These are the words composed by the famous Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo
(960-1127). In this poem, he compared the West Lake to Xi Zi, one of
the four beauties in ancient China. These poetic sentiments depict the
charm of the lake which has always been a beautiful and romantic spot
since ancient times.
Measuring 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) in
length, 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in width, and 2.3 meters (7.5 feet)
in average depth, the lake spreads itself in an area totaling 6.5 square
kilometers (2.5 square miles). Embraced by mountains on three sides,
the West Lake knits itself into the North Inner Lake, the Yuehu Lake,
the West Inner Lake, the South Lake and the West Outer Lake by the
fabric of the Bai Causeway, the Su Causeway and the Yang Causeway.
Between the North Inner Lake and the West Outer Lake lies the largest
natural island called the Solitary Hill.
In addition, three man-made islands stand in the West Outer Lake: the
Lesser Paradise Island, the Mid-lake Pavilion, and the Ruangong Islet;
and two famous pagodas by the lake: the Leifeng Pagoda to the south and the Baochu Pagoda
to the north. Nowadays, West Lake is one of the top ten scenic areas
in China, getting listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in
2011. It is famous for the romantic legends and intoxicating scenery.
