There are many West Lakes in China. Among them, Fuzhou West Lake is one of the most famous lagging behind Hanzhou West Lake on scale and fame yet is regarded typical in China. Fuzhou West Lake (Xīhú 西湖) Park is located at the foot of Wolong Mountain (Wòlóngshān 卧龙山) in northwest Fuzhou, Fujian Province. The west lake in Fuzhou was excavated in 282 A.D. by Yan Gao (Yán Gāo 严高), an official of Jing Dynasty. In late Tang Dynasty, it became widely known because of its beautiful scenery. During the period of Five Dynasties, an emperor built waterside pavilions around the lake and took it as his imperial garden. Later in Song Dynasty, it became a famous tourist attraction and abundant poets visited it and wrote many beautiful poems for it. In 1828 in Qing Dynasty, Lin Zexu (Lín Zéxú 林则徐), the anti-opium patriot restored the bank around the lake. The lake was publicized as West Lake Park.

 Long History Of Fuzhou West Lake

The park has a history of over 1,700 years up till today. It originated in the third year of Taikang, Jin dynasty, when the chief of the city Yangao led the water from the mountains in the northwest to irrigate the fields here. The name was gained because it is located in the west of the city of Jin. The present scale was formed due to the extension generation after generation. In the park across the lake, there is a long causeway. The original causeway was established in 1930 and it was 8 meters wide, 139 meters long. The restored one is largely widened. It is now 18 meters wide. Seen afar, the causeway looks like a silk ribbon floating over the water. Walking on it, you can enjoy the tender caress of willow branches swaying in the breeze. The lake is strewed with several small natural islets.

Covering an area of 42.51 hectares, 30.3 hectares of which are water area, the West Lake Park is the most well-preserved and intact classical garden in Fuzhou, which is also regarded as "a bright pearl of Fuzhou gardens". With its graceful natural landscape, West Lake is tranquil and beautiful attracting many men of letters and painters in past dynasties who had left plentiful praising sentences and paintings, of which the famous poet Xin Qiji (Xin Qiji辛弃疾)of Song Dynasty (979-1279) once compared the lake with unmarried Xi Shi (Xī Shī 西施), one of the four beauties in ancient China.

Attractions
The main spectacles consist of the willow landscape on fairy bridge ,spring rain in the center of the lake, vying for crossing between lake and sky, Wanzai Room, Ziwei hall, Jianhu Pavilion, Lotus Pavilion.

Willow Bank (Xiānqiáoliǚsè 仙桥柳色)
The willow landscape on fairy bridge has ever been one of the eighth spectacles of ancient west lake. Upon entering the gate of the park, you can see long banks beside the lake, bowing willows standing on the banks. The bank is willow bank, the middle of which is the bridge, fairy bridge. Both sides are planted with willows, peaches and bushes. The spring rain in the center of the lake is also one of the eighth spectacles of West Lake. Whenever spring rain falls thickly, you can have a boat tour on the lake, or appreciate the rain in the little pavilion in the center of the lake.

Each has its own flavor. On the dragon boat festival each year, there will be holding dragon boat competition on West Lake of Fuzhou. At that time, there will be fierce and magnificent pictures between the wide sky and water with sound of gongs and drums piercing through the sky. Besides, Fujian Museum and Food Exhibition hall are in the park too. If you are interested in them, you can have a tour when appreciating the beautiful landscape of the lake and mountain.

Kaihua Temple
Kaihua Temple (Kāihuàsì 开化寺) located in the center of Kaihua Island, it is the oldest building in the park which was originally built in 1037 in Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and rebuilt in Ming Dynasty (Míngcháo 明朝) during the period from 1522 to 1566. The buildings today were rebuilt again in Qing Dynasty (Qīngcháo 清朝) in 1705. The temple is famed for a Leechee (LìZhī 荔枝) tree of the variety of 18th daughter. Colorful precious flowers and trees, root carvings decorate the temple.

Travel Tips
Location: Nearby Mount Wolong, northwest part of Fuzhou City, Fujian Province.
Ticket: Free for tickets of the park and Fujian Provincial Museum, CNY20 per hour for renting a boat.
Opening Time: 05:30-22:30.
How To Get There: On private coach or take buses No.1, 65, 70, 74, 88, 109, 100, 111 and get off at the station of West Lake.
Tel: +86-0591-83783656.

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