Sights

Buddha's Head Lingyin Temple

Roger Cavanagh

Hangzhou's most famous individual sights, ranging from the extravagant and historic Yuefei Mu (Temple and Tomb of Yuefei) to the ancient hillside Buddhist carvings of Feilai Feng and its associated temple, the Lingyin Si, one of China's largest and most renowned. Farther afield, beautiful tea plantations nestle around the village of Longjing and the bizarre former home of the disgraced leader Lin Biao, while south down to the Qiantang River are excellent walking opportunities.

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Lingyin Si (Temple of Inspired Seclusion)

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Buddha's Head Lingyin Temple
photo by: Roger Cavanagh

Originally founded in 326 AD by a Buddhist monk returning from India, this wonderful temple has been restored and rebuilt no fewer than 16 times over the centuries. The chief attraction is an enormous 20m high Sakyamuni Buddha statue, built only in 1956 but meticulously carved from camphor wood and decorated with gold. The temple's large halls and vast pillars remain awesome. A vegetarian restaurant is situated beside the temple.

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West Lake (Xihu)

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There are some 36 lakes across China called West Lake, but Hangzhou's is the finest. The lake is crossed by two cause-ways, the Baidi and the Sudi, where you can sit and watch life go by. Take a boat out to visit the lake's islands, the most serene of which is Santan Yinyue (Three Pools Reflecting the Moon), famous for the romantic atmosphere created by the reflection of the August moon. Larger boats leave from the Hangzhou Overseas Chinese Hotel on Hubin Lu, or you can rent your own boat anywhere along the shoreline.

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Mausoleum of General Yue Fei (Yue Fei Mu)

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General Yue Fei (1103-1141) was a commander of the Song armies, who succeed against the invaders but was deceived by Qin Hui, a treacherous court official. More than 20 years after his death, his corpse was reburied tat the present site.

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Longjing Village (Dragon Well Village)

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ankit in ongjing village
photo by: jim hanlon

Hangzhou's most famous product is Longjing tea, an invigorating, bitter-tasting green tea highly prized by Chinese and foreigner all over the world. Longjing Tea Park, set in tea plantations to the southwest of the lake, contains what is claimed to be the original Dragon Well. Tea sellers here will invite you into their homes to taste different grades of tea: prices may seem astronomical at first, but taste the different grades and decide for yourself. Limited bargaining is acceptable. Excellent walks circle around the village and into the surrounding tea gardens and hills. The more..

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Bao Chu Pagoda

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Despite its crumbling appearance, this rather beautiful pagoda standing on a hill north of Xihu was last rebuilt in 1933. The original structure dates from 968 AD, when local courtiers built a pagoda in an effort to ensure the safe return of their local ruler from the Song Dynasty court in Kaifeng. A visit to Bao Chu is best combined with a walk around Xihu, and can be reached from Baidi causeway.

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The Lake Shore

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Most of Hangzhou's sights are on or near the lakeshore. An ideal way to get between them is by bike, otherwise you can use the local buses or simply walk. It's possible to walk round the entire circumference in one day, but you wouldn't have time to stop at all the sights en route.

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Six Harmonies Pagoda

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The 60m high octagonal Six Harmonies Pagoda named after the six codes of Buddhism. The pagoda also served as a lighthouse, and was supposed to have magical power to halt the tidal bore which thundered up the Qiantang River in mid-September every year.

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