Things to do in Zhèjiāng
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Língyǐn Temple
Hángzhōu's most famous Buddhist temple, Língyǐn Temple was built in AD 326. Due to episodes of war and calamity, it has been destroyed and restored no fewer than 16 times.
The main temple buildings are restorations of Qing-dynasty structures. Behind the Hall of the Four Heavenly Guardians stands the Great Hall and a magnificent 20m-high statue of Siddhartha Gautama (Sakyamuni), sculpted from 24 blocks of camphor wood in 1956 and based on a Tang-dynasty original. Behind the giant statue is a startling montage of 150 small figures, which charts the journey of 53 children on the road to Buddhahood. During the time of the Five Dynasties (907–60) about 3000 monks lived in t…
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West Lake Boat Trips
Wooden cruise boats ( 游船; yóu chuán; 1½hr; adult/child incl entry to Three Pools Y45/22.5; 7am-4.45pm) shuttle every 20 minutes from a number of points around West Lake (including Gushan Island, Yue Fei Temple, Red Carp Pond and the south end of Hubin Lu) to the Mid-Lake Pavilion ( 湖心亭; Húxīn Tíng) and Xiaoying Island ( 小瀛洲; Xiǎoyíng Zhōu), which has a fine central pavilion and ‘nine-turn’ causeway. From the island you can look over at the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (Sāntán Yìnyuè), a string of three small towers in the water, each of which has five holes that release shafts of candlelight on the night of the Mooncake Festival in midautumn…
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West Lake
The saccharine Chinese tourist brochure hyperbole extolling West Lake is almost justified in its cloying accolades. The very definition of classical beauty in China, West Lake continues to mesmerise and methodical prettification has worked a cunning magic. Pagoda-topped hills rise over willow-lined waters as boats drift slowly through a vignette of leisurely charm. With history heavily repackaged, it's not that authentic – not by a long shot – but it's still a grade-A cover version of classical China.
Originally a lagoon adjoining the Qiántáng River, the lake didn't come into existence until the 8th century, when the governor of Hángzhōu had the marshy expanse dredged.…
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Grandma's Kitchen
Highly popular with locals, this chain restaurant cooks up classic Hángzhōu favourites; try the hóngshāo dōngpō ròu (红烧东坡肉; braised pork). There are several other branches in town.
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Wushan Lu Night Market
Hángzhōu is well known for its tea, in particular Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea as well as silk, fans and, of all things, scissors. You can find all these things at the bustling Wúshān Lu Night Market, as well as touristy kitsch. Fake ceramics jostle with ancient pewter tobacco pipes, Chairman Mao memorabilia, silk shirts and pirated CDs. Get the gloves off and haggle hard if something catches your eye. It's been relocated to Huixing Lu ( 惠兴路 ) between Youdian Lu ( 邮电路 ) and Renhe Lu ( 仁和路 ).
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Lóuwàilóu Restaurant
Founded in 1838, this is Hángzhōu's most famous restaurant. The local speciality is xīhú cùyú (西湖醋鱼; sweet and sour carp) and dōngpō pork, but there's a good choice of other well-priced standard dishes.
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Qīnghéfāng Old Street
At the south end of Zhongshan Zhonglu is this fun and fascinating bustling pedestrian street (清河坊历史文化街;Qīnghéfāng Lìshǐ Wénhuà Jiē), with makeshift puppet theatres, teahouses and curio stalls. Chomp on a chewy nánsòng dìngshèng gāo (南宋定胜糕; southern Song dingsheng cake, Y1.50), or a guǐcài jiānbing (鬼菜煎饼; Chinese burrito; Y3), pick up a hand-carved stone teapot (Y29) or a box of lóngxūtáng (龙须糖; dragon whiskers sweets; Y10 a box) and grab some ginseng or silk. It's also the home of several traditional medicine shops, including the Húqìngyú Táng Chinese Medicine Museum, which is an actual dispensary and clinic.
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Nanshan Lu
Over the past several years, the bar scene in Hángzhōu has mushroomed. The most popular bar strip is along Nanshan Lu , near the Academy of Art. Head off and see what you can uncover.
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Silk Market
Contains a string of silk shops and clothing stores on and around Xijiankang Lu ( 西健康路 ), just north of Fengqi Lu ( 凤起路 ).
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Carrefour Shopping Centre
For picnics, head to Carrefour Shopping Centre which has a good selection of imported foods. On the weekends, shopping here feels like being caught in a stampede.
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Carrefour
Can be found at the northwest corner of Yan'an Lu and Xihu Dadao.
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Nánxún Old Town
From the bus station, cross the bridge over the Grand Canal and the old town is down the first small canal-side lane on your left. Everything of interest will then be in front of you and to your right. There are large wooden maps around town to keep you on track, but just follow the canals. Sights worth seeking out include the pretty gardens of Little Lotus Villa ( 小莲庄; Xiǎolián Zhuāng), note the fabulous highly decorative carved stone gates; the 100 Room Pavilion ( 百间楼; Bǎijiān Lóu), a Ming dynasty structure; and the Jiaye Library ( 嘉业堂藏书楼; Jiāyètáng Cángshūlóu), which dates from 1920 and is set within a scenic courtyard with a lotus pond. With its blend of European and…
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Gu Hill
Connected to the northern shores of the West Lake by the Bai Causeway is Gu Hill, the largest island in the lake and the location of the Zhejiang Provincial Museum (Zhèjiāng Shěng Bówùguan), Zhongshan Park (Zhōngshān Gōngyuán) and the Louwailou Restaurant. The island's buildings and gardens were once the site of Emperor Qianlong's 18th-century holiday palace and gardens.
