#我来唠家常#
▲ Hangzhou Yuhu Bay in the snow. Photo by Han Yang
-The Legend of the Gentleman of Things-
Do you really know West Lake?
The West Lake is very earthy, and it was originally formed gradually to solve the siltation; The West Lake is very beautiful, and it can be on the hot search after the snow is hotly discussed by the whole country.
▲ The snow scene of Su Causeway is a hot topic of discussion across the country. Photo by Zhou Yong
West Lake is very small, only 6.5 square kilometers; West Lake is very famous, and every Chinese knows it.
West Lake is also delicious, carp, lotus root, lettuce, monosodium glutamate have her figure; West Lake is also very good, it is a masterpiece of the Pain Worship Band......
▲ Schematic diagram of the core area of the West Lake Cultural Landscape, where the ten scenic spots of the West Lake and the cultural relics of the West Lake are densely distributed. Cartography / Wu Pan
Su Shi said, "There are thirty-six West Lakes in the world", but why is it that until today, when we mention "West Lake", we still default to Hangzhou's West Lake? In the introduction of many lakes, we can always see introductions such as "there are N West Lakes" - the West Lake, surrounded by mountains on three sides, has become a symbol, a unit of measurement for Chinese lakes, and a representative of Chinese culture!
Who shaped West Lake?
It is almost difficult to find a piece of "original" shore on the shore of today's West Lake, which has been converted into a huge garden, and the label of "artificial lake" is indeed a part that cannot be ignored, but West Lake was originally a natural lake.
▲ Panoramic view of West Lake, near Leifeng Tower, far away is Hangzhou City. Photo by Lu Wen
Once West Lake was a saltwater lake?
In ancient times, there was a bay deep into the land in the Hangzhou Bay area, and this bay was the predecessor of West Lake. With the siltation of sediment in the estuary, a sand spit gradually formed at the foot of Baobao Mountain and Wu Mountain, and the north and south sand spits gradually grew, and finally "closed", separating this bay from the Qiantang River and becoming a closed lake. This type of lake, which is formed by the closure of the bay by a sandbar, is called a "lagoon".
▲ The Qiantang River is in the same frame as the West Lake, with the Qiantang River near and the West Lake in the distance. Photography / Chen Junqing, Picture / Picture Worm Creativity
"潟" (xì) means salty land in Chinese characters. The lagoon, which developed from the bay, was undoubtedly a saltwater lake at first. But if you're interested in trying the waters of West Lake today, you'll find that it's not salty, and it's already a freshwater lake.
▲ Looking at Su Causeway and Gem Mountain from south to north. Photo by Jason Von
West Lake has been in the process of swamping many times in history. For many lagoons, turning from a lake into a swamp and then completely disappearing from the world is the normal law of development and evolution, but West Lake violates this natural law, which is related to another major project in the city of Hangzhou.
The Grand Canal saved the West Lake
Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty opened up several major projects during his tenure, and the Grand Canal was one of them. Before the Sui Dynasty, Hangzhou was only a small county town in the south of the Yangtze River, with "salty springs and sparse residents", and was far less dazzling than a few celebrity neighbors. In the winter of 610 AD, Emperor Yang of Sui ordered the dredging and widening of the ancient canal south of the Yangtze River.
▲ The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal passes through the city of Hangzhou. Photo/Visual China
The opening of the Grand Canal allowed Hangzhou to join the "high-speed road network" of this huge empire, and the flow of people and logistics in Hangzhou could go directly to Luoyang and Chang'an in the Central Plains along the waterway, and this small southeastern city suddenly entered a period of development. In the Northern Song Dynasty, even the emperor couldn't help but praise Hangzhou for "the beauty of lakes and mountains, the first state in the southeast".
▲ Gongchen Bridge is the most beautiful section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Photography / Mo Feng MF, Picture / Picture Worm Creative
From a little-known small city in the south of the Yangtze River to the first state in the southeast, the Grand Canal unintentionally planted willows and unexpectedly became the "savior" of West Lake. At the critical stage of Hangzhou's rapid development, in the hesitation of filling the lake or dredging the lake, the two star mayors who parachuted in finally chose to protect the West Lake!
Two star mayors "groomed" West Lake
In 822 AD, Bai Juyi took the initiative to request an external transfer to Hangzhou to be a thorn historian. At that time, the West Lake had been silted up, and the new mayor came to Hangzhou to build a dam and store water for agricultural irrigation. Not only that, but he also carved the "Stone Records of Qiantang Lake" by the West Lake, which recorded in detail the concept and policy of lake governance - Bai Juyi's reconstruction is mainly a livelihood project. Since Bai Juyi, the renovation of West Lake has also become one of the most important issues in the city, and West Lake has gradually gained popularity.
