After getting off at Hangzhou station, I arrived at West Lake – a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011. It's famous for its picturesque scenery, resembling a traditional ink painting, with vibrant colors in all four seasons: peach blossoms in spring, weeping willows in summer, golden leaves in autumn, and misty winter.
At Hangzhou high-speed train station after leaving Shanghai, I took a deep breath, feeling the cool air of the station. It wasn't raining. My first destination in Hangzhou was West Lake, considered a captivating gem that has enchanted poets and artists for thousands of years.
Beauty is always present.
From the center of Hangzhou, just a short distance to the west, West Lake appeared before me. Strolling slowly along the lake's edge, I understood why this place is an endless source of inspiration for Chinese art.
Since the Tang and Song dynasties, renowned poets such as Bai Juyi and Su Dongpo were captivated and wrote immortal poems praising the beauty of this place. Even the most exquisite ink paintings often take the scenery of West Lake as their subject matter, with mountains, water, and graceful weeping willows, according to Kefen Wang in his article "Chinese Dance and Chinese Ballet History," published by China Art Press in 2002.
An endless source of inspiration for Chinese art.
Today, that beauty remains vividly present in cinema, music , and photography—primarily Chinese cinema.
A thousand years of history unfolds around the lake. I visited the Yue Fei Temple – a memorial to the Chinese hero. It is also the place where a statue of the man believed to have harmed Yue Fei has been erected, kneeling before what is believed to be Yue Fei's tomb, a place of scorn for generations to come.
The majestic Linh An Pagoda boasts distinctive Buddhist architecture. Then there's Doan Kieu Bridge – associated with the tragic love legend of "The White Snake" between the White Snake who transformed into a human and Xu Xian – adding to the mystical atmosphere of the place.
Tô Đê, a dike built during the Song Dynasty, is a fantastic viewpoint.
For a long time, it has been said that the people of Hangzhou consider West Lake an integral part of their being. In the early mornings, they practice Tai Chi under the trees and stroll along the lake's edge. In the afternoons, the small tea houses are bustling with people enjoying tea and admiring the scenery.
Live without rushing.
Together with my wife, I also tried a cruise, quietly drifting on the calm water, feeling the peace amidst this bustling city, a stark contrast to the hectic pace of daily life in Ho Chi Minh City.
Covering an area of approximately 6.5 square kilometers, the crystal-clear lake reflects the blue sky, surrounded by lush green hills. The lake is divided into five sections: Outer Lake, Li Lake, Yue Lake, West Li Lake, and Little South Lake. Each area possesses its own unique beauty, yet they all blend together in a remarkably harmonious way, according to the Hangzhou government website.
According to the website of the Chinese Ministry of Tourism, West Lake is beautiful in different ways throughout the four seasons: spring with its vibrant peach blossoms, summer with its lush green weeping willows, autumn with its golden paulownia leaves, and winter with its tranquil atmosphere shrouded in a thin mist. Each season attracts millions of tourists, contributing significantly to the local tourism economy .
However, popularity also brings challenges. I noticed signs of pollution and pressure from the crowds. The Hangzhou authorities have been and continue to make efforts to preserve the area: restricting motorized vehicles, increasing cleaning efforts, and implementing proper planning, according to a Xinhua news report. This could be a lesson in balancing tourism development and environmental protection that Ho Chi Minh City, with its scenic spots and numerous canals, could learn from.
Leaving West Lake as the golden-orange light shimmered on the water's surface in some places, my heart was filled with a sense of longing. This trip was not just an ordinary journey, but an exploration of natural beauty—and, to some extent, culture—that has withstood the test of time, deserving to be a heritage for all of humanity, not just China.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/lang-ngam-vien-ngoc-hang-chau-196250617093616817.htm
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