How was the West Lake in Hangzhou formed?

West Lake was called Wulin Water and Qiantang Lake in ancient times, also known as Xizi Lake. At first, it was a bay. Due to the long-term accumulation of sediment carried by river tides, the bay is isolated from the sea, forming a lagoon. After several generations of continuous dredging construction, it finally becomes a semi-closed shallow landscape lake. The shape of the West Lake is a nearly equiaxed polygon, which is divided into five sub-lakes by artificial dikes in Gushan, Su Causeway and Bai Causeway. There are three islands in the lake: Zhou Xiaoying, Hu Xinting and Ruan Gongdun. The sub-lakes are connected by bridge opening, and all the lakes can't be fully mixed, resulting in different characteristics of water quality in each lake area. Most of the runoff recharge first enters the three sub-lakes on the west side, and then enters the Outer West Lake. The total area of the lake is 6. 145 square kilometers. The total volume is 0. 1.247 million cubic meters, and the average water depth is 1.235 meters.

human factor

Bai Juyi

The West Lake has a history of two thousand years since its formation. However, in the history of the West Lake for more than 2,000 years, two figures played a key role. In 822 AD, Bai Juyi, who was over 500 years old, came to the beautiful Hangzhou to make a secretariat. Frustrated in officialdom, he saw the landscape of the West Lake, and his spirit did it one brace up. On the day he arrived in Hangzhou, he couldn't wait to write down "Thank you for the secretariat of Hangzhou", and from then on, the great poet began his eternal love affair with beautiful mountains and rivers. Bai Juyi's achievements in Hangzhou are numerous, but the most prominent ones are digging six wells and building the West Lake levee. The first thing he dredged was six wells dug by Qin Li forty years ago, and the second thing was to renovate the West Lake and build the Bai Causeway.

Su Dongpo

During his stay in Hangzhou, he helped the people and regulated the river. In A.D. 1090, he personally interceded for the West Lake, wrote a letter to Song Zhezong, and wrote a historic document, Hangzhou Begging for the West Lake. The famous assertion: "There is a West Lake in Hangzhou. If people have something to see, they should not abandon it." After that, an unprecedented transformation of the West Lake began. From summer to autumn, Su Dongpo mobilized the whole city to raise funds and mobilized 200,000 migrant workers to build the world-famous Su Causeway with silt grass. During Su Dongpo's stay in Hangzhou, he built dikes and recited thousands of poems. Since then, he has really become a fascinating attraction. 1March 508, Yuan Shengyang used 8,000 civilian workers, which lasted 152 days, and demolished 348 1 mu of land to restore the old scenery of the West Lake. Part of the dredged sludge was given to Su Causeway, the forerunner of Su Dongpo who appeared in difficult times. He filled the sludge by 20 feet, widened it by 50 feet, and planted willows on both banks. Su Causeway restored the inherent scenery of "six willow bridges". On the other hand, a dike was built to keep pace with Su Causeway. From Qixialing around Dingjiashan to Nanshan, Hangzhou people are grateful to the village chief for his love for the people of West Lake, so they call it "Yang Gongdi". West Lake, from a big bay to a lagoon to a beautiful lake, our ancestors lived by the lake and lived endlessly. It can be said that the history of the West Lake is a history of protection and governance. It runs through the spirit and concept of China's traditional landscape culture and embodies the continuity of the history and culture of the West Lake.

Historical evolution of scenic spots in West Lake;

1. The origin of the cultural name of West Lake

The name of West Lake in Hangzhou was first recorded by Ban Gu of the Eastern Han Dynasty in Geography of Han Shu (Volume 28): "Wulin Mountain, Wulin water goes. East into the sea, 830 miles. " It is generally believed that Wulin Mountain is the general name of the mountains around Lingyin and Tianzhu. Nanxi and Beixi, which originated here, flow into Jinsha River and flow eastward into West Lake, which is the largest natural water source of the West Lake. So the name "Wulin Water" is the earliest recorded name of West Lake. Li Daoyuan's Notes on Water Classics in the Northern Wei Dynasty recorded: "There is Mingsheng Lake near the Nanjiang River in the county. According to the legend of elders, there are Taurus in the lake. Seeing it in ancient times, it is unpredictable, and the lake is named. " At this time, two other ancient names of West Lake were derived: Ming Sheng Lake and Jinniu Lake. The name "West" Lake appeared because the original Qiantang County moved from the west to the east of the West Lake after the Sui Dynasty, that is, Qiantang Lake, which was originally in the east of the city, is now located in the west of the city. Lake lives in the west of the city, hence the name West Lake, just like other places with the same name in China. At the latest in the Tang Dynasty, the title of "West Lake" has been frequently used. It is also a poem by Bai Juyi, and the word "West Lake" is often used. For example, his poems include "West Lake Night Return to Gushan Temple to Offer Guests", "West Lake Farewell" and so on. After Su Shi (Dongpo), a poet in the Northern Song Dynasty, sang the eternal swan song "If you want to compare the West Lake to Chinese calligraphy, light makeup is always appropriate" in his famous poem "Drinking on the lake after the rain", the West Lake has the reputation of Chinese calligraphy lake. In addition to the names mentioned above, West Lake has many aliases, such as Longchuan, Ganyuan, Hanshi Lake, Fangshengchi, Shang Hu, Gaoshi Lake, Yueming Lake, Ren Mei Lake and so on. Each alias has its own origin.

2. Changes of scenic spots in past dynasties

Since the Southern Song Dynasty, it has brought unprecedented prosperity to the West Lake, and the famous "Ten Scenes of the West Lake" has appeared. They are: Su Causeway Xiao Chun, Liulang Wenying, Huagang Guanyu, Quyuan Fenglian, Nanping Night Bell, Santan Moon Seal, Leifeng Sunset, Pinghu Autumn Moon, Broken Bridge Canxue and Twin Peaks in the Cloud. Yuan people imitated the "Ten Scenes of Yuan Dynasty" set in Song Dynasty, including Liuqiao Ada, Jiuli Yun Song, Lingshiqiao Pavilion, Gushan Xue Ji, Beiguan Night Market, Geling Chaozuo, Zhejiang Tao Qiu, Lingquan Ape Xiao, Liangfeng Baiyun and West Lake jathyapple. At the beginning of Qing Dynasty, it added: Hushan Chunshe, Gongde Chongfang, Hai Xia Xishuang, Meilin He Jiong, Yuqiu Maqiurong, Lianchi Songshe, Baoshifeng Pavilion, Wan Ting Riding and Shooting, Shi Jiao Qin Ming, Yuquan Yuyue, Fengling Songtao, Lake View, Wushan Grand View, Tianzhu Fragrant City, Yun Qi Fan Jing, Viewing the Sea from Light and Xixi Tan Mei. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty, the "Twenty-four Scenes of West Lake" were named as: Hushan Spring House, Gem Phoenix Pavilion, Jade Belt and Red, Wushan Grand View, Meilin He Jiong, Lake View, Shi Jiao Qin Ming, Yuquan Yuyue, Fengling Songtao, Tianzhu Fragrant City, Light View Sea, Yun Qi Fan Jing, Xixi Tan Mei, Xiaoyou Tianyuan, Yiyuan Lake Pavilion and Liu Liu. It was not until the modern New Ten Scenes of West Lake was selected as the New Ten Scenes of West Lake at the 2007 West Lake Expo in Hangzhou, China.

Panorama of Hangzhou West Lake

The beauty of the West Lake lies in its lakes and mountains. Mountains surround the beautiful West Lake: Longjing Mountain, Li 'an Mountain, Nanfeng Mountain, Yanxialing Mountain, Daci Mountain, Shilin Mountain, Nanping Mountain, Phoenix Mountain and Wu Shan in the southwest, collectively referred to as Nanshan; There are Lingyin Mountain, Beifeng Mountain Mountain, Xiangu Mountain, Qixialing Mountain and Baoshi Mountain in the north, collectively referred to as Beishan; They hold the West Lake, the pearl of the south of the Yangtze River, like the stars of the moon. Although the height of the mountain is less than 400 meters, the peaks are beautiful and the nymphs are beautiful. The north and south peaks are far apart, towering into the sky. 1. The "Ten Scenes of the West Lake" in the Southern Song Dynasty are basically distributed around the West Lake, and some of them are located on the lake: Su Causeway Xiao Chun, Quyuan Fenghe, Pinghu Qiuyue, Broken Bridge Canxue, Liulang Wenyinghua Gangguan Fish, Leifeng Sunset, Shuangfeng Chayun, Nanping Evening Bell and Santan silver moon. These ten landscapes have their own merits, which together represent the essence of the ancient West Lake landscape, mainly distributed in Neihu District and West Lake Center. The Old Ten Scenes may be called Inner Ring Scenes. 2. The "Ten Scenes of the New West Lake" was selected by Hangzhou citizens and the people of the whole country in 1985, and was determined after repeated deliberation by the expert selection committee. They are: Yun Qi Bamboo Trail, Manlong Guiyu, Tiger Run Mooncherry, Longjing Tea, Jiuxi Tobacco Tree, Wushan Tianfeng, Ruandun Huanbi, Huanglong Cui Tu, Huangyufeiyun and Gem Leaving. These ten scenic spots are basically distributed in the surrounding mountainous areas near the West Lake, which are dominated by mountain scenery, with a wide area of scenic spots and a wide field of vision. In the West Lake, only the soft pier and the green garden are the island scenery. The new ten scenes can be called the central scenery. 3. In 2007, Hangzhou people and the people of the whole country selected "Ten New Scenes of West Lake": Lingyin Zen, Liuhe Listening to Tao, Qixia of Yue Tomb, Yan Yu on the lakeside, Qianci Xiuyi, Academy, Di Yang Jingxing, Santai Yunshui, Meiwu Chunzao and North Street Dreaming.

These ten scenes are mainly distributed in the mountains and rivers far away from the West Lake. The mountains are clear because of the water, and the water is reflected by the mountains, with green mountains and green waters. It's sunny and rainy by the lake, and the dream of North Street is near the West Lake embankment. The new ten scenic spots of the West Lake can be called the scenery of the outer ring. Su causeway

Other scenic spots include "Baoju Tingxiu, Long Bridge Old Moon, Ancient Pagoda Affectionate, Lakeside Green Corridor, Gorgeous Gardens, Jinsha Style, Jiuli Yun Song, Meiwu Tea Scene, Xishan Party, Prince Edward's Wild Interest, Plant Kingdom, Zhongshan Site, Lingyin Buddhist Kingdom, Wang Yue Tomb Temple" and other specific titles remain to be discussed.