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West Lake Tour
With a vermeil boundary wall and a double-eaved gate tower, the memorial
temple clearly demonstrates its grandeur. Upon entering the main gate along the
blue stone road, one can see the ancestral temple directly in front of him. The
main hall is the typical two-layer-eave of Qing Dynasty architecture with a big
plaque "xinzhaotianri" inscribed by the marshal Ye Jianying hung above the door.
In the middle of the hall is the sitting statue of Yue Fei in full armor. He
looks martial and majestic holding a sword in his left hand and making a fist
with his right. Above the statue is a tablet inscribed "return my territory"
which represents his outlook on life. Stone steles inscribed with poems full of
his praises and eulogies from different dynasties are displayed along the
corridors beside Yue Fei's tomb. Visitors can get a thorough understanding of
Yue Fei from these artifacts and know why he is so popular in Chinese history.
Yue Fei's heroic deeds and patriotism add a special beauty to the charm of
West Lake.
** Six Harmonies Pagoda (Liuhe Pagoda)
The Six Harmonies (Liuhe) Pagoda lies in Yuelun Hill on the north
bank of the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The name "six
harmonies" comes from the six Buddhist ordinances, meaning "harmonies of the
heaven, earth, north, south, east, and west". The pagoda was first built in 970
AD by the King of Wuyue State, who intended to demonstrate his authority by
conquering the evil of the river tidal bore of the Qiantang River. The pagoda
fell into ruins and went through reconstruction many times before being listed
as one of the key national cultural heritages in 1961.
Commanding a spectacular view of the surging Qiantang River, the pagoda
presents a quiet image of age-old majesty. The original pagoda has nine stories
with a light on the top, which serves as a navigation tower. In 1156, the pagoda
experienced a large-scale restoration. The artisans used carved bricks when
reconstructing the inside of the pagoda. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, the
upturned wooden multi-eaves and wrapping structure was added to the pagoda and,
in the eyes of the people, presented the soul and labor of ancient Chinese. The
pagoda we see today is an octagonal structure 200 feet tall. Seen from the
outside, the pagoda has the appearance of a 13-story building; in actuality,
there are only seven stories.
The Six Harmonies Pagoda is definitely a masterpiece of ancient Chinese
architecture that continually attracts visitors both home and abroad.
Visitors here may be shocked and entertained not only by the long and splendid
history of China but also the arts of Chinese
calligraphy and seal-cutting. There are various sorts of stone tablets and
stone statues both inside and out of the pagoda, left over from the past times.
One may see relics such as a minister's tablet, a Buddhist scripture tablet, a
god statue, a poem inscription, and similar artifacts from different dynasties.
Moreover, the Center of Ancient Chinese Pagodas has opened near the pagoda. It
features all kinds of the ancient pagodas erected in the different areas and
different dynasties. One will have an appreciation of the quintessence of
ancient Chinese pagodas.
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