Three Pools Mirroring the Moon

These three small stupas built out on West Lake are an important image of the lake, appearing on both the RMB 1 bill and Qing Emperor Kangxi’s Top Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake as Three Pools Reflecting the Moon (Sāntán Yìnyuè, 三潭印月). Also translated as Three Ponds Reflecting the Moon, Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon and Three Pools Reflecting the Moon, candles are sometimes placed in the hollow stupas.
The predecessors of today’s stupas were built on the lake as boundary markers by 11th century poet-official Su Shi but were destroyed on the orders of a city official in the 15th century along with an associated Buddhist monastery accused of becoming corrupt.

China Hangzhou Bay Bridge

Attraction Type:
Modern Architectures Hangzhou Bay Bridge is a large-scale sea-crossing bridge connecting the Zhengjiadai in Jiaxing in the north to the Shuiluwan in Ningbo in the south of Zhejiang Province, with the totally length of 36 kilometers. Hangzhou Bay Bridge ranks as the longest cross-ocean bridge in the world and the second longest bridge in the world behind the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in America. Hangzhou Bay Bridge is a long highway bridge with a cable-stayed portion across Hangzhou Bay in the eastern coastal region of China.Significant Hangzhou Bay BridgeAccording to the words of Wang Yong, chief director of the Hangzhou Bay Trans-Oceanic Bridge Construction Command Post, said the bridge would be one of the most important, not only in China but in the world “for it is not only the longest one (over a sea) but also will be built in the world’s most complicated sea environment, with one of the three biggest tides on Earth, the effect of typhoons and the difficult content of the sea soil”.This significant bridge shorten the highway travel distance between Ningbo and Shanghai from 400km (249mi) to 280km (174mi) and reduced travel time from 4 to 2.5 hours. With a six-lane and two-direction design, Hangzhou Bay Bridge gets a 100-year, service guaranteed with a 100km/h speed limitConstructionThe first preparations for planning the bridge started a decade ago; close to 600 experts spent nine years on designing the Hangzhou Bay Bridge. Although the construction of the bridge had been completed on June 14, 2007 and held an opening ceremony on June 26, 2007, the bridge was not opened to public use until May 1, 2008, after a considerable period of testing and evaluation. This S-shaped bridge carried about 50,000 vehicles per day in its first year of operation.ChallengesWhen this important project began, there were many practical difficulties waiting to be overcome. Although there were nine-year research prepared by almost 600 experts, the challenges which were encountered during the process. The first challenge was the offshore construction. The way to solute this problem was to complete the parts and then transported them to the area for which they were built. Some components that were constructed using this process were piers, box girders (bridge panels), and even the bridge foundations.Another challenge was the weather in the region. Aimed to prevent the erosion of the materials influenced by the wet condition, engineers used a cloth-covered template over the concrete. This would improve the color and density of the pieces, making them both more aesthetically pleasing and sturdier. To reduce cracking, engineers used low-strength early-stretching technology when constructing box girders. This technology involves casting (molding) the girder, or bridge panel, letting it harden for no more than three days, and then squeezing it before it reaches its full density. This gives the girder more room to stretch after the bridge is constructed, preventing cracks in the concrete over time.The third major challenge faced by designers and engineers was an area of toxic methane gas that was discovered roughly 50 meters underground below the location of the bridge. No drilling could be completed before the gas pressure was alleviated. To do this, steel pipes measuring 60cm in diameter were inserted into the ground, slowly releasing the methane six months prior to drilling.Toll fee is 80 yuanThe toll fee is 80 yuan per vehicle. As the bridge has six lanes in both directions, you can be quite sure that you will have a smooth ride.The speed limit is 100 km/62 mile

Qiandao Hu (Thousand Island Lake) (Hangzhou)

