Western Hangzhou Tour - PDF Free Download

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 - Western Hangzhou Tour The city of Hangzhou, sitting on the southern end of the Grand Canal waterway in China, opposite Beijing on the northern end, is an agglomeration of cultural and historic sights. Western Hangzhou is a home to the West Lake which has inspired poets and artists since the 9th century. It also hosts a number of other attractions, such as Yue Fei Temple, Hangzhou Botanical Garden, Zhejiang gallery, China Seal Museum and more, each unique in their own way and telling a fascinating story of Hangzhou and Chinese civilization. Take this self-guided tour and enjoy! Guide Location: China» Hangzhou # of Attractions: 9 Tour Duration: 2 hour(s) Travel Distance: 4.9 km Please note: This walk is also featured in the ios app "GPSmyCity: Walks and Articles with Offline Maps" on itunes App Store and the Android app "Hangzhou Map and Walks" on Google Play. The apps provide GPS navigation to guide you from one tour stop to the next, so you will never be lost. The apps offer additional walking tours in Hangzhou. Check them out! GPSmyCity offers self-guided walking tours in over 1,000 city around the world. Please visit gpsmycity.com for more walking tour offers. List of attractions included in this self-guided walking tour: A) Hangzhou Public Garden B) Han Meilin Art Museum C) Hangzhou Botanical Garden D) Yue Fei Temple E) Xiling Bridge F) Qiu Jin Statue G) China Seal Museum H) Zhejiang Provincial Museum I) Baochu Pagoda Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 - A) Hangzhou Public Garden The Hangzhou Public Garden is a relaxing place to spend some time. Children and adults enjoy their weekends and evenings surrounded by warm colors, bird songs and the beauty of nature. It has a playground for kids and small cafes to soak up the atmosphere with a cup of coffee. Address: Hangzhou Public Garden, Hangzhou, China Image Courtesy of Flickr and beggs B) Han Meilin Art Museum The Han Meilin Art Museum is dedicated to one of China s most important figures. Though not born in Hangzhou, Han Meilin donated over 1,000 works from his collection to the city. This museum was opened to display these ceramics, calligraphy, paintings and sculptures. It hosted the 2008 Olympic Committee. A bookstore can be found inside where guests can relax and enjoy coffee and a snack. Address: Taoyuan Ling, 3, Hangzhou, China Image Courtesy of Flickr and hans s C) Hangzhou Botanical Garden (must see) Hangzhou Botanical Garden, built in 1965 at the foot of Jade Spring Hill, is a recreational area for kids and adults, as well as a research base dedicated to the cultivation of plants, and protecting and studying the environment. It houses beautiful decorative arrangements, and has stunning architecture, with pavilions and kiosks adorned in exotic plants. It also contains the Garden of Economy Plant, Plant Resource Museum, Medicinal Plants and other sections. Kids will love playing and exploring in the Bamboo Garden. Address: Taoyuan Ling, 1, Hangzhou, China Image Courtesy of Flickr and acoillet Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 - D) Yue Fei Temple (must see) The Yue Fei Temple or commonly known in Chinese as Yuewang Temple is a temple built in honor of Yue Fei, a general of the Southern Song dynasty when the capital of China was in Hangzhou. The temple ground is located near the West Lake, in central Hangzhou. The temple was first constructed in the during the Song Dynasty in 1221 to commemorate Yue Fei.. The site includes Yue Fei's Temple, Loyalty Temple and Yue Fei s Mausoleum inside. The temple was reconstructed several times in later date. The tombs and the tomb sculptures in the temple all dates from the 12th century, and have been meticulously restored. "(The above description is based on Wikipedia under Creative Common License)" Address: Beishan Road, 80, Hangzhou, 310000, China Image Courtesy of Flickr and livepine. Sight description based on wikipedia E) Xiling Bridge The Xiling Bridge stretches across the Xihu, passing through Beishan Mountain. Located on an isolated hill on the northwest side of the mountain, it has three large sweetheart bridges that unite into one. It is dedicated to a geisha from the Qian Tang Dynasty who was killed for humiliating officials and was buried at the ends of Xiling. Address: Xiling Bridge, Hangzhou, China Image Courtesy of Flickr and Faunubes F) Qiu Jin Statue The statue of Qiu Jin is dedicated to a revolutionary woman, feminist and writer. She was also an orator, speaking up for womens rights, including freedom of marriage and education. A member of a resistance group opposed to the Qing Empire, she was arrested, tortured by officials and executed at the age of 31. Her ideas and dedication to literature have preserved her place in Chinese history ever since. Address: Qiu Jin Statue, Hangzhou, China Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 - Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Deliberately G) China Seal Museum The China Seal Museum features a wide variety of fascinating seals from different epochs. The seal has a long history in China, the collection includes ones made of bronze, silver, stone, gold, jade, wood, horn and many other materials, coming in a variety of sizes and inscriptions. Each unique in design, a person s name, family and occupation is generally inscribed upon them. Address: HouGuShan Road, 10, Hangzhou, China Image Courtesy of Flickr and Eveil Eve H) Zhejiang Provincial Museum Zhejiang Provincial Museum features a great collection of Chinese national treasures, including rare works of art related to the country s history. It also contains 80 pieces pertaining to past dynasties and kingdoms. All items were chosen from over 600,000 pieces from the National Collection. Historical artifacts, documents, maps and books can also be found here. Address: North Zhongshan Road, Hangzhou, China Image Courtesy of Flickr and quipu18 I) Baochu Pagoda Baochu Pagoda is located just north of the lake on top of Precious Stone Hill. Its small base supports seven stories (45 meters) and gives it a distinctively slender and elegant appearance. The name Baochu, translated directly, means "protect Chu", who, legend has it, refers to Qian Chu, the last king of Wuyue. As the story goes, one of King Chu's ministers had the temple constructed for prayers to be said for his safe return from a trip he had taken to Kaifeng, in central China. He had been summoned there by the Emperor and had been gone many days with no news of his return. Baochu Pagoda was originally constructed in 963 and stood nine stories tall. Its most recent reconstruction, in 1933, left it slightly shorter, seven stories, Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 - and it has most recently had its lantern replaced on its top, though its previous one is on display near the pagoda. It is constructed of brick and stone and contains no internal staircase. The tower lies next to a path that runs the length of West Lake's northern mountain range and is accessible by both dirt paths and cement stairs from nearly every side of the mountain. "(The above description is based on Wikipedia under Creative Common License)" Address: Paul Chu Road, Hangzhou, China Image Courtesy of Flickr and jaaron. Sight description based on wikipedia Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 -