A panoramic tour of Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou, Part V

With the West Lake surrounded by low ranges, Hangzhou (and Suzhou) has been famed for and branded as the Heaven on Earth for a long time. It was essentially the administrative center of Song dynasty. There are a number of dramatic love lorn stories but usually tragic based on the West Lake context. Also, many great poets also derived their indelible poems or rather influenced by the lake effect. Though with height control so as not to 'dominate' the setting or over the lake, the contemporary urbanization is spreading fast, swarming ever closer to the lake. Within this contrast, one can feel the utopian setting when standing on this side of camera angle. Still, the West Lake is really a few great urban setting with charming characteristics I have ever been in China.

Agust 13th, 2007