Why Is West Lake Hangzhou Famous?

Ever heard of the place that’s named, “Paradise on Earth”? If you are wondering if something like that exists even, then you must know, it does! 

In the southwest of Hangzhou, and in Zhejiang province, you can find this beautiful lake named “West Lake”. That’s what is called Paradise on Earth! Residing in China, it comes under the top 10 attractions in that country.

Hangzhou, the most vibrant and enticing city in the world, is prominently beautiful and scenic in the West Lake area. The charm of the city is added by the beauty of the lake.

Exploring the intricacies of the West Lake

Back in time, the area was a sea gulf that led to the formation of a residual lake. On the 3 sides of the lake surround the tall hills and in the east lies the city. 

Western Lake during the time of the Southern Song Dynasty was distributed with 10 views around the lake. Each view had its own beauty that together made a magnificent essence. 

The views: of the Lotus Pool and Curved Yard

This view of the lake is meant for its scenic beauty in the Summer. This is situated near the west side of the lake. It has two notable parts to look at: the crooked courtyard and the Lotus lake which is spread across 1,26,500 square feet of area. 

The banks of the West Lake are where the Lotus grows, the crooked courtyard is near the area where the water stream named Jinsha Stream flows into the lake. Earlier during the ruling time, it was a wine shop, due to which in the brimming summer, you could smell the perfume of the wine and the Lotus flavor. 

The view of Evening Bell at Nanping Hill

This view has the longest history, and it comes on the south side of the lake. Seeing this view is like dwelling in the natural and cultural view of the lake. 

But if you think about how the view gets a name called evening bell, then here’s the reason behind it. In Nanping Hill, the temple named Jingci Temple is inside a cave, when the bell rings in the evening, also the sun falls down, it echoes through the area for quite a long time. That’s how it gets the name, “Evening Bell at Nanping Hill” 

The scene in this view is a beauty of the cultural heritage of the temple and the mesmerizing beauty of the hill.

The view of the Melting Snow at the Broken Bridge

This view is a watch during the winter in the distance. This place is surrounded by a hill named Baoshi Mountain, and the bridge is located in the West Lake’s east end of Baidi. 

The location is such that it makes an absolutely snowy scenic place to cherish. On the south side of the hilltop, the snow covers the stone bridge, look when the snow melts in the presence of the sun is a mottled look. On the ends of the bridge still lies the snow, wherein in the culvert lies a bit of snow. Overall the bridge is hardly seen. Making it look like a broken bridge. 

The view of Springdown on the Su Causeway

It’s an embankment that is tree-lined and spread over a  stretch of 3 km. From south to north, it has 6 number of stone arch bridges along the line of the embankment. The name of the causeway comes from honoring Su Dongpo who was a poet and a writer in the Northern Song Dynasty. On the extreme south of the causeway, there is a memorial of Su Dungpo which depicts the person’s life and his love for poems. 

The view of Fish at Flower Harbor 

The three important things to witness here are the harbor, fish, and flowers. In the fishpond, one can see a lot of red carp and the residents love to feed them. 

With twenty hectares of land, the entire garden is split into 5 regions. Namely, the red carp pond which is the tour area’s center location is in the south-central park. The Peony Garden which is at the center of the flower harbor garden there grows huge numbers of peonies and is a space for public leisure. Above the pond is a stone bridge where visitors can have a close look at the red carp in the pond. And the enthusiasm of the red carp to approach the visitors by dancing, and playing is very alluring to watch. Large Lawn, Flower Harbor, and Jungle are the other regions to view in the sight.

The place to visit

There are ten views to mesmerize at and no wonder, the essence of the place makes it look like an absolute heaven to be called Paradise on Earth, and in fact, it is true in the context of the world. 

With that being said it is listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site and has become an inspiration for other countries like Japan, and Korea to design their gardens similarly. A place that brings nature and humans together.