West Lake, Hangzhou
西湖 · Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
A lake layered with Bai Juyi, Su Dongpo and the legend of Xu Xian and Lady White Snake — an open-air museum of Chinese literati aesthetics.
Know before you go
- No swimming in the lake
- don't cycle on the Broken Bridge or Su Causeway (banned on some stretches)
- don't photograph Buddha images inside Lingyin Temple (watch for signs).
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
Legend
Lady White Snake and the Leifeng Pagoda
The 'Legend of the White Snake' tells of the white snake spirit Bai Suzhen, who falls in love with and marries the scholar Xu Xian. Her true form is exposed by the monk Fahai, Xu Xian is lured to Jinshan Temple, and Lady White floods Jinshan to rescue her husband, before finally being imprisoned by Fahai beneath the Leifeng Pagoda beside West Lake. The Ming-dynasty story 'The Three Pagodas of West Lake' from the Jiajing era is considered the earliest form of the legend.
History
The Leifeng Pagoda that was 'stolen' to the ground
The Leifeng Pagoda was built in 975 by Qian Chu, King of Wuyue, for his favourite consort, Consort Huang, and 'Leifeng Pagoda in the evening glow' is one of the Ten Views of West Lake. Later, a folk belief arose that bricks from the pagoda could cure illness and protect pregnancies, and many people secretly dug out bricks to grind into powder at home; the base grew ever more hollow, and in 1924 the pagoda finally collapsed. Today's Leifeng Pagoda was rebuilt in 2002.
Source: Wikipedia: Leifeng Pagoda
History
Two causeways left by two poets
In 822 Bai Juyi became prefect of Hangzhou; West Lake's old dyke had broken, the lake was drying up and the fields were parched, so he oversaw building a dyke to store water; today's 'Bai Causeway' is named in his memory, though the 'Duke Bai's Dyke' he actually built no longer exists. More than two centuries later Su Shi served in Hangzhou, dredged West Lake and used the silt to build a long causeway — the 'Su Causeway'.
Source: Wikipedia: Bai Juyi; Wikipedia: Su Shi
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
West Lake, with hills on three sides and the city on the fourth, has been a place where scholars poured out their feelings since the Tang dynasty: Bai Juyi built a dyke to manage the water as prefect of Hangzhou (today's Bai Causeway is named in his memory), and Su Dongpo dredged the lake and built the Su Causeway from the silt; most of the 'Ten Scenes of West Lake', such as 'Spring Dawn at Su Causeway' and 'Lingering Snow on Broken Bridge', were named by scholars. Lady White Snake lies trapped under the Leifeng Pagoda in legend, and the loyal general Yue Fei stands in the Yue Fei Temple — romance and patriotism in one lake. In 2011 the 'West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou' became a World Heritage Site.
Local customs
- Hangzhou people call a trip to the lake 'strolling Hubin': jogging around the lake at dawn and going to the Hubin musical fountain in the evening are everyday routines
- in spring the tea farmers of Longjing village roast tea, and visitors can try picking leaves in the plantations
- admiring the moon at 'Three Pools Mirroring the Moon' at Mid-Autumn and watching dragon boats at Duanwu are seasonal rituals.
Religion & beliefs
- Lingyin Temple by the lake is a thousand-year-old Chan temple with many worshippers
- dress modestly and keep quiet inside. The Leifeng Pagoda site includes an underground Buddhist relic chamber, so visit with respect. The lake itself is a secular landscape.
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
China: don't get physical in a dispute
- Walk away from an argument and call the police if needed
- Pushing, shoving or fighting
Whoever starts it, taking part in a fight can bring a fine or detention, and the injured party usually demands compensation.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: China travel advice
China: carry your original passport
- Foreign visitors should carry their original passport
- Carrying only a copy or photo of your passport
Police make random ID checks and do not accept printouts; if you cannot show your passport, you may be fined or detained.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: China travel advice
Don’t DON'T
- No swimming in the lake
- don't cycle on the Broken Bridge or Su Causeway (banned on some stretches)
- don't photograph Buddha images inside Lingyin Temple (watch for signs).
Locals appreciate DO
- Hangzhou people love 'zoning out by the lake' with a cup of Longjing for an afternoon
- locals prefer early mornings or evenings, avoiding the daytime tour groups.
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- West Lake is free to visit and very crowded on public holidays, so go early in the morning or in the evening. Suggested route: Broken Bridge → Bai Causeway → Gushan → Su Causeway → Leifeng Pagoda, all cyclable (except banned stretches)
- add tea at Longjing or the Yue Fei Temple as you like. Check opening hours on the official website.
Eat nearby
What to eat nearby
Must-try
- West Lake fish in vinegar sauce
- Longjing tea shrimp
- Dongpo pork
West Lake vinegar fish (grass carp in vinegar sauce — opinions vary widely, so choose an old establishment), Longjing shrimp (shrimp with Longjing tea), Dongpo pork (slow-braised pork belly), pianerchuan (noodles with pickled greens and bamboo shoots), dingsheng cakes / cong bao hui (snacks)
| Where to eat | Louwailou (Gushan branch, for vinegar fish), restaurants in Hubin / Nanshan Road, simple meals around the Broken Bridge |
|---|---|
| Typical price per person | CNY 70–130 |
| Tips | For vinegar fish, choose an old establishment that kills the grass carp fresh, and order with caution if you don't like sour; in the Longjing (pre-Qingming) season, tea-based dishes are pricey. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
superturtle · CC BY 2.0
Photos
Photos
Y Chen · CC BY-SA 4.0
Liuxingy · CC BY-SA 4.0
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HoweyYuan · CC BY-SA 4.0
Sources & verification notes
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