai Peak on the northwest side of West Lake. It was founded in the first year of Xianhe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (326) and is the earliest famous temple in Hangzhou and one of the ten ancient temples of Chinese Buddhist Zen. The temple covers an area of about 87,000 square meters, with main buildings including the Heavenly King Hall, the Great Buddha Hall, and the Medicine Buddha Hall. In the Great Buddha Hall, there is a 19.6-meter-high statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, which is made of 24 pieces of camphor wood carved and joined together, with a magnificent momentum. Lingyin Temple is surrounded by quiet environment and ancient trees, and is an important place for Buddhist believers to worship and for tourists to visit.
Three Pools Mirroring the Moon
Three Pools Mirroring the Moon is one of the "Ten Scenes of West Lake". It is located on Xiaoyingzhou in the middle of West Lake, which is the largest island in West Lake, covering an area of about 7 hectares. There are three stone towers standing in the south lake of the island, which were built by Su Shi in the Northern Song Dynasty. The towers are 2 meters high, with a spherical body, hollow in the middle, and five small round holes on the spherical surface. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, candles are lit in the towers, and the candlelight is reflected in the lake through the small round holes, forming the wonderful scene of "one moon in the sky, three shadows in the lake", hence the name "Three Pools Mirroring the Moon". Tourists can take a boat to the island to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains.
Cuisine
West Lake Vinegar Fish
West Lake Vinegar Fish is a traditional famous dish in Hangzhou, known as "the best fish in the world". It uses fresh grass carp as raw material. Before cooking, the fish is starved in water for one or two days to remove the earthy smell. When making, the fish is steamed and then poured with sweet and sour sauce made of sugar, vinegar, ginger powder, etc. The fish meat is tender, sweet and sour, with a crab-like flavor. Authentic West Lake Vinegar Fish can be tasted in time-honored restaurants such as Louwailou around the West Lake scenic area.
Dongpo Pork
Dongpo Pork is named after Su Shi, a litterateur in the Northern Song Dynasty, and is a classic dish in Hangzhou. It uses pork belly as raw material, cut into large pieces, and braised with rice wine, soy sauce, rock sugar and other seasonings for several hours. The finished product is bright red in color, fat but not greasy, and tender and flavorful. It is said that when Su Shi was the prefect of Hangzhou, he promoted the method of making this dish. Now, Dongpo Pork is a popular dish among tourists in restaurants around West Lake.
West Lake Longjing Shrimp
West Lake Longjing Shrimp is made with West Lake Longjing tea, a specialty of Hangzhou, and fresh shrimp as the main raw materials. The tea leaves are selected from Mingqian Longjing, which has a delicate fragrance. The shrimps are white and tender. When stir-fried with tea leaves, they have both the freshness of shrimps and the fragrance of tea leaves, with an elegant color and a delicious taste. This dish is a representative of "tea dishes" in Hangzhou's food culture and can be tasted in restaurants near the West Lake scenic area.
Dingsheng Cake
Dingsheng Cake is a traditional pastry in Hangzhou, commonly found in snack shops around West Lake. It is made of glutinous rice flour and japonica rice flour, added with brown sugar or white sugar, with red bean paste filling in the middle, made into a rhombus shape, and printed with the characters "Dingsheng" (meaning "sure to win") on it. Dingsheng Cake has a soft taste and a sweet flavor. It is said to have originated in the Southern Song Dynasty, implying good luck and prosperity, and is loved by tourists and citizens.
Tickets
The scenic area is open for free, but some attractions within the scenic area require separate charges. For example, the combined ticket for Leifeng Pagoda is 95 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "杭州西湖风景名胜区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The free areas (such as Su Causeway, Bai Causeway, etc.) are open 24 hours a day. The opening hours of paid attractions vary: Lingyin Temple is open from 7:30 to 17:00 (winter) and from 7:00 to 18:00 (summer); Leifeng Pagoda is open from 8:00 to 20:30 (March 15 - October 31) and from 8:00 to 17:30 (November 1 - March 14 of the following year); Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (Xiaoyingzhou) is open from 8:00 to 17:00 (adjusted according to the boat schedule); Yue Wang Temple is open from 7:30 to 17:30 (April 1 - October 31) and from 7:30 to 17:00 (November 1 - March 31 of the following year). It is recommended that tourists check the specific opening hours of each attraction in advance to arrange their itinerary reasonably.
Tour Route
Tourists can choose a one-day tour route: in the morning, start from Broken Bridge, walk along Bai Causeway to Autumn Moon over Calm Lake to enjoy the morning scenery of West Lake. This section is about 1.5 kilometers, and the walking time is about 30 minutes; then go to Gushan Mountain to visit Zhejiang Museum (free) and Xiling Seal Engravers' Society, etc., with a visiting time of about 1.5 hours; have lunch in a restaurant near Gushan Mountain. In the afternoon, take a boat from Gushan Wharf to Three Pools Mirroring the Moon and visit the island for about 1.5 hours; take a boat back to Huagang Wharf and visit Huagang Park to view fish for about 1 hour; then walk along Su Causeway to Leifeng Pagoda and climb the pagoda for a distant view, with a time of about 1.5 hours; in the evening, enjoy the scenery of Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow near Leifeng Pagoda. The whole journey takes about 8 hours, and tourists can adjust appropriately according to their interests and physical strength.