A visit to Qiandao Hu (Qiāndǎo Hú, 千島湖) quickly reveals the source of the name. Literally translated, it means “Thousand Island Lake” and indeed, at last count the 573 sq km (221 sq mi) body of water is home to 1,078 large islands and thousands more smaller ones.
In a previous incarnation, the area was rolling countryside. Then it was intentionally flooded in 1959 to create an enormous reservoir. The result is a dramatic landscape of lush, green hilltop islands as far as the eye can see, set in waters the color of jade, which are now the source of China’s most famous brand of mineral water, Nongfu Spring.
Around 30 m (98.4 ft) below the sparkling surface lies the ancient town of Lion City (Shī Chéng, 狮城), dating all the way back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-200 AD) and remaining as it was when the waters engulfed it. For those with an adventurous nature and a scuba license, the Shanghai dive club Big Blue organizes regular trips out for a bit of eerie underwater exploration.
For those who prefer to remain more or less above the surface, there’s still plenty to occupy, with excellent food, numerous boat trips and tours around the islands and twelve official scenic areas. Water sports including windsurfing, sailing and fishing are all on offer, along with four yachting clubs and China’s first sightseeing submarine.
The lake’s huge expanse means that although some areas are becoming more touristed and fringed with hotel construction, it is always possible to find a secluded spot, and there are some charming local hotels scattered along the water’s edge. If you’re looking to make a reservation in advance, however, your options will be limited to the bigger Qiandaohu hotels and resorts.
Buses run regularly from Hangzhou, itself easily accessible by plane from all over the country. If you have access to your own vehicle or can rent a car, it’s a great place to explore independently, though construction and improvements to the roads can sometimes cause delays. There is now also a new highway between Qiandao Hu and the Huang Shan scenic area in neighboring Anhui, linking three of the region’s most picturesque destinations and making for a very rewarding road trip. Another option from Huang Shan is to take a pleasure boat from Shenshui.
Qiandaohu climate
The subtropical climate and the dense tree coverage make the area fairly humid all year round. With four distinct seasons, temperatures drop to 2-8ºC during January and February, climbing quickly to 14ºC going into spring which begins early, in March. Summer (June to September) is long and humid with temperatures regularly hitting 33ºC and plenty of rainfall early on. Fall is the best time to visit with temperatures cooling off to an average 20 ºC, lots of sunshine and little rain.

China National Tea Museum (Hangzhou)

China rightly prides itself on many a first, and among all the Middle Kingdom’s firsts, the introduction of tea to the world easily ranks among the most appreciated. And whether you care for a cup of the stuff or not, the recently renovated China National Tea Museum (Zhōngguó Cháyè Bówùguǎn, 中国茶叶博物馆) is a wonderful place to get to know more about tea’s humble Middle Kingdom origins and exalted history.
Situated in the midst of the Longjing Tea Plantation, this free museum consists of a mix of exhibition halls, tea houses, gardens and pavilions covering some 3,500 sq m (4,185.96 sq yd). Spend a few hours roaming about, and you’ll glean a fine overview of the story of tea’s emergence from the primeval forest of present-day Sichuan and ascendence to a place of honor in imperial courts and in poets’ verses.
You’ll also learn a good deal about how tea in all of its varieties is grown, prepared and brewed, with the highlight coming in the form of a personal tasting in a simple but elegant private room. A knowlegable and skilled attendant introduces several varieties to the guests, then brews samples on a tradtional wooden tea tray using an array of specialized instruments, pots and cups. The tea served is of quality, and for the benighted sipper of the occasional cup of Lipton’s, the experience can be a revelation.
The Tea Museum’s main exhbition building features a Hall of Tea History, Hall of Tea Customs, the Hall of Tea Properties, and even the Tea Friendship Hall, with the Tea Categories Hall arftully displaying over 300 kinds of tea. Dioramas, interactive exhibits and displays of ancient tea wares combine with excellently rendered English explanations to impart just the right amount of information at just the right pace—you can see it all without experiencing Museum Fatigue (and even if you are a bit worn out by the end of it, there’s plenty of vivifying tea on hand to set you right).
Beyond the main exhibition, well-tended gardens, tea houses, pavilions and tea terraces await, making the Tea Museum an excellent destination for a half-day outing. Onsite dining is complemented by a string of quality local restaurants overlooking a stream running alongside tea fields covering the valley floor with a dramatic mountainside backdrop sweeping upward in the distance.
If the first sip of Hangzhou’s famous teas have you thirsting for more, make sure to check out the city’s other source of tea brewing water, Running Tiger Dream Spring.

