西湖五景The famous West Lake is like a brilliant pearl embedded in the beautiful and fertile shores of the East China Sea near the mouth of the Hangzhou Bay. The lake covers an area of 5.6 square kilometers. The view of the West Lake is simply enchanting, which offers many attractions for tourists at home and abroad.Tiger-running SpringThe legend goes that two tights ran there and made a hole where a spring gushed out. The Longjing Tea and the Tiger-running Spring water are always reputed as the "Two Wonders of the West Lake".The Lingyin MonasteryThe Lingyin Monastery, or the Monastery of Soul's Retreat, is a famous historical site of the West Lake. Here exists the Lingyin Monastery, a famous ancient temple in China, in front of which there are Feilai Peak, Cold Spring, Longhong Cave and precious rock cave arts and queer and varied natural caves and gullies.Spring Dawn at Su CausewayIt's a 2.8 km. long boulevard cutting across the south-north scenic area, and lined with trees and flowering plants. When Spring comes with crimson peach blossoms and green willows; the scenery is all the more charming. Strolling along the boulevard, one feels as if the West Lake were wakening in dawn mist. Young willows were ethereal, spring breeze so caressing, and birds were chirping in unison.The Moon Reflected in Three Pools"There are islands in the lake and three are lake on the islands." The three stone towers were first built in Yuanyou 4th year (1089) of the Song Dynasty, with the wonderful scenery of "one moon in the sky having three reflection in the lake", it is one of the wonderful scenes of the West Lake.Three Pools Mirroring the Moon. There are islands in the lake and there are lakes on the islands. On the south side of the largest of the three manmade islands in the Outer Lake, there are three hollow stone pagodas rising from the water, each with five openings. These stone towers were first built in Yuanyou in the fourth year of the Song Dynasty (1089). On a moonlit night, the pagodas are reflected on the water, producing the wonderful illusion of one moon in the sky having three reflections in the lake. At this time, local folk will put candles in the hollow tops of the pagodas.Notes:1. West Lake 西湖2. Tiger-running Spring 虎跑泉3. The Lingyin Monastery 灵隐寺4. Spring Dawn at Su Causeway 苏堤春晓5. The Moon Reflected in Three Pools 三潭印月West LakeLying in Hangzhou City of Zhejiang Province, the West Lake is a world famous tourist spot. Embraced by green hills on three sides, the lake covers an area of 5.6 square kilometers and has a perimeter of 15 kilometers.The whole lake is divided into 5 sections, namely the Outer Lake, North Inner Lake, Yue Lake and Little South Lake, by Gu Hill, Sudi Causeway, Baiti Causeway and Ruangong Mound.The name of West Lake was fixed as early as the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Before the Tang Dynasty, the lake had various names such as Wulin Water, Mingsheng Lake, Jinzhong Lake, Longchuan, Qianyuan, Qiantang Lake, and Shang Lake, etc. In the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the Chinese renowned poet Su Dongpo wrote a poem to praise the West Lake and compared it to Xizi, a Chinese legendary beauty. Since then, the West Lake has another elegant name Xizi Lake.The beauty of the West Lake lies in its lingering charm that survives the change of seasons in a year and of hours in a day. Among its beautiful sights, the most famous sites are the Ten Sights in West Lake and the Ten New Sights in West Lake, which are known as the Double-Ten Sights in West Lake. The Ten Sights in West Lake are Melting Snow at Broken Bridge(断桥残雪), Spring Dawn at Sudi Causeway(苏堤春晓), Sunset Glow over Leifeng Hill(雷峰夕照), Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard(曲苑风荷), Autumn Moon on Calm Lake(平湖秋月), Listening to Orioles Singing in the Willows(柳浪闻莺), Viewing Fish at Flowers Harbor(花港观鱼), Evening Bell at Nanping Hill(南屏晚钟), Three Pools Mirroring the Moon(三潭印月), and Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds(双峰插云). The Ten New Sights in West Lake are Dream Spring of Hupao(虎跑梦泉), Tea-tasting at Dragon Well(龙井问茶), Gem Bathed in Flowing Rosy Clouds (宝石流霞), Heaven Wind over Wushan Mountain(吴山天风), Scud over Yuhuang(玉皇飞云), Yellow Dragon Spitting Greenness(黄龙吐翠), Rains of Sweet-scented Osmanthus Over Hills (满陇桂雨), Trees in Mist by the Nine Rivulets (九溪烟树), Ruan Mound in Green(阮墩环碧), Cloud Dwelling and Bamboo Path (云栖竹径).The West Lake is also famous for its historical flavor with numerouscelebrities. National heroes Yue Fei, Yu Qian, Zhang Ruoshui and Qiu Jin were all buried along the West Lake, leaving their illustrious names and noble spirits in the green hills and blue waters. Moreover, many ancient poets and artists, such as Bai Juyi, Su Dongpo, Liu Yong and Pan Tianshou, had also left countless famous writings.云栖竹径Bamboo – Lined Path at Yunqi满陇桂雨Sweet Osmanthus Rain at Manjuelong Village虎跑梦泉Dreaming of Tiger Spring at Hupao Valley龙井问茶Inquiring About Tea at Dragon Well九溪烟树Nine Greeks Meandering Through a Misty Forest吴山天风Heavenly Wind over Wu Hill阮墩环碧Ruan Gong Islet Submerged in Greenery黄龙吐翠Yellow Dragon Cave Dressed in Green玉皇飞云Clouds Scurrying over Jade Emperor Hill宝石流霞Precious Stone Hill西湖十景Ten Views of the West Lake断桥残雪Melting Snow at Broken Bridge平湖秋月Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake曲院风荷Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard双峰插云Twin peaks piercing Clouds苏堤春晓Spring Dawn at Su Causeway三潭印月Three pools mirroring the moon花港观鱼Viewing Fish at flower harbor南屏晚钟Evening bell at Nanping hill雷峰夕照Sunset glow at Leifeng pagoda柳浪闻莺Orioles singing in the willows新西湖十景Ten New Views of the West Lake宝石流霞Precious stone hill floating in rosy clouds黄龙吐翠Yellow Dragon cave dressed in green满垅桂雨Sweet osmanthus rain at Mannjuelong虎跑梦泉Dream of the tiger spring九溪烟树Nine creeks in misty forest龙井问茶Enjoying tea at dragon well云栖竹径Bamboo-lined path at Yunqi玉皇飞云Flying clouds over jade Emperor hill吴山天风Sky wind over Wu Hill阮墩环碧Ruan Gong islet submerged in greenery孤山Solitary hill楼外楼LOU wailou restaurant西泠印社Xiling Seal-Engravers’ Society西泠桥和苏小小墓Xiling bridge and Su xiaoxiao tomb 岳飞庙和墓Yue Fei’s temple and his tomb杭州花圃Hangzhou flower nursery杭州植物园Hangzhou botanical garden玉泉Jade spring灵峰探梅Visiting Lingfeng for plum bolssoms灵隐寺Lingyin Temple杨公堤Yang Gong causeway郭庄Guo’s villa涌金池YOngjin pool钱王祠King Qian’s temple长桥Long bridge六和塔Six harmonies pagoda( Liuhe pagoda)Bore-watching 看潮、Qiantang Tide 钱塘潮Dragon Well tea 龙井茶Tea-picking 采茶Tea House 茶Hangzhou dishes 杭帮菜Silk city 丝绸城Hu Xueyan’s Former Residence 胡雪岩故居The Street of clothes for women in Wulin Road 武林路女装街Yellow Dragon Sports Center 黄龙体育中心苏堤春晓Spring Dawn by Su Causeway曲院风荷Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard平湖秋月Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake断桥残雪Lingering Snow at the Broken Bridge 花港观鱼Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor柳浪闻莺Orioles Singing in the Willows双峰插云Twin Peaks Kissing the Sky三潭印月Three Pools Mirroring the Moon。