Hangzhou Tour Part 1 【江南游之杭州】| Exploring the Stunning Beauty of Dreamy West Lake | 烟雨江南的西湖究竟有多美？
My hotel 金柏澜 It’s more like a Like an apartment, really
difficult to reach (*locate) Why?
Hello! This is actually an
apartment, not hotel But it has excellent location Just below my apartment is the popular
walking street, Yintai Next to it is the West Lake That is why I picked
this apartment Actually the toilet
smells a bit or… Alright folks, I’ve
reached Hangzhou The capital of
Zhejiang Province My hotel is behind me The facilities is lousy But the location
is excellent because This apartment
is located Just below this apartment is the
popular Yintai walking street Alright, I can see the
image of West Lake already So it’s really like 100 meter walk away
from my apartment Now here at
Hangzhou you will You will find shadows
of historical character as well as
fictitious character Historical character we are talking about General Yuefei
during Song Dynasty and also The famous poet and
politician Su Dongpo He was once a
governor of Hangzhou And he built a causeway across the West Lake And the fictitious
character in the novels We have Legend
of the White Snake 白蛇传
白娘子 Ladies and gentlemen The West Lake of Hangzhou I will explore Hangzhou
West Lake covering two major stories that most
of us are familiar with My route starts from
Wugongyuan Jetty Take a boat ride to a small island
in the middle of the lake After the island visit I’ll take another
boat ride to Huagang Guangyu Jetty
at Su Causeway And walk to
Leifeng Pagoda After the pagoda visit I’ll take a sightseeing car Cross the Su Causeway
to General Yuefei’s temple After the temple visit I’ll walk to Bai Causeway And end at a popular bridge Duanqiao Canxue Okay got my ticket To the small little island
I mentioned called Santan Yingyue Alright, I’ve have
reached this causeway Constructed by Su Dongpo And the name of this
causeway is Su Causeway Hungry I will have a cup
of Guangdongzhu 济公鞋底饼 Oh it’s hot!
It’s hot! Wow, it’s really nice! This is Leifeng Pagoda In the novels The monk Fahai imprisoned Madam White Snake Under this pagoda I wonder if she’s still inside Leifeng Pagoda is
famously linked to the Romantic Legend of
Madam White Snake One of China’s most
beloved folktales According to
the story A white snake spirit
named Bai Suzhen Falls in love with
a human, Xu Xian And they marry However, a monk
named Fahai opposes their union believing it violates
the natural order To separate them He traps Bai Suzhen
beneath Leifeng Pagoda Originally built in 975 A.D. The Pagoda
collapsed in 1924 and was rebuilt in 2002 This is the Pagoda’s
original foundation The pagoda collapsed I don’t know how many
donkey years ago The one on top
above this that we are
looking at is a re-built,
a new one Now I will take a ride
on the sightseeing car to cross the
Su Causeway to Yuefei Temple The Su Causeway is a
picturesque walkway stretching nearly 3 km
across West Lake It was constructed during
the Northern Song Dynasty by the famous poet-
Governor Su Dongpo who oversaw major dredging and
improvement works at the lake As a token of gratitude the people gifted
pork to governor Su Su Dongpo braised the pork and give it back
to the people who participated
in flood control This delicacy was thus named
Dongpo Pork (东波肉) The temple of Song Dynasty’s famous general, Yuefei General Yuefei was
a revered military hero of the Southern
Song Dynasty Known for his unwavering
loyalty and patriotism He led numerous
successful campaigns against the invading
Jin armies Striving to reclaim
lost northern territories Despite his victories Yuefei was falsely
accused of treason And unjustly executed
without charges by the corrupt
prime minister Qin Kuai and the feeble emperor His legacy endured
symbolizing loyalty and righteousness
in Chinese culture Lou-wai-lou restaurant Along Gushan Park This restaurant has
good recommendation But unfortunately I’m going to another fantastic place for dinner I’m now walking
along Bai Causeway 白堤 At the end
of this causeway is the very popular
Broken Bridge 断桥 This is where
Madame White Snake and Xu Xian first met The Broken Bridge of
West Lake is famous not only for its scenic beauty but also for
its deep connection to the Legend of
Madam White Snake It is the romantic
spot whereby Suzhen and Xu Xian
first met making it a symbol
of love and reunion Despite its name, the bridge
isn’t physically broken the name refers to
the optical illusion seen after snowfall when the middle part of the
bridge appears disconnected The bridge in front
is choked with visitors Well, for obvious reason This must be
the Broken Bridge 断桥 Last part of this vlog I want to bring you
to a grand dinner that will feast your
palates and vision Hangzhou Gongyan Gongyan has 3
restaurants in China I’ve already attended
Beijing Gongyan and Shanghai Gongyan Hangzhou Gongyan
is the third To reserve a seat
in Gongyan in your WeChat
mini programs search for Gongyan
and make advance reservation Take note that all
Gongyan’s restaurants are almost fully
booked every single day To get a seat especially
the front row VIP seats You can contact
their customer service one month in
advance and request for their assistance
to secure a seat for you As this is a 2 hours
dinner and performance I’ll just share
a few dances and delicacies
in this vlog
Hangzhou (杭州), often lauded as one of China’s most beautiful cities, is the capital of Zhejiang (浙江) Province, situated on the lower reaches of the Qiantang River. Its fame primarily stems from the breathtaking West Lake (西湖), a UNESCO World Heritage site and the city’s undisputed crown jewel. The West Lake is a freshwater lake renowned for its scenic beauty, featuring numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and artificial islands that are meticulously designed to blend with the natural landscape. Throughout history, poets and artists have been captivated by its charm, contributing to a rich cultural tapestry of legends and literary works. Visitors can explore the lake’s “Ten Scenic Spots,” such as “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon” and “Broken Bridge in Winter,” by boat, leisurely strolls along its causeways, or by cycling around its perimeter. Beyond the lake, Hangzhou offers other attractions like Lingyin Temple, one of China’s most significant Buddhist temples, and the China National Tea Museum, celebrating the city’s renowned Longjing tea. The harmonious blend of natural beauty and profound cultural heritage makes Hangzhou and West Lake a perennial favorite destination for both domestic and international tourists.
This vlog covers:
0:00 – Introduction (江南)
4:01 – How to explore West Lake?
5:08 – 三潭映月
5:35 – Snacking along Su Causeway
6:10 – Leifeng Pagoda 雷峰塔
7:30 – Along Su Causeway 苏堤
8:19 – Yuefei Temple 岳王庙
9:20 – Gushan Park 孤山公园
9:54 – Along Bai Causeway to the Broken Bridge 白堤
10:39 – Broken Bridge 断桥残血
11:13 – Hangzhou Gongyan 杭州宫宴