Impression West Lake (Hangzhou)

One of five grand-scale, outdoor folk musicals to be co-directed by acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou, known in the West for directing Hero and Raise the Red Lantern, Impression, West Lake (Yìnxiàng Xīhú, 印象西湖) is a spectacular sound, light, dance and acrobatic show.
As with Zhang’s other Impression shows (the others are in Yangshuo, Lijiang, Hainan and on Wuyi Shan in Fujian), this one focuses on a local legend, the “Legend of the White Snake” (Báishé Zhuàn, 白蛇传). The legend tells of a white snake demon who dreams of being a goddess. Spotting a young man by West Lake who she remembers saved her in a past life, she becomes a young woman but a monk who knows the woman’s secret casts the demon down from Leifeng Pagoda.
First performed in late 2007 and backed by a RMB 100 million investment from the local government, the entire show takes place on the famed West Lake itself, with the performance stage submerged just below the surface of the water.

Feilai Feng (Hangzhou)

Like all the most popular tourist attractions in China, there’s a host of conflicting stories about how the towering Feilai Feng (Fēilái Fēng, 飞来峰) got its name. Translating as the “Peak Flown From Afar,” the most popular legend tells of an Indian Monk who chanced upon the 209 meter rock some 1,600 years ago, and assumed it must somehow have come from India given how similar it was to the peaks in his homeland. Whatever the truth in that, it’s certainly a rather special place today, and affords wonderful views over the surrounding countryside (if you can see past the hordes scrambling up there with you).
The Lingyin Temple, which is also set on the mountain was established by the same monk, a man named Huili, in the fourth century, and the surrounding hillside is dotted with grottoes and caves, filled with hundreds of Buddhist statues and symbolic rock carvings dating back over a thousand years, including one statue no less than 18-meters tall.
The Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty wrote the name of the peak in 1681, which was carved into the cliffside.

Solitary Hill (Gu Shan) (Hangzhou)

Solitary Hill (Gū Shān, 孤山), or Solitary Island, sits in the northwest corner of West Lake (Xi Hu), linked to the mainland by the Bai Causeway (Bái Dī, 白堤). The largest island on the lake and a lovely place to wander and explore, Solitary Hill affords visitors fine lake views and a number of significant attractions. For anyone interested in Chinese history, symbolism or legend, the island is crowded with fascinating monuments and sites. For those simply after a pleasant day outdoors amidst beautiful scenery, Solitary Hill fits the bill nicely.
On the north side of the island are Wenlan Pavilion (Wénlán Gé, 文澜阁), Zhongshan Park (中山公园 Zhōngshān Gōngyuán) and the Zhejiang Provincial Museum (Zhèjiāngshěng Bówùguǎn, 浙江省博物馆), housed in part of an old imperial palace. On the west side the Xiling Seal Society sits atop a scenic hill. The Tomb of Qiu Jin (Qiū Jǐn Mù, 秋瑾墓), a female anti-Qing revolutionary and writer, is at the foot of the hill. Qiu Jin was an early pro-democracy campaigner and part of Sun Yatsen’s team of nationalist fighters in the 1900s. Another tomb of interest is that of noted tiger killer and hero of the classic novel Water Margin (Shuǐhǔ Zhuàn, 水浒传), Wu Song (Wǔ Sōng Mù, 武松墓). A third tomb belongs to Su Xiao Xiao (苏小小墓 Sū Xiǎoxiǎo Mù), a famous 5th century courtesan and poet who died tragically at 19. Her tomb was destroyed by overzealous Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution, but was restored in 2004.
A small pavilion known as Fànghè Tíng (放鹤亭, loosely translated as “Ascending Crane Pavilion”) sits on the northeast end of the island in memory of the reclusive Song Dynasty poet Lin Hejin, who reputedly insisted that the he was married to the blossoms on the trees and that the crane was his son.

Mausoleum of General Yue Fei (Hangzhou)

Yue Fei (March 24, 1103 – January 27, 1142), style name Pengju, was a military general of the Southern Song Dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiaoti, Yonghe Village, Tangyin, Xiangzhou, Henan (in present-day Tangyin County, Anyang, Henan). He is best known for leading the defense of Southern Song against invaders from the Jurchen-ruled Jin Dynasty in northern China. After he joined the army, he and his troops continuously won wars against the Jin. However, after Yue and his army had recovered most of the lost territory, Emperor Gaozong (1107 – 1187) embraced the evil plot of Qin Kuai (1090 – 1155, Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty) and surrendered to the Jin. As a result, Yue Fei was falsely accused and later secretly killed in jail. A few years later, the wrong was put right when Emperor Xiao Zong (1163 – 1189) came to power. He was granted the posthumous name of Wumu by Emperor Xiaozong in 1169, and later granted the posthumous title of Prince of E (鄂王) by Emperor Ningzong in 1211. Widely seen as a patriot and national hero in China, since after his death, Yue Fei has evolved into a standard epitome of loyalty in Chinese culture.

