This
park known as "Tiger Running Dream Spring" (Hupaomeng
Quan) is one of the nicest parks in Hangzhou and filled with tea
houses, pretty trees and pavilions.
Legend has it that when the Great Master,
Xing Kong visited Hangzhou he bemoaned the lack of fresh water
available, and quickly made plans to leave. Suddenly a god appeared
before him and told him not to worry about the water as two tigers had
been dispatched to deliver some! The next day, two tigers appeared as
promised and the spring water flowed. The tigers were running, hence
the bizarre name!
The Spring remains (although the tigers
are long gone), and this is now one of the most famous springs in
Hangzhou. The combination of the Dragon Well tea and the spring water
here, is said to be uniquely refreshing. ˇˇ
Opening hours: Daily
6am-6.30pm.
Cost: RMB15.
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The
nicest way to get to this outlying island is by boat. It is well worth
paying the RMB 100-200 to take a boat from the shore over to the lake
as it is a lovely experience.
Xiaoying Island was created in 1607 using
silt from the West Lake. Once you are on the island, you will discover
that there are smaller lakes inside the big West Lake and smaller
islands inside Xiaoying Island.
The entire island is dotted with
pavilions and platforms and the small islets are linked by bridges and
railings. At the southern-most tip of the island, there is a pavilion
of "Mutual Affinity", which affords great views over
Santayinyue Lake. The name of this lake means "Three Flags
reflecting the Moon". The name derives from the fact that the
three Flags (actually pagodas) are said to reflect the evil spirits
that may be hiding in the lake.
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Xiling
Seal Society is a quaint little place located on Solitary
Island, just opposite Zhongshan Park.
This is a famous Chinese academic
institute engaged in studying inscriptions and paintings. With a
history of more than 1900 years the society have produced various
books on painting and drawing and contributed to the preservation and
continuance of national art and culture.
Today, you can see the writers and
artists at work and there is a small shop selling some of their works.
Opening hours: Daily
8am-5.30pm.
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Sightseeing
Index