Also on the island is the intriguing Seal Engravers' Society (Xīlíng Yìnshè), dedicated to the ancient art of carving the name seals (chops) that serve as personal signatures. In the northwest is the lovely Quyuan Garden (Qūyuàn Fēnghé), a collection of gardens spread out over numerous islets and…
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China Tea Museum
Not far into the hills, you'll begin to see fields of tea bushes planted in undulating rows, the setting for the China Tea Museum – 3.7 hectares of land dedicated to the art, cultivation and tasting of tea. Further up are several tea-producing villages, all of which harvest China's most famous variety of green tea, lóngjǐng (dragon well), named after the spring where the pattern in the water resembles a dragon. You can enjoy one of Hángzhōu's most famous teas at the Dragon Well Tea Village (龙井问茶; Lóngjǐng Wènchá), near the first pass. Tourist bus Y3 will take you to the museum and the village.
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Six Harmonies Pagoda
Three kilometres southwest of the lake, an enormous rail-and-road bridge spans the Qiántáng River. Close by is the 60m-high octagonal Six Harmonies Pagoda, first built in AD 960. The pagoda also served as a lighthouse, and was supposed to have magical power to halt the 6.5m-high tidal bore that thunders up Qiántáng River. Behind the pagoda stretches a charming walk, through terraces dotted with sculptures, bells, shrines and inscriptions. Take bus K4 from Nanshan Lu.
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Oriental Restaurant
Specialising in food from China’s Muslim Hui minority, this is much more than the average Xīnjiāng restaurant you find all over China. It has lamb kebabs ( 羊肉串; yáng ròu chuàn; Y2), lamb on naan bread ( 囊包肉; nángbāo ròu; Y50) and fried noodle pieces ( 炒片; chǎo piàn; Y12) like all the others, but you’ll also find hummus dishes, doner kebabs and even felafel (Y20). English menu.
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Chinese Medicine Museum
Although pretty touristy, Hángzhōu's Qinghefang Old Street (Qīnghéfāng Lìshǐ Wénhuà Jiē) houses a host of attractive buildings, some of genuine antiquity, and can make for a fun wander. There are several pungent traditional Chinese medicine shops on the side streets. One, Húqìngyú Táng ( 胡庆余堂; since 1874), is home to the Chinese Medicine Museum, housed in a fabulous wooden courtyard building.
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Seal Engravers’ Society
Connected to West Lake’s northern shores by the Bai Causeway is GushanIsland ( 孤山; Gū Shān), the lake’s largest island. You’ll find the intriguing Seal Engravers’ Society here, dedicated to the ancient art of carving the name seals (or chops) that serve as personal signatures. It’s housed in beautiful, shaded gardens on the slope of a hill. There’s an old teahouse at the top (pots of tea from Y20).
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Lóuwàilóu
With a choice location on Bai Causeway, and fine lakeside views, the city’s most famous restaurant has been going since 1848. It serves up expensive but delicious Hángzhōu favourites such as Longjing shrimp ( 龙井虾仁; Lóngjǐng xiārén; Y198) and braised pork ( 东坡肉; dōngpō ròu; Y14 per chunk), as well as reasonably priced standard Chinese dishes (Y20 to Y50). English menu.
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Hángzhōu Churches
Hidden away behind sheet-metal gates, the blue-and-white Catholic Church (Tiānzhǔ Táng; 415 Zhongshan Beilu; 中山北路 415 号; English mass 6pm Sat, Chinese mass 9am Sun) is a lovely building, with an effigy of a compassionate Mary above the door. The brick Protestant Si-Cheng Church (Sìchéng Táng; 132 Jiefang Lu; 解放路 132 号 ) is more Chinese in style.
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Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum
The Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum was once a production site for the famed porcelain and ceramics of the Southern Song dynasty. You can visit the remains of the kiln, where there are some exhibits of ancient kiln tools and equipment. There's also a showroom of Song ceramics and explanations in English that outline the history of ceramic ware in China. You can even try your hand at making some treasures of your own for a nominal fee (around Y20-50).
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Lesser Yingzhou Island
The smaller island in the lake is Lesser Yingzhou Island where you can look over at Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (Sāntán Yìnyuè), three small towers in the water on the south side of the island; each has five holes that release shafts of candlelight on the night of the mid-autumn festival. From Lesser Yingzhou Island, you can look over to Red Carp Pond (Huāgang Guānyú), home to a few thousand red carp.
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Huiji Temple
A steep but beautifully shaded half-hour climb leads to HuijiTemple, one of the highest points on the island. Watch pilgrims stop every three steps to either bow or kneel in supplication. The less devout can take a cable car ( 索道, suǒdào, 1-way/return Y30/50; 6.40am-5pm) from the north side of the mountain. It’s Y10 in a bus from the ferry terminal to the cable car.
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Yue Fei Temple
Across from the entrance to the West Lake's 3km-long Su Causeway is Yue Fei Temple, bounded by a redbrick wall and dedicated to General Yue Fei (1103–41) whose tomb is here. Commander of the Song armies, Yue was executed after being deceived by Qin Hui, a treacherous court official. More than 20 years later, Song emperor Gao Zong exonerated Yue and had his corpse reburied at the present site.
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Baopu Taoist Temple
In the forested hills above West Lake, reachable by a pleasant hike, is the striking tiled-roof, yellow-walled Baopu Taoist Temple. The temple’s first hall contains a statue of Guanyin in front of a Yin and Yang diagram; an effigy of Gehong ( 葛洪 ) – who once smelted cinnabar here – resides in the next hall, behind a fabulously carved altar decorated with figures.
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