The Mausoleum of General Yue Fei has been demolished and renovated several times. The existing one was rebuilt in 1715 in the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) and comprehensively repaired in 1979.

A national hero with a sad end, Yue Fei had successfully kept the northern Jin invaders out of the Chinese soil in 12th century during the Song Dynasty. Betrayed by two imperial officials, Qin Hui and Zhang Jun, General Yue Fei was sent into prison. He said before being executed, “The heaven knows what I have done to my country, the evidence of such an unjust case will be clear in the future !” After his death, at risk of being caught, a prison officer carried the body out of Hangzhou. Yue Fei was buried in the courtyard of a temple. 21 years later, Emperor Xiaozong of the Song Dynasty ordered to recover the general’s reputation and offered a reward of 500 taels of money (so large an amount of cash at that time) for whom found his body. Yue Fei was re-buried near the West Lake in Hangzhou. The place is now called the Yue Miao (The Mausoleum of General Yue Fei).

Built in 1221 and worn by time, the Mausoleum of General Yue Fei was then repaired and renovated in 1978. You’ll find a two-storey majestic building in front of you, a tranquil garden with tall trees is just a short distance away. In the middle of Grand Hall of the mausoleum, the big statue of General Yue Fei sits. It has brilliant colors and wears like a warrior, “Return Me of My Motherland” are the words by General Yue Fei inscribed on the big tablet hung at the top of the wall behind the majestic statue. At the back of the Grand Hall displays murals which are the story of the general’s life told by his mother. 

In the Graveyard of General Yue Fei, pairs of stone horse, tiger and goat statues are stood. The architecture of Yue Fei’s Tomb maintains the Song Dynasty style after the renovation in 1970s. It is quite interesting that the Chinese hate the bad guy Qin Hui so much, the steel statues of him, his wife and the two accomplices kneeling here are spat on and cursed by people!

The common legend of Yue receiving the tattoo from his mother first appeared in Shuo Yue Quanzhuan. In chapter 21 titled “By a pretext Wang Zuo swore brotherhood, by tattoos Lady Yue instructed her son”, Yue denounces the pirate chief Yang Yao (杨幺) and passes on a chance to become a general in his army. Yue Fei’s mother then tells her son, “I, your mother, saw that you did not accept recruitment of the rebellious traitor, and that you willingly endure poverty and are not tempted by wealth and status … But I fear that after my death, there may be some unworthy creature who will entice you … For these reason … I want to tattoo on your back the four characters ‘Utmost’, ‘Loyalty’, ‘Serve’ and ‘Nation’ … The Lady picked up the brush and wrote out on his spine the four characters for ‘serving the nation with the utmost loyalty’ … [So] she bit her teeth, and started pricking. Having finished, she painted the characters with ink mixed with vinegar so that the colour would never fade.”

The Kaifeng Jews, one of many pockets of Chinese Jews living in ancient China, refer to this tattoo in two of their three stele monuments created in 1489, 1512, and 1663. The first mention appeared in a section of the 1489 stele referring to the Jews’ “Boundless loyalty to the country and Prince.”The second appeared in a section of the 1512 stele about how Jewish soldiers and officers in the Chinese armies were “boundlessly loyal to the country.”

