Lingyin Zen Trail
Lingyin Temple, founded in the third year of Xianhe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (328 AD), has a history of more than 1600 years and is the earliest famous ancient temple in Hangzhou. Located in the mountains of West Lake in Hangzhou, it is backed by the North Peak and faces the Feilai Peak. The two peaks are intertwined, and the mountain is gentle. The surrounding forests are green and the trees are beautiful, with birds singing and the mountains quiet. Clouds and mist float. The founding ancestor was the monk Hui Li from the West Indies. In the early Xianhe period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, he traveled from the Central Plains to Zhejiang and arrived in the mountains of Wulin (now Hangzhou). When he saw a peak, he sighed and said, “This is a small ridge on Lingjiu Mountain in Central India. I don’t know when it came here. During the Buddha’s lifetime, many immortals and spirits hid there.” Therefore, he built a temple behind the peak and named it Lingyin.
Liuhe Tingtao
The Liuhe Pagoda is located south of West Lake, on the Moon Wheel Peak by the Qiantang River. In the third year of Kaibao in the Northern Song Dynasty (970 AD), Hangzhou was the capital of the Wu Yue Kingdom. In order to control the tide of the Qiantang River, the King of Wu Yue sent monk Zhiyuan to build the Liuhe Pagoda. The current Liuhe Pagoda was rebuilt in the Southern Song Dynasty.
Taking the meaning of “Six Harmony Respect” in Buddhism, it is named the Six Harmony Pagoda; Also known as Liuhe Pagoda, it means “four directions of heaven and earth”.
Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty once inscribed words on each floor of the Liuhe Pagoda, which read: “The original earth is strong, the two truths are integrated, the Three Ming Pure Domain, the Four Heavenly Treasures, the Five Clouds Covering, the Six Turtle Load, and the Seven Treasures are solemn
Yue Tomb Qixia
Yue Tomb Qixia is one of the famous scenic spots in West Lake. The Yue Tomb is backed by the Qixia Ridge and located north of the Su Causeway. Whenever the sun sets, the Yue Tomb is illuminated by a series of beautiful rays, hence the name “Yue Tomb Qixia” (awarded as one of the “Three Evaluations and Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake” in 2007). The name “Qixia” in the scenic name is appropriate and meaningful, cleverly borrowing the place name of Qixia Ridge, where the Yue Tomb is located, and borrowing the scenery of Qixia Ridge. At the same time, it also uses this as a metaphor for Yue Fei’s blue blood and red heart, dedicating himself to the country and shining brightly in the sky. [1] The tomb of Yue lives in a place of rosy clouds, and the artistic conception is impressive. Moreover, the word “Qixia” further reveals the artistic conception of “eight thousand miles of cloud and moon” described by the national hero in Man Jianghong. Leaving the tomb, the grass reflects the sunset glow, and the gentle breeze accompanies the moon to write a sincere heart. This scenic name also adds endless historical vicissitudes to the beautiful Xizi Lake. The Yuewang Temple was built to commemorate the national hero Yue Fei. Founded in the 14th year of the Jiading reign of the Southern Song Dynasty, it was renamed as the “Loyalty and Martyrs Temple” during the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty. It has experienced ups and downs during the Yuan, Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, and has been passed down from generation to generation until now. The existing building was rebuilt in the 54th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, underwent major repairs in 1918, and was fully renovated in 1979, making the Yue Temple more solemn and dignified.
Lakeside rain and sunshine
The lakeside is located at the border of West Lake and the city, where you can not only enjoy the three sides of Yunshan on West Lake, but also taste the sunshine, rain, and fog. The scenery of West Lake is best enjoyed slowly, especially during the rainy season. Strolling along the lakeside, one can see misty rain and the same color of water and sky. Xizi Lake is like a beautiful woman’s hair, appearing and disappearing, with a particularly charming “hazy beauty”. Sometimes, even within a day, the weather is unpredictable. Looking from the lakeside, one can see “black clouds rolling over the ink but not covering the mountains” (Su Shi of the Song Dynasty), then observe “how many tourists are by the lake, half in the misty rain of the broken bridge” (Fan Jingwen of the Song Dynasty), “watching the water from the lake tower falling like the sky” (Su Shi of the Song Dynasty), and looking back at “when ten thousand trees are about to smoke after a new rain on a lake” (Huang Zhongze of the Qing Dynasty). The charm of West Lake’s “light makeup and heavy makeup are always suitable” is enchanting. From sunshine to rain, from rain to clear, enjoying the sunshine and rain on the lakeside of West Lake is the most spectacular and enduring experience.
