Hangzhou Attractions
 West Lake
 Ling Yin Temple
 Mt. Putuoshan Scenic Spot 
 Six Harmonies Pagoda
 Thousand Islets Lake (Qian Dao Lake)
 Wuzhen
 Xitang

 China National Silk Museum         
 Fei Lai Feng 
 Gu Shan (Solitary Hill)                     
 Grand Canal
 Hangzhou Botanical Garden         
 Hupao Spring
 Mausoleum of General Yue Fei     
 Mogan Mountain           
 Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine
 National Tea Museum                    
 Qiantang River Tide
 Red Carp Pond                                
 Southern Song Dynasty Official Kiln Museum
 Tiantai Mountain Scenic Area     
 Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds

Hangzhou, a city famous for its scenic splendor, attracts more than 20 million tourists from home and abroad every year. Its unique environment endowed by nature and those who have lived here, is an accumulation of several thousand years that has formed many world renowned natural, historical and cultural features.

Whenever talking about Hangzhou, the famous West Lake can never be far from one's thoughts. Held on three sides in the embrace of hilly peaks, this water wonderland has been an attraction for centuries and it is small wonder that it was a favorite imperial retreat. The lake and its environs have all the elements of a traditional Chinese garden but on a grand scale. The natural setting of strangely shaped peaks, serene forests and springs, dense foliage and a myriad of blossoms especially in springtime are enhanced by a treasury of sculpture and architectural features. The largest part of West Lake is known as the Outer Lake and it is bounded by the North Inner Lake, Yuehu Lake, West Inner Lake and Lesser South Lake.

The Gu Shan (Solitary Hill) lies between the Outer Lake and the North Inner Lake and is an ideal spot from which to admire the vista. For those who have a love of sculpture and art and those who have a particular interest in Buddhism Fei Lai Feng (Peak Flown From Afar) and Ling Yin Temple (Temple of the Soul's Retreat) are the must see attractions. The nearby Mausoleum of General Yue Fei is a monument to the patriot who was murdered in 1141 at the behest of his archrival Qin Hui, the Song prime minister. These buildings together with others in the vicinity of the lake such as the slender 13 storey high Six Harmonies Pagoda adds to the calm and beauty of their surroundings.

Hangzhou is a beautiful city always ready to offer visitors more to see. If you have more time to travel in the city and want to see other places of wonderful landscape, you can visit the following scenic spots. Hangzhou Botanical Garden is both a park embracing beautiful plants and a research base to study botany. Hupao Spring is famed for its unique fountain of high water quality. Mt. Putuoshan Scenic Spot is held sacred by Buddhists and it was here that over the centuries a once large Buddhist community was to evolve. Red Carp Pond is the heart of Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor Park (Huagang Guanyu), one of the ten places of interests at West Lake. Thousand Islets Lake (Qian Dao Lake) is a pure lake with fresh and clean air. Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds is a unique sight in foggy days.

No visitor to the West Lake and Hangzhou can fail to learn something of this city's most famous products, namely silk and Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea. China National Silk Museum is the first Chinese national museum to be dedicated to silk culture and is the largest of its kind in the world. A similar museum is dedicated in homage to tea. Located at the West Lake Dragon Well Tea Plantation, the National Tea Museum provides a fascinating insight into the history and production of Chinese tea. Additionally visitors can go to other museums. Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the only state-level professional Chinese medicine museum in China. Southern Song Dynasty Official Kiln Museum has been praised as the Civilized Museum of Zhejiang Province and the first group of provincial education base of patriotism.

Another natural spectacle to be found in Hangzhou is the Qiantang River Tide that has enthralled people for centuries. Annually, millions of people from both home and abroad flock there to watch the magnificent tide on the eighteenth day of the eighth lunar month (also around the Mid-Autumn Day). When the surging tide comes, the water can rise up to a height of 30 feet and the noise it generates sounds like thunder, or thousands of galloping horses.

The other great feat of much earlier engineering is the Grand Canal. Linking Hangzhou in the south with Beijing in the north, this is the longest man-made waterway in China and surpasses both the Suez and Panama canals. Boating on the old Chinese Canal is one of the best ways to get a panoramic view of the landscape of typical river towns in southern China, which include ancient dwellings, stone bridges of traditional designs and historical relics.

Around Hangzhou, there are also some places worth visiting. For example, Wuzhen, ranking first among the six ancient towns south of the Yangtze River was authorized as the Provincial Ancient Town of History and Culture. Xitang is a famous town with thousands of years of history. Mogan Mountain has been listed as one of the 'Four Best Summer Resorts in China' along with Beidaihe Scenic Spot, Mt. Lushan and Jigong Mountain. Tiantai Mountain Scenic Area is known for its beautiful scenery and for being the cradle of the Tiantai Sect of Chinese Buddhism.

Hangzhou, with its surrounding hills, water and numerous beautiful sightseeing places, has been ranked as one of the ten best famous tourist cities in China.

Travelers' Voices on Hangzhou Attractions

1.

Mar. 5,2009 21:41 Reply

Ms.Lee(USA) said:

It is reported that admission tickets of about 100 tourist attractions in Hangzhou will be sold at half price during the May Holiday. There will be 200,000 free tickets available for special groups.

2.

Feb. 22,2009 03:16 Reply

Ms.Depple(USA) said:

Mr. Simon;

I couldn't agree more... It seems Miss Penny forgot the rule of "When In Rome" or in this case, China. It speaks volumes of the importance of doing a good dal of study before leaving home. China is about delicacy; Less is More thinking. No where I went was that more clear than at Westlake, where the footpath sets you in the middle of the water, the tress grace the path, the Golden Dragon Boats glisten in the sun, and amongst the boats to the Tea shore, the locals still ply the water in old row boats.

As amazing as the large geological wonder or North America are, I love the subtle qualities of China.

3.

Feb. 16,2009 00:31 Reply

Mr.Daniel (china) said:

Prince Bay Park (Taiziwan Park) in Hangzhou will open to visitors for free as of March 20. The tulips show will be staged from March 20. The renovation of Prince Bay Park is part of the Renovation of ‘Top Ten Scenes” of West Lake. The restoration of ‘Three Pools Mirroring the Moon’ (三潭印月) will be finished by April 25. The whole renovation of Top Ten Sites of West Lake will be finished by the end of June.

4.

Jan. 31,2009 10:44 Reply

Mr.Simon(Canada) said:

Ms Penny, Having been to all the places you mention, I think you missed the point of Hangzhou. It is not a place where you go WOW! Unfortunately for Hnagzhou the more "touristy" it gets the more it loses its charm.

5.

Jan. 21,2009 18:28 Reply

Ms.Penny(USA) said:

It's OK but after the Canadian Rockies and the US Grand Canyon or Tibet it's not such a big deal. And at least in those places women aren't treated so shabbily.

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