“Water sparkles beautifully beneath the clear sky, while the mist-shrouded mountains reveal a unique charm even in the rain.” The “Cultural Landscape of West Lake in Hangzhou,” recognized as a World Heritage site, embodies the philosophical principle of “harmony between humanity and nature” and captures the essence of traditional Chinese culture. Today, we are excited to explore the romance and beauty that West Lake offers, regardless of the time of day or season.
At the heart of the West Lake scenic area lies the modern West Lake Museum, blending seamlessly with the historic landscape. Home to over ten thousand items, including hundreds of relics, the museum showcases the beauty of Chinese landscape aesthetics and illustrates a worldview deeply rooted in traditional cultural values.
One standout artifact is the only surviving image of the Qianlong Emperor’s palace at West Lake, which serves as a testament to the cultural heritage that West Lake has preserved for over two centuries. The Six Harmonies Pagoda, Leifeng Pagoda, Baochu Pagoda, and White Pagoda reflect the architectural styles from the Five Dynasties and Song periods.
Among the museum’s treasures is a Qing Dynasty ceramic bowl adorned with a watercolor landscape and poetic inscriptions, capturing the essence of the famous “South Screen Evening Bell,” one of the ten scenic spots designated by Emperor Kangxi.
According to CCTV reporter Yu Qian, “Just a short stroll from the West Lake Museum leads you to the shores of West Lake. This entire scenic area feels like a natural museum where the beauty of nature seamlessly blends with cultural landscapes. Here, architecture and aesthetics, history and modernity, technology and culture come together in perfect harmony.”
Hangzhou’s Qiantang River has long been celebrated for its prosperity, framed by osmanthus blossoms in autumn and fragrant lotus flowers in summer. From the “South Screen Evening Bell” at the West Lake Museum, visitors can walk to Su Causeway, where they can marvel at a lone willow and a peach tree in spring, or watch the sun set over the solitary peaks opposite Baochu Pagoda in the evening. The highest expression of traditional Chinese landscape aesthetics is embodied in the picturesque and poetic allure of the Ten Sceneries of West Lake from the Song Dynasty.
Xia Pan, the Deputy Director of the Hangzhou West Lake Museum, shared, “This is Su Causeway at Dawn, the first of the Ten Sceneries from the Southern Song Dynasty. In spring, we relish Su Causeway at Dawn; in summer, we admire the Curved Yard and Lotus Flowers; in autumn, we enjoy the Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake; and in winter, we gaze at the Broken Bridge under the Remaining Snow. The beauty of West Lake resembles a painting, eliciting aesthetic emotions in every viewer under various sensory and atmospheric conditions.”
At the foot of Hongchun Bridge from the Song Dynasty once stood a brewery famous for its fragrant lotus and wine, aptly named “Lotus Breeze by the Brewery.” The Kangxi Emperor later poetically transformed the character for “brew” (麯) to “curve” (曲), and Emperor Qianlong even composed poetry to celebrate this change, bestowing it an appropriate name.
West Lake features a unique landscape characterized by “one lake, two causeways, and three islands,” neatly dividing five water areas with the Su and Bai Causeways. Its “one pond and three mountains” design serves as a classic model of Chinese landscape design aesthetics.
The interaction between urban and lake environments around West Lake adheres to the principle of “three sides clouded by mountains and one side adjoining the city,” a layout that defies the conventional shift from marshland to dry terrain commonly seen with inland lakes. Historically, over twenty significant dredging projects have been undertaken at West Lake, with thoughtful designs aimed at protecting the three pagodas while enhancing aesthetic appeal. In 2002, a comprehensive protection initiative was launched for West Lake, resulting in the addition of approximately 1.6 million square meters of green space. The clarity of the main lake area improved dramatically, with average water transparency rising from 45 centimeters in 2001 to 86.9 centimeters in 2023.
Xia Pan highlighted, “We initiated the ‘Westward Expansion of West Lake,’ restoring 0.9 square kilometers of water area to rejuvenate four distinct water bodies. The Maojiafu area has emerged as a significant achievement of our comprehensive protection project, reviving many historical landscape features, with over 100 sites restored. This project reflects West Lake’s enduring philosophy of returning the lake to the people, allowing them to experience, connect with, and appreciate its beauty.”
(CCTV reporters Yu Qian, Xia Zhou, Jin Jian) [Editor: Fu Zihao]