Transportation
- Bus: There are many Hangzhou bus routes to the West Lake scenic area, such as Route 7, 27, 51, 52, and Tourist Route 2, which can reach bus stops near attractions such as Broken Bridge, Su Causeway, and Lingyin Temple, with fares starting from 2 yuan.
- Metro: Take Hangzhou Metro Line 1 to "Longxiangqiao Station", walk for about 10 minutes to reach the Lakeside Scenic Area by West Lake; take Metro Line 2 to "Fengqi Road Station" or "Wulinmen Station", and walk or transfer to a bus to reach the West Lake scenic area.
- Taxi: The starting fare of Hangzhou taxis is 13 yuan (within 3 kilometers), and 2.5 yuan per kilometer after exceeding 3 kilometers. The taxi fare from various locations in Hangzhou urban area to the West Lake scenic area varies by distance, generally between 10 and 30 yuan.
- Boat: There are multiple piers in the West Lake scenic area, providing round-the-lake cruises and boat services to and from various islands, such as Lakeside Pier, Huagang Pier, and Yue Wang Temple Pier. The ticket prices vary according to different routes, generally between 45 and 70 yuan.
- Self-driving: There are multiple parking lots around the West Lake scenic area, such as Lakeside Parking Lot and Su Causeway Parking Lot, but parking spaces are tight during holidays. The charging standard is about 10-20 yuan per hour. It is recommended to choose public transportation as much as possible.
Must-visit Attractions
- Three Pools Mirroring the Moon: Located on Xiaoyingzhou in the middle of West Lake, there are three 2-meter-high stone towers in the south lake of the island. The wonderful scene of "Three Pools Mirroring the Moon" can be enjoyed on the Mid-Autumn Festival night. It is one of the iconic landscapes of West Lake. A boat is needed to reach the island, and the ticket including the boat fare is 70 yuan per person.
- Spring Dawn at Su Causeway: With a total length of 2.8 kilometers, there are six stone arch bridges on the causeway. Peach blossoms bloom in spring, with beautiful scenery. It is the first of the "Ten Scenes of West Lake", open for free, and suitable for walking and enjoying the scenery.
- Lingyin Temple: Founded in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it is one of the ten ancient temples of Chinese Buddhist Zen. There is a 19.6-meter-high statue of Sakyamuni Buddha in the temple. The ticket for Feilai Peak Scenic Area is 45 yuan per person, and the incense ticket for Lingyin Temple is 30 yuan per person. It is a must-visit place to experience Buddhist culture.
- Melting Snow at Broken Bridge: A iconic scenic spot of West Lake, famous for the legend of "Legend of the White Snake", with a unique snow scene in winter. It is open for free and is a popular place for tourists to take photos.
Travel Suggestions
- It is recommended to spend 2-3 days visiting to fully explore West Lake and its surrounding attractions and experience the slow life in Hangzhou.
- Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) are the best seasons to visit West Lake. In spring, you can enjoy peach blossoms and cherry blossoms; in autumn, the climate is pleasant, making it suitable for walking.
- To taste West Lake's cuisine, you can choose time-honored restaurants such as Louwailou and Zhiweiguan. However, these restaurants are very popular and may require queuing. You can also opt for characteristic small eateries around the scenic area.
- When visiting West Lake, you can combine walking and taking a boat. This way, you can enjoy the scenery along the way while saving energy. For the boat ride, you can choose the round-the-lake route to enjoy the views of West Lake from all angles.
- Check the opening hours and ticket information of each attraction in advance, especially for paid attractions like Lingyin Temple and Leifeng Pagoda. You can purchase tickets in advance through official channels to avoid queuing on site.
Notes
- The West Lake scenic area has a large number of tourists, especially during holidays. It is necessary to take good care of personal belongings to prevent loss.
- When visiting by the lake, pay attention to safety and do not get close to dangerous areas near the lake. In particular, tourists with children must take good care of them.
- Littering is prohibited in the scenic area. Please protect the environment, do not pick flowers or damage plants at will, and abide by the scenic area regulations.
- When taking a boat, abide by the boat regulations, wear a life jacket, do not frolic or fight on the boat, and follow the instructions of the staff.
- Loud noises are prohibited in temples such as Lingyin Temple. When visiting, respect religious customs, do not touch religious items such as Buddha statues, and dress appropriately.
- The West Lake scenic area is large. It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes for long walks. In summer, take sun protection measures such as carrying a sun umbrella and sunscreen; in winter, keep warm.
- When purchasing specialties, choose regular stores and avoid buying counterfeit or shoddy goods from mobile vendors.