西湖十景英文介绍(附图)

Ten Scenes in West Lake

Su Causeway in Spring Dawn

Su Causeway became a tourist attraction as early as 1090. That year, Su Dongpo, a famous poet in the Song Dynasty and the governor of Hangzhou, had the lake dredged. The silt and debris were piled up and formed into a causeway. In order to honor the poet governor, local people named the Causeway after him. Today’s causeway is the result of many refurbishing projects over centuries. Romanticized as Spring Dawn by Su Causeway, the scenery has stayed on the top of the best ten resorts around the West Lake since the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).

Lotus Flowers in the Breezing Winding Courtyard

Quyuan Park (Crooked Courtyard) is situated near the mouth of Jinshajian Stream, the biggest natural water supply into the West Lake.

In the South Song Dynasty a royal wine workshop was set up here. In the lake next to the winery stood a large area of lotuses waggling and dancing a little bit intoxicatingly in summer breezes. Visitors felt wonderful with both the scenery and wine while aromas of lotus flowers and wine were wafting in the air. The spot got its fame as one of the top ten best attractions in that dynasty and has kept its charm in colors and odors since then.

Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake

Though the Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake refers nowadays to a fixed location and one of the top ten attractions around the West Lake, it was in the South Song Dynasty a general reference to the autumn nights when people went boating on the lake appreciating the bright moon and enjoying the cool breeze.

Lingering Snow on the Broken Bridge

Once in a fine day after a snowfall, standing on the bridge and looking toward the northwest at the Solitary Hill and Ge Hill, one can see the hills and buildings covered with snow and the lake and hills look crystal clear. Although the snowy beauty of the scenery is a little bit chilly and lonely, many people regard it better than noisy greens and reds in other seasons and they believe the Broken Bridge fully deserves the top position it has enjoyed for hundreds of years as the best one of the Ten Westlake Scenic Spots.

Presumably, the West Lake in a fine day is no better than in rain, in rain no better than in moonlight, in moonlight no better than in snow. Lingering Snow on the Broken Bridge provides a proof to justify the vivid description.

Orioles Singing in the Willows

Orioles Singing in the Willows was recognized as one of the Ten Views of the West Lake in the Southern Song Dynasty, but began to be neglected from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) on. The park came back to life again 1950s by a series of refurbishing projects. Today, the park covers an area of 21 hectares, with luxuriant trees surviving the past dynasties along the winding bank. Vast lawns stretch, flowers are bright, pavilions reveal their ancient romantic style, birds flap by and grasses show their best greens.

Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor

Flower Harbor (Huagang) Park is adjacent to Su Causeway consisting of Red Fish Pool, Peony Garden, Flower Garden, widespread lawns and woods, occupying an area of 21 hectares. Initially, the park was a small private garden built and owned by Lu Yunsheng, an imperial official of the South Song Dynasty. The garden was located near the Flower Home Hill. Inside the park was a fishpond and a stream nearby was ushered into the pond for raising goldfish. Later the private garden began to gain a big fame in Hangzhou as Flower Harbor and became a recreation resort for viewing goldfishes.