Huizhou West Lake
By admin on 2015-02-03

Huizhou West Lake (惠州西湖, Hùi Zhōu Xī Hú)locates in the downtown area of Huizhou, Guangdong Province. It is stunningly beautiful making it an important tourist spot in this region. The park area consists of five lakes, six adjoining bridges and ten particular spots to look out for. The site that most head for is Huizhou's oldest building, the Sizhou Pagoda. Built during the Tang Dynasty, this octagonal pagoda, consisting of 7 floors, was destroyed in 1564 and rebuilt in 1618.

The overall natural arrangement around the West Lake is very reasonable and congenial. The mountains around are profound and remote; the paths are twisting and fantastic; islands rise around here and there; the green hills are as pretty as woman’s eyebrow. Pavilions and attics in ancient styles stand in the luxuriant trees, forming wonderful scenery as if it is sophisticated designed by the God. What Hangzhou West Lake to Huizhou West Lake is what Xizi in sophisticated make-up to Zhuluo Xizi who is clever and elegant without any adorns (Xizi refers to a famous beauty in the late Spring and Autumn Period, who was born in a village named Zhuluo).

Huizhou West Lake covers 3.2 square kilometers in total with 1.4 square kilometers of water. It is famous for the five lakes, six bridges and eight sceneries. Four hundred and more scholars in different dynasties in history with Su Dongpo as representative has ever traveled around Huizhou to appreciate West Lake and be inspired enough to create cherish cultural relics of West Lake. Once can not only visit various sceneries in the West Lake, but also appreciate the West Lake under the context of the whole Huizhou City. The most essential point is to understand the way the city and the lake integrate and the interacted beauty. One can also see Huizhou’s beautiful street scenery and nocturne to known about Dongpo Culture of West Lake (Su Dongpo is a famous scholar in Chinese history who has ever wrote many essays and poets to describe the beauty of West Lake).

The main sceneries of Huizhou West Lake are: Jade Tower on Lake, Su Dam with Moon on the Heaven, Elephant Mountain Range under Flying Cloud, Painting Village, Flower Island Chatting in the Rainy Day, Luxurious Red Ceiba in Spring, Xixin Sunstroke Prevent Garden, Single Mountain with Su’s Handwriting, Fragrant Flowers in Autumn, Grand Mountains, South Garden with Green Willows, Sightseeing with Huai Dam, etc. On the right of the northern gate of West Lake, there is a Couple Red Ceiba of more than one hundred years old. The branches twisting together are like lovers chatting beside Yanxia Bridge indulging the beauty of West Lake. This is also the place which is not avoided by tourists who are lovers.

Ancient springs are one of the great specialties compared with other places of interest in Huizhou West Lake. There are four ancient springs in Huizhou West Lake area, Qingxing Spring (Bangshan Spring), Zhenzhu Spring (Gurong Spring), Pusa Spring, Xieyan Spring, which are called as Huizhou West Lake Four Grand Springs (Qingxing means making people feel refreshed, Bangshan means leaning on the mountain, Zhenzhu means pearl, Pusa means Goddess of Mercy, Xieyan means eyes of crab). The four grand springs in Guangdong province, Guangzhou’s Tangquan Spring, Dongguan’s Lianquan Spring, Huizhu’s Qingxing Spring, etc. actually construct a kind of crafty cultural integration, offering people a vast expanse of imaginary space. A special and intense cultural lasting appeal is conveyed by the four famous springs.

Besides there is a special sight in Huizhou West Lake area, West Lake Birds Seeing. Various birds like grey aigrettes, white cranes, etc inhabited on the islands in West Lake such as Crane Island, Pipa Island, Xuezi Island, etc (Pipa is a traditional Chinese music instrument, while Xuezi means people who are pursuing knowledge). Once at dusk, thousands of birds fly around over lake in sunset glow and neighboring the noisy city. Thus it forms a unique sight in the province. The best sites to appreciate birds are Yanlong Bridge and Yuantong Bridge. When seeing birds, do please not get close to the island by boat, otherwise you will scare the delicate birds.