▲ The gorgeous autumn colors of the West Lake Su Causeway. Photography / Zhang Qiao
During the Northern Song Dynasty, Su Shi served as an official in Hangzhou twice, inherited Bai Juyi's idea of lake governance, and finally established the important position of West Lake as a cultural landscape lake. Su Shi dug a river channel from West Lake to the Qiantang River and the canal, and built a river lock to prevent the sediment brought by the tide from silting up.
The silt dug out of the West Lake was used to build the causeway in the lake. He also leased the shores of the lake to surrounding farmers to grow water chestnuts, and for better harvests, the farmers would take the initiative to remove aquatic weeds from the lake, greatly reducing the threat of swamping. Su Shi's genius idea of combining dredging and construction into one also became a model for later generations of governance.
▲ The beauty of West Lake lies in one step at a time. Photography / Qing Jian
After the governance of Bai Juyi and Su Shi, the two mayors of Hangzhou, as well as the linkage of poetry and landscape construction, the cultural status of West Lake was finally established. Since then, no lake in China or even in East Asia has surpassed West Lake!
Praise? Criticize? The West Lake that can't be bypassed
"The southeast shape wins, the three Wu capitals, and Qiantang has been prosperous since ancient times......
Heavy lakes stacked in Qingjia, there are three autumn laurels, ten miles of lotus ......"
- "Looking at the Sea Tide, Southeast Shape Victory" Liu Yong
▲ West Lake lotus season, come to appreciate the beauty of Liu Yong's "Ten Miles of Lotus". Photography / Qing Jian
Bai Juyi said that he "loves the lake to the east is insufficient, and the white sand embankment in the green poplar shade"; Su Shi said that the West Lake is "the water is bright and sunny, and the mountains are empty and rainy"; Liu Yong praised the West Lake as "a heavy lake stacked on top of each other, with three autumn laurels and ten miles of lotus". The continuous blessing of great writers and the praise and recitation of literati and artists have continued to shape the connotation of the West Lake and make it a symbol of classical Chinese culture.
▲ The small bridge and flowing water are the most "ordinary" scenery of West Lake. Photo/Visual China
West Lake has always been rich in people, but it has not been without criticism. The reputation of the West Lake is so great that the "criticism" of the West Lake has also become an important part of Chinese cultural history. In the history of diss West Lake, the two sharpest and most famous are both from Zhejiang.
The Southern Song Dynasty poet Lin Sheng (from Wenzhou, Zhejiang) was not accustomed to the Southern Song Dynasty court in a corner of the country and was obsessed with landscapes, and wrote "Outside the mountain, the green mountains and buildings outside the building, when will the West Lake sing and dance be closed" to express his irony and dissatisfaction with the greed for beautiful scenery and indulgence in enjoyment.
▲ As the sun sets, West Lake enters the night view mode. Photo by Jason Von
Lu Xun (a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang) has not had much of a good impression of this provincial city, in the memory of his best friend Xu Shoushang, Lu Xun only swam the West Lake once, and his interest was not high, "although he is known by people, he only says that it is mediocre." Later, Leifeng Pagoda collapsed, and Lu Xun published two articles in a row to criticize the "rubble field" of autocracy and oppression and lack of innovative spirit.
Both Lin Sheng and Lu Xun saw the hedonistic glitz or decaying old system represented by West Lake in a special era. However, from a longer perspective of Chinese history, West Lake represents an indomitable, innovative and progressive spirit.
▲ Yuewang Temple by the West Lake. Figure 1 Photography / Waiting934, Figure 2 Photography / Barcelona, Picture / Picture Worm Creative
In the vicinity of today's West Lake, we can also find many celebrity tombs or memorial sites. Historically, West Lake is not only the most well-known tourist destination in China, but also the most popular celebrity cemetery - Yue Fei who "serves the country with loyalty", Yu Qian who "wants to leave innocence in the world", and Zhang Cangshui who "also leaves righteousness in Qiankun". Just by the West Lake, where the sun is singing and dancing, there is always the indomitable spirit of the Chinese.
▲ There are many ancient temples by the West Lake, and the incense is still vigorous. Photography / Qing Jian
In modern times, it has also been a place for the Lakeside Poetry Society, the Xiling Seal Society, and the National Art School to spread new ideas and art. Even the later constitution of the republic was completed in the courtyard of No. 84 Beishan Street, Xihuhu, so the first draft of the first constitution of New China also has a name, called "West Lake Draft".
▲ Xiling Seal Society. Photo by Lu Wen
In 1972, U.S. President Richard Nixon's ice-breaking trip also arrived in Hangzhou, and Zhou Enlai accompanied him to sail on the West Lake, and it was in the octagonal pavilion in Liuzhuang in the West Lake that the "Sino-US Joint Communiqué" was initialed. This small pavilion by the West Lake has become an important anchor point in the world pattern for decades to come.
From Hangzhou West Lake, to the world's West Lake
In the memory of Hangzhou people, West Lake is not only a lake, but also a daily life.
▲ West Lake at sunset, the boatman let the boat go home. Photo by Li Wenbo
It's the West Lake brand cigarette between my father's fingers,
It's the West Lake brand sewing machine that my mother stepped on,
It's a West Lake brand beer that friends drink together,
It is the West Lake brand watch that young people crave,
It is the West Lake vinegar fish that people must order for dinner,
It's a Westlake brand TV where the whole family sits around......
▲ The West Lake brand sewing machine and alarm clock are the memories of old Hangzhou people. Figure 1 Photography/Ang Li Photographer, Figure 2 Photography: czjcj, Picture/Huitu.com
As for light bulbs, lotus root powder, tea, monosodium glutamate, many necessities in life have West Lake brand, and the name "West Lake" is everywhere in the life of Hangzhou people. The name and appearance of West Lake also appear in some more influential places.
The pattern of "one lake, two embankments and three islands", "three clouds and mountains and one city" and the landscape inscription tradition of "Ten Views of West Lake" have become the blueprint for many gardens to imitate and copy, providing an inexhaustible source for garden art. Kangxi and Qianlong were obsessed with the south of the Yangtze River, and Hangzhou was almost every must-visit, and the Qing emperors were not only satisfied with seeing the beautiful scenery in Hangzhou, but also brought the pattern of the West Lake back to the north. In many royal gardens, we can see the figure of West Lake.
▲ The autumn moon of Pinghu Lake and the wind and lotus of Quyuan are the famous ten views of West Lake. Photo by Jason Von
Among the forty views of the Old Summer Palace, the "Square Pot Victory" is to pay tribute to the three pools of the West Lake, and the "Wind and Lotus of the Quyuan" and "Autumn Moon of the Peaceful Lake" are directly copied from the ten views of the West Lake. The relics pagoda of Yongyou Temple in Chengde Summer Resort is modeled after the Liuhe Pagoda, the "Zhijing Cloud Causeway" is undoubtedly inspired by the White Causeway and the Su Causeway, and the "Hammer Peak Falling Photos" is inspired by the "Twin Peaks Inserting Clouds" in the West Lake.
Of course, in the matter of learning West Lake, the most outstanding is the Summer Palace. The pattern of mountains, lakes, embankments and islands here is almost the same as that of West Lake, and even the six bridges on the Su Causeway have been copied and pasted into the six bridges of the West Causeway.
▲ Chengde Summer Resort modeled after the West Lake. Photography / Visual China
Not only China's imperial gardens, but many gardens in East Asia were also profoundly influenced by the West Lake. Korakuen Garden in Tokyo, Kokuen Garden, Kokkaien Garden in Hiroshima, and Yosuien Garden in Wakayama all have traces of imitating West Lake. Many gardens in the Edo period even copied the names of the bridges and scenery of the West Lake. In Kairakuen Garden, one of Japan's three most famous gardens, there is also a Su Causeway from West Lake across Lake Senba.
Why are so many East Asian gardens imitating West Lake? Perhaps UNESCO's World Heritage Site is apt: in the cultural tradition of landscaping, the West Lake is the best illustration of the ideal of the unity of man and nature.
▲ The artistic conception of the West Lake where nature and man are united. Photography / Qing Jian
Since 2002, the Hangzhou municipal government has dismantled the fence around the lake, and all major parks are open to the public free of charge. When the major well-known scenic spots increased their income by raising tickets, West Lake was abnormal, once more than 20 million yuan of annual ticket revenue was lost, but since then, Hangzhou's tourism revenue has risen year by year.
▲ Every frame of West Lake is like a natural painting. Photography / Qing Jian
As long as each tourist stays in Hangzhou for an extra 24 hours, Hangzhou's annual comprehensive tourism income will increase by 10 billion yuan. Lost tens of millions of tickets, but earned tens of billions - this is the "West Lake model" of the tourism industry.
In 2015, well-known scholars such as Shi Yigong and Pan Jianwei proposed to create a new type of private research university with social forces. Just a few months later, Zhejiang West Lake Advanced Research Institute was established in West Lake District. In 2018, a new research university with science, medicine, and engineering as its main categories was established - this is the "Westlake University" in the field of science and education.
▲ West Lake is a part of the daily life of Hangzhou people. Photo by Li Wenbo
From the lagoon on the Qiantang River to the World Heritage Site, from the "West Lake Model" to the "West Lake University", the connotation of the West Lake has been continuously enriched. West Lake is a model of classical Chinese aesthetics, the source of East Asian garden art, the literary, aesthetic and political ideals pursued by literati and doctors, and the spirit of the times that is constantly innovating, enterprising and flowing!