West Lake (Xi Hu) (Hangzhou)

Overview
A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2011, Hangzhou’s premier tourist attraction, West Lake (Xī Hú, 西湖) and its surrounding gardens, hills, rockeries, temples, pagodas and parks have for centuries inspired poets, officials and tourists with their beauty. This beauty pulls an estimated 12 million domestic tourists and half a million foreign tourists annually making it—and, consequentially, Hangzhou—one of China’s most tourist-heavy locales.
The lake covers a sizeable area on the southwestern edge of the city and is dotted with a number of islands, most of which are reachable only by boat, which can be hired along the shore. The largest island, Solitary Island, was once an imperial getaway but is now connected to shore by the Xiling Bridge (Xilíng Qiáo, 西泠桥) and scenic Bai Causeway (Bái Dī, 白堤). Cutting through the western side of the lake, Su Causeway provides beautiful views of the lake, as does the Yanggong Causeway (Yánggōng Dī, 杨公堤) that runs along the western shore.
Bicycles are available to rent cheaply from the city of Hangzhou, provided that you have your passport and don’t mind dropping a little cash for a deposit. Cycling is a great way to tour the lake, following the roads along the perimeter and crossing the causeways. Some areas along the shore are accessible only by foot, luckily the bikes have built-in locks.
History
Once an inlet of the Qiantang River, it was written Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first ruler of imperial China, moored his boat at what is today West Lake on his way to the sea. Build up of silt from river currents and tide cut off the inlet and created a lagoon around the 4th century. During the Tang Dynasty, the lake was twice its current size, and would fluctuate over the centuries as West Lake periodically filled up with sediment and mud and was dredged, drained and dyked.
Maintaining the lake and dealing with droughts were two goals that shaped the history of the lake. Attempting to control the water in the Tang Dynasty during the late eighth century, governor Li Mi built wells and conduits to send water from the lake into surrounding farmlands. Later, famed poet and governor Bai Juyi built dykes and dams and had the Bai Causeway, named after it’s creator, built between Broken Bridge (Duàn Qiáo, 断桥) and Solitary Island. Another major causeway named for its poet-governor creator, the Su Causeway, was built from mud gathered by a massive dredging of West Lake by Su Shi in the Song Dynasty during the late 11th century.
While West Lake languished in neglect during the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty, it regained attention during the Ming Dynasty. Dredging was used to lengthen the Su Causeway and build the Yanggong Causeway. The islands Xuxin Tang and Xiao Yingzhou (Xiǎo Yíngzhōu, 小瀛洲) were also created as were three small stupas sticking out above the surface of the lake known as the Three Ponds Reflecting the Moon (Sān Tán Yìn Yuè, 三潭印月), which appear on the back of RMB 1 bills, were built.
During their visits to West Lake, Qing Emperor Kangxi revised the traditional list of “Ten Scenic Spots at West Lake” and had pavilions housing stalae carved in the likeness of the imperial handwriting erected at each one, a practice repeated by his grandson, the Emperor Qianlong.
After the establishment of the Republic of China, renovation continued and resulted in the building of numerous parks around the lake. One such park, formerly the imperial hideaway Solitary Island, was opened to the public and populated with monuments like the Tomb of Qiu Jin (Qiū Jǐn Mù, 秋瑾墓).
Accommodation
West Lake is a great central location from which to explore Hangzhou’s attractions, not to mention a lovely place to come back to each night. A variety of West Lake accommodations can be found ranging from humble hostels to five-star affairs. Many hotels are located close to the eastern and northern shores of the lake, closer to bars and restaurants. Hotels to the south and west offer a bit of distance from the city and closer proximity to sites like Lingyan Temple, Liuhui Pagoda and Nine Creeks and Eighteen Gullies.

Nine Creeks and Eighteen Gullies (Hangzhou)

About 20 minutes north of the Qiantang River (Qiántáng Jiāng, 钱塘江) from Liuhe Pagoda, the Nine Creeks and Eighteen Gullies (Jiǔ Xī Shíbā Jiàn, 九溪十八涧) make for a lovely stroll or bike ride through attractive countryside. Heading north from the river, the main path passes through paddies and tea terraces, along pleasant streams and, ultimately, to a small lagoon, a teahouse and the Longjing Tea Plantations further into the hills, terminating at Longjing Village (Lóngjǐng Cūn, 龙井村). You can also head south from the village toward the river.
Give yourself at least three or four hours to explore the creeks and gullies by foot or make it part of a larger Hangzhou bicycle ride. If you’ve had your fill of West Lake, the creeks and gullies make for a nice break from the crowds and go well with a visit to either Liuhe Pagoda or the Tea Museum.
The Nine Creeks and Eighteen Gullies are best seen during the summer when the water is at its highest.