Are
you eager to know the story of 'Plum wife and crane son'? Lin
Bu, also called Lin Hejing, was a real hermit and a talented poet
in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Besides composing poems
and paintings, he spent all his spare time planting plum trees
and raising cranes. He didn't get married all his life, and as
a result, people took plum blossom as his wife and considered
cranes his children. The place he lived in seclusion was called
Gu Shan.
Gu Shan, situated at the northwestern corner of West
Lake, is 38 meters (about 125 feet) above sea-level, and covers
an area of 300 mu (nearly 50 acres). It is the lowest summit, compared
to other hills around West Lake, but it is also the biggest island
in the lake, and the only natural island as well.
Gu
Shan got this name because it is surrounded by water, standing
solitarily in West Lake. It can also be called Solitary Island,
for it is a lonely island; rather than a hill. Its other name:
Plum Blossom Island, originates from the flourishing plum blossom
planted on the hill.
Gu Shan boasts of beautiful landscapes. It is bordered by Bai Causeway
on the east, Xi Ling Bridge on the west, the Outer West Lake on
the south, and the Inner West Lake on the north. Autumn Moon over
the Calm Lake, one of the ten scenes of the West Lake; is formed
on the boundary of Gu Shan and Bai Causeway. Gu Shan is an ideal
place to enjoy the beauty of West Lake.
In
addition, there are a lot of cultural relics in the scenic area.
At the south foot lies Zhejiang Museum, Wen Lan Pavilion (attracting
many literati), and Zhongshan Park in the middle of the hill.
The park was rebuilt on the site of an imperial garden of the
Qing Dynasty, and was opened in 1927 to commemorate Sun Yat-sen,
the great leader of the Xinhai Revolution in 1911. At the west
foot is Fang He Pavilion, which is related to Lin Bu and his story
'Plum wife and crane son', and the Tomb of Qiu Jin, a great female
revolutionist at the end of the Qing Dynasty. On the top of the
hill, there is Xi Ling Seal Society, dedicated to the study of
seals. This area also includes Cypress Hall, Bamboo Pavilion and
Si Zhao Pavilion.
The best time to visit Gu Shan is in winter or in early spring,
for at this time, you can enjoy the plum blossom as well as the
usual sights.
Copyright© 1998-2008 TravelChinaGuide.com, All rights reserved. Users of this site agree to be bound by the
Font
Size: - 
Are
you eager to know the story of 'Plum wife and crane son'? Lin
Bu, also called Lin Hejing, was a real hermit and a talented poet
in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Besides composing poems
and paintings, he spent all his spare time planting plum trees
and raising cranes. He didn't get married all his life, and as
a result, people took plum blossom as his wife and considered
cranes his children. The place he lived in seclusion was called
Gu Shan.
Gu
Shan got this name because it is surrounded by water, standing
solitarily in West Lake. It can also be called Solitary Island,
for it is a lonely island; rather than a hill. Its other name:
Plum Blossom Island, originates from the flourishing plum blossom
planted on the hill.
In
addition, there are a lot of cultural relics in the scenic area.
At the south foot lies Zhejiang Museum, Wen Lan Pavilion (attracting
many literati), and Zhongshan Park in the middle of the hill.
The park was rebuilt on the site of an imperial garden of the
Qing Dynasty, and was opened in 1927 to commemorate Sun Yat-sen,
the great leader of the Xinhai Revolution in 1911. At the west
foot is Fang He Pavilion, which is related to Lin Bu and his story
'Plum wife and crane son', and the Tomb of Qiu Jin, a great female
revolutionist at the end of the Qing Dynasty. On the top of the
hill, there is Xi Ling Seal Society, dedicated to the study of
seals. This area also includes Cypress Hall, Bamboo Pavilion and
Si Zhao Pavilion.
