Lingyin Temple (Lingyin Si) has long been considered one of the most important Buddhist temples in China. Established in 326 AD, today it is one of the largest and wealthiest Buddhist temples in the country, and its location on scenic Feilai Feng ("The Peak That Flew Hither") makes it one of Hangzhou's most significant and popular attractions. The entire Feilai Feng area is sacred to the Chan sect of Buddhism—known in Japan and the west as Zen—and it is dotted with sculptures and smaller shrines, including Ligong Pagoda, with the sprawling Lingyin Temple at its heart. Many of the sculptures, carved directly out of the peak's limestone are between 600 and 1,000 years old.

 

The temple was founded by a legendary Indian monk named Huili who reputedly recognized in Feilai Feng a sacred hill from his homeland, leading him to give Feilai Feng its peculiar name. He also gave Lingyin its name, which roughly translates as "where the divine rest in seclusion." In its heyday, the temple featured nine towers, 18 pavilions, 72 halls and housed some 3,000 monks. It' is said to have been destroyed and rebuilt 16 times. Today's complex largely dates from the Qing Dynasty, though many statues and artifacts are much older. The temple last underwent major renovation in 1975 and today is an excellent example of a working Chan temple. Its entrance and primary structure, the Hall of the Heavenly King, contains an impressive array of Buddhas. Some are replicas dating from the 1930s, while others are over 800 years old.

 

 

Liuhe Ta (Six Harmonies Pagoda) stands south of West Lake, aside the Qiantang River. The sixty-meter (196 ft) tall pagoda was built during the Song Dynasty in part to gain the favor and assistance of Heaven in warding off floods and in moderating the Qiantang's unique tidal bore, when a massive wall of water rushes upstream under optimal lunar conditions. The Qiantang's is the world's largest, rising up to 9 meters (30 ft) and attaining speeds up to 40 km per hour (25 mph). If you happen to be in Hangzhou during the autumn equinox and Mid-Autumn Festival the temple is a popular spot from which to witness this rare phenomenon. Otherwise, the bore occurs twice monthly at the time of the highest tides. Divinely assisted flood control aside (or Dragon King control, as popular lore would have it), the pagoda has traditionally served as a lighthouse for sailors. Destroyed during fighting in 1121 AD, it was rebuilt in subsequent years.

 

Situated on the top of the modest rise known locally as Yuelun Mountain (Yuelun Shan), the octagonal structure appears to have 13 floors from the outside, thanks to multiple sets of false eaves, but inside only has seven stories connected by a spiral staircase. Interior walls and ceilings are decorated with images of landscape scenes and creatures, both natural and supernatural. The adjacent terraced park, dotted with small shrines and statues, makes for pleasurable strolling, and the pagoda itself affords excellent views on clear days, especially during periods of heavy rains when nearby waterfalls empty into the Qiantang.

 

 

Hangzhou is famous among the Chinese for three things: the waters of West Lake and the surrounding springs, rivers and canals; its fertile and picturesque countryside; and traditions that stretch far back into China's history. All of these things combine in a perfectly brewed cup of Longjing Tea.

 

Ideally made with water straight from the Dragon Well (Longjing) and leaves picked from the terraces of the Longjing Plantation, a cup of this delicate green tea connects you with some two thousand years of history, going back to the second century AD when Dragon Well water was discovered and combined with green tea leaves lightly fried to stop the oxidation process and preserve the best of their flavor and nutrients. The spring water's mineral content and cold temperature make it heavier than rain water so that when rain falls, it sits on top of the spring water, creating swirling patterns reminiscent of the image of a traditional Chinese dragon. Tea aficionados swear by the precise mix of water and quality tea, combined at just the right temperature. The results are so pleasing that Hangzhou's Longjing tea was declared an imperial treasure by Qing Dynasty Emperor Kangxi.

 

A visit to the Longjing Tea Plantation makes for a nice side trip from Hangzhou's main attractions. About 30 minutes by bicycle from downtown, situated just southwest of West Lake, the village of Longjing presents visitors with secluded paths running through a terraced landscape with tea growing on all sides. You can see the harvesting and processing of the tea and sample different grades and varieties, spending anywhere from RMB 500 to RMB 10,000 for a kilo of tea. Expect enthusiastic hospitality from local tea sellers—it's not unheard of to spend an hour or so being plied with tea and talk, even if most of the "conversation" consists of gestures, smiles and a mix of broken English and Mandarin. Just remember that you really should buy something after such an experience—if longjing cha doesn't turn out to be your cup of tea, it makes a great gift.

 

 

The Mausoleum of General Yue Fei is one of Hangzhou's most popular attractions among Chinese tourists, who view Yue as a patriotic hero. The historical Yue Fei lived in Southern Song Dynasty China during the 12th century AD, at a time when China was split between the ethnically Han Song and the rival Jin Dynasty, ruled by ethnic Jurchens from the north. The Jin had conquered the north of China, pushing the Song out of their capital Kaifeng and taking the Emperor Qinzong captive. Yue fought the Jin valiantly, but was betrayed by corrupt officials who had him imprisoned and executed as part of a plot to sign a peace treaty with the Jin that would prevent the return of the captured Qinzong, allowing the new Song emperor, Gaozong, to remain in power in the south.

 

Yue Fei certainly had many virtues and talents, but the fantastic tales of feats and abilities bordering on the supernatural make it impossible to clearly separate fact from myth. We do know that he was a brave, loyal and brilliant military leader, much loved by his men. After his death, his life was commemorated in poems, paintings and novels, starting with a biography written by his grandson, Yue Ke. In 1163, his body was placed in the Hangzhou mausoleum, and ever since he has been adulated as the paragon of patriotism and self-sacrifice.

 

 

Hangzhou's premier tourist attraction, West Lake (Xi Hu), is renowned for beautiful scenery of the sort that has inspired countless paintings and poems. Gardens and pagodas are scattered along its shores. Two willow-lined stone walkways and a long arched causeway traverse the lake, and boats for hire travel to the lake's two islands, Yingzhou and Gu Shan (Solitary Hill Island).

 

Gu Shan is home to a restaurant, Louwailou Caiguan, Zhongshan Park and the Zhejiang Provincial Museum. One of the best ways to get around the lake and take in the sights is by bicycle—rentals are widely available.