China Guide
Jiangsu and Zhejiang
Xi Hu
Xi Hu forms a series of landscapes with rock, trees, grass and lakeside buildings all reflected in the water and backed by luxuriant wooded hills. The lake itself stretches just over 3km from north to south and just under 3km from east to west, though the surrounding parks spread far beyond this.
Bai Di is the shorter and more popular of the two causeways across the lake, about 1500m in length. The little island of Gu Shan in the middle of the causeway is one of Hangzhou's highlights, a great place to relax under a shady tree. Bursting with chrysanthemum blossoms in the spring and sprinkled with pavilions and pagodas, this tiny area was originally landscaped under the Tang, but the present style dates from the Qing, when Emperor Qianlong built himself a palace here, surrounded by the immaculate Zhongshan Park. Part of the palace itself is now the huge Zhejiang Provincial Museum (Mon noon–4pm, Tues– Sun 9am–4pm; free), displaying some superb bronzes from the eleventh to the eighth century BC, among many other treasures. The tiny park of the curious Xiling Seal Engravers' Society (daily 9am–5pm; ¥5) encloses a pavilion with a pleasant blend of steps, carved stone tablets, shrubbery, and nearby a small early Buddhist stupa; in summer you can often see the engravers at work. On the southeastern side of the hill by the water, the Autumn Moon on a Calm Lake Pavilion is the perfect place to watch the full moon. It's a teahouse now, very popular after sunset and full of honeymooners.
The longer causeway, Su Di, consists of embankments planted with banana trees, weeping willows and plum trees, linked by six stone-arch bridges, and encloses a narrow stretch of water, Xili Hu (West Inner Lake). East of the causeway is the largest of the islands, Xiaoying, better known as Santanyinyue (Three Flags Reflecting the Moon; ¥20). Bridges link across from north to south and east to west so that the whole thing seems like a wheel with four spokes, plus a central hub just large enough for a pavilion.