| China Destination Guide: Hangzhou |
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Main Tour Attractions in
Hangzhou
West Lake
Most tourist attractions in Hangzhou are located on West Lake. As its name indicates, West Lake is situated west of the city. It is 6 square km in area, with a circumference of approximately 15 km. A nice way to take in some of the most charming views of Hangzhou is to take a walk on the lakeshore – around the whole lake if one chooses to do so – which affords views of the lake, city and surrounding hills from different angles. Major scenic spots or views include Lakeshore Promenade (where early in the morning local residents rather to try out exercises such as Taiji); Island of Little Oceans (lakes within the lake); “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon” (little pagodas in the lake); Solitary Hill Island (where one finds Zhejiang Provincial Museum), Twin Peaks (hills in the background); Yue Tomb and Temple (in honor of patriot and national hero General Yue Fei, 1103-1142), Bai Causeway and Su Causeway (each named after a well-known scholar-official and poet); “Singing Birds in the Willows” and “Breeze-Stirred Lotus.” These specific sites or views aside, what is the most appealing about West Lake is the general atmosphere that reminds a visitor of a traditional Chinese painting.
Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak
Next to West Lake, Linyin Temple is another major attraction. The temple was originally built in A.D. 326, during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. An India monk, who had come to China to spread his faith, was struck by the beauty of local landscape and decided to construct a sanctuary at the site. Over the centuries the temple was destroyed and re-erected a number of times, and during its heydays it was the home of thousands of Buddhist devotees. “Lingyin” means “hidden spirit.” The temple is also known as Yunlin Temple, “Yunlin” meaning “Clouds and Trees.” This latter name was conferred onto the holy site by the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty when he toured the area in the 18th century. A tablet bearing the imperial inscription still hangs above the entrance of the Hall of Heavenly King, the main building of the shrine. Some of the existing statues and sutra towers at the temple date back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) and are of great historical, artistic and religious significance.
Standing on the ground of Lingyin Temple and looks southward, one beholds Feilai Feng or “the peak that that arrives from afar.” It is said that one reason that the founder of Lingyin Temple, the Indian monk, decided to construct the temple at the site was that the peak reminded him a mountain back in the homeland of the Buddha. In the centuries that followed, as Lingyin Temple grew in fame, the splendid “Peak That Has Flown Here from Afar” became a sacred attraction itself. Today the cliff is decorated with 400 or so historical Buddhist stone carvings and sculptures, some of which are over one thousand years old.
Liuhe Tower
Liuhe Tower stands on the Yuelun Hill southwest of Hangzhou. The tower was originally built in 970 and rebuilt in 1156. The original design for the tower was to suppress demons in the Qiantang River that flows below to prevent them from flooding farmlands. ¡°Liuhe¡± can be variably interpreted to refer to certain Buddhist rules or the harmony among heaven, earth and the four directions. The tower measures 60 meters (197 ft) in height; it is seven-storied inside and 13-storied outside, and contains a stairway by which one can ascend to the top of the tower to take a panoramic view of Qiantang River and vicinity. Inside the tower there are also stone and brick carvings of Buddhist themes.
Chinese National Silk Museum
Chinese Silk Museum is the world’s largest museum with silk as its theme. Formally opened in 1992, the museum occupies five-acres of land, with 3,000 square meters of exhibition area. The museum presents the history, culture, art, and technology related to silk in China, covering topics ranging from origins of silk production in ancient times, Eastern-Western trade on the famous Silk Road, myriad types of silk products and artifacts, and most recent innovations in silk manufacturing and creative use.
The Silk Museum is located at the foot of Yuhuang Mountain outside Hangzhou, a short distance away from the southern bank of Xihu (West Lake). Hangzhou and the neighboring area has a long history of silk making and its silk products are among the finest in China and worldwide. It is for a good reason, therefore, that the National Silk Museum is set over there.
Among the permanent exhibitions at the Silk Museum are the Story of Silk in China, the Making of Silk, and Modern Achievements in Silk Production and Culture. Of particular interest to are silk clothing and costumes from various historical periods, extending from the Warring States (475-221 BC) to the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911).
On the ground of the Silk Museum there are also shops where visitors can purchase their favorite silk products.
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