2-Day Self-Drive Trip from Shanghai to Hangzhou in 2014 (Jingci Temple, Xianghu Lake in Xiaoshan, West Lake, Wenlan Pavilion, Bai Causeway, Broken Bridge with Melting Snow)
There are some cities I'd love to visit at least once a year, such as Hangzhou, Qingdao, and Suzhou. Among them, Hangzhou is one of my favorite cities. I've visited it for many consecutive years, and in 2008, I went as many as four times in a single year. "Comparing West Lake to Xizi, light or heavy makeup always suits her." Hangzhou is beautiful in all seasons. When summer lotuses bloom, the West Lake showcases "endless green lotus leaves stretching to the horizon, and sunlit lotus blossoms of distinctive red," which is truly mesmerizing. The summer of 2014 in the Yangtze River Delta was unusually cool, with very few days above 35°C, making it a perfect time for lotus viewing at West Lake. Of course, the lack of scorching heat in Jiangnan was due to more rainy days this summer. This two-day self-drive trip coincided with rain. On the afternoon of August 16, a continuous drizzle for hours allowed me to experience West Lake in the rain—a rarity. The rainy West Lake, with misty distant mountains and waters, looked like a faint ink wash painting. The whole journey covered 482 kilometers, a fairly relaxed self-drive trip.
August 15, 2014 (Hangzhou weather: cloudy to overcast, 23°C to 29°C)
At 10:30 AM, departed from home in Pudong, Shanghai, driving via Luoshan Road Elevated Road, the Outer Ring Expressway, and the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway.
At 11:17 AM, arrived at Xinqiao Toll Station on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, cumulative distance 41 km.
At 11:45 AM, reached Fengjing Service Area on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, refueled with 180 yuan of 92-octane gasoline at 7.75 yuan/liter, cumulative distance 76 km.
At 11:55 AM, arrived at Fengjing Toll Station, paid 30 yuan toll, cumulative distance 76 km.
At 12:03 PM, reached Dayun Toll Station on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, cumulative distance 90 km.
At 12:59 PM, arrived at Hangzhou Desheng Toll Station on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, cumulative distance 180 km, toll fee 50 yuan.
Since May 5, 2014, Hangzhou has imposed peak-hour restrictions on non-local vehicles with non-Zhejiang A plates on working days, from 7:00 to 9:00 AM and 4:30 to 6:30 PM. As it was Friday afternoon, I didn't dare to waste time entering Hangzhou city center.
Driving on Nanshan Road, I passed the entrance of the Liulang Wenying (Orioles Singing in the Willows) scenic area, one of the "Ten Views of West Lake."
A photo of a corner of the West Lake Long Bridge taken while driving.
Parking lot of Leifeng Pagoda scenic area, 10 yuan per hour.
Across the street from the Leifeng Pagoda parking lot is Jingci Temple, home to the "Nanping Evening Bell."
Leifeng Pagoda. "Leifeng Pagoda in the Sunset" is one of the "Ten Views of West Lake."
Biking around West Lake is more convenient than driving, a popular choice among young people.
The Ten Views of West Lake, published by the State Council on March 5, 2013, as part of the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units, category "other," dating from the Southern Song to Qing dynasties. "Nanping Evening Bell" is one of them.
Jingci Temple, a key national Buddhist temple in Han Chinese regions, entrance ticket 10 yuan.
The Ancient Well of Transporting Timber. Legend has it that after Jingci Temple was burned down, Jigong (the Mad Monk) went to a wealthy landlord in Sichuan to solicit wood for rebuilding. The landlord cut down 100 large trees on the mountain and lent them to Jigong. The wood was floated down the Yangtze River to the East China Sea, then drifted into the Qiantang River. When it reached the Qiantang River, a checkpoint stopped the raft to collect taxes. Jigong then sank the wood into the water and magically transported it to the temple through this "Awakening Well."
A lightbox advertisement at Leifeng Pagoda reads: "Hangzhou's First Tourist Stop." I remember back in 1981, when I first visited Hangzhou, my first stop was Yue Fei Temple.
Major scenic spots in Hangzhou have parking lots, but spaces are very tight during peak tourist season.
Traffic jams, license plate restrictions, and parking difficulties are the three major headaches for a self-drive tour in Hangzhou.
Driving across the Qiantang River Bridge for the first time.
On the Qiantang River Bridge there is a national protection monument; the bridge was designated as part of the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.
To avoid being "trapped" by Hangzhou's peak-hour restrictions for non-local vehicles, I went to Xianghu Lake in Xiaoshan, known as the "sister lake" of West Lake. Xianghu Lake is also free to visit, and there are many free parking lots around it, making it a great spot for a self-drive tour.
Beside Xianghu Lake lies the Yue King City Ruins, a cultural relic protection site of Zhejiang Province, a military fortress where the Yue State garrisoned troops to resist the Wu State during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.
A road circles Xianghu Lake, making self-driving convenient.
Many roadside vendors sell fresh lotus seed pods, 10 yuan for four.
That evening, I stayed at Jinjiang Inn on Shixin Road in Xiaoshan, a standard room A at a member price of 151 yuan. As of that day, cumulative distance driven: 229 km.
The hotel is on Shixin Middle Road, in the center of Xiaoshan's old town, where road construction was underway. This troubled me at night; after midnight, construction noises could be heard.
Zhiwei Guan, a time-honored Hangzhou restaurant. This is its branch on Shixin Middle Road in Xiaoshan.
Zhīwèi Xiaolong (soup dumplings) are a specialty of Zhiwei Guan, but they tasted mediocre, as if the frozen food wasn't fully steamed.
August 16, 2014 (Hangzhou weather: moderate to heavy rain, 22°C to 27°C)
View of Shixin Middle Road taken from the 10th-floor room of Jinjiang Inn.
Shixin Bridge at the intersection of Shixin Middle Road and Wenhua Road, an ancient Qing-dynasty bridge also known as Zhenji Bridge; presumably, Shixin Road is named after it.
On Shixin Middle Road beside Jinjiang Inn, there used to be a paid parking lot where the fee could be reimbursed by the hotel. But this time, the lot was abandoned and unmanaged. Although parking spaces still existed, for safety, I paid 15 yuan to park overnight at the old theater parking lot on nearby Wenhua Road.
Turning east from Shixin Middle Road into Wenhua Road leads to Jiang Temple, which has been converted into a folk culture garden and is free to visit. There's a parking lot on the roadside; parking cost 5 yuan.
In front of Jiang Temple, on the small river stands Mengbi Bridge, with Cang Bridge nearby; both are city-level protected cultural relics of Hangzhou.
Not far away is Cang Bridge, a city-level protected cultural relic.
Across Cang Bridge is a branch of Xinfeng Snacks. Founded in 1996 on the basis of the original Xinfeng Dim Sum Shop, Xinfeng Snacks now has many outlets in Hangzhou and is a well-known snack shop. Even in Xiaoshan, Xinfeng Snacks is more popular than Zhiwei Guan.
Pian'er Chuan noodles at Xinfeng Snacks. The only pity is that bamboo shoot slices were replaced with water bamboo shoots, perhaps because it wasn't the season for bamboo shoots.
Pian'er Chuan noodles at Xinfeng Snacks. The only pity is that bamboo shoot slices were replaced with water bamboo shoots, perhaps because it wasn't the season for bamboo shoots.
On Gushan Road, I encountered traffic jams, mainly caused by vehicles making U-turns or waiting for passengers. There are many parking spaces along Gushan Road, from which one can visit Bai Causeway and "Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake."
It started raining in Hangzhou, and the rain intensified, making cycling quite miserable.
The entrance of Xiling Seal Society, also a national key cultural relics protection unit. I visited it in 2008.
Zhejiang West Lake Art Museum.
Strolling along West Lake in the rain.
Wenlan Pavilion, listed by the State Council on June 25, 2001, as part of the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units, classified as ancient architecture, dating from the Qing Dynasty. It is located on the southern slope of Gushan Hill by West Lake, within the Zhejiang Provincial Museum. First built in the 47th year of the Qianlong reign (1782), it was one of the seven imperial libraries constructed to house the "Complete Library of the Four Treasuries" and is the only surviving one of the three libraries in the Jiangnan region. Free admission.
West Lake in the rain.
Bai Causeway. In my eyes, with Baochu Pagoda accompanying it, Bai Causeway is more beautiful than Su Causeway.
"Broken Bridge with Melting Snow" is one of the "Ten Views of West Lake."
Torrential rain caused waterlogging on many roads.
Shopped at Carrefour Jincheng Store in Xiaoshan.
Lotus root starch is a famous specialty of Hangzhou. The area from Genshanmen to Yuhang County is the main production region for West Lake lotus root starch, with the product from Sanjia Village in Tangqi being especially renowned. The Sanjiacun brand lotus root starch is the most authentic and delicious.
Huijuan Noodle House, a chain noodle restaurant that has risen in Hangzhou in recent years, famous for its delicious Pian'er Chuan noodles. In terms of dining environment and other aspects, it puts the old brands to shame.
After a 10-minute wait, the shrimp Pian'er Chuan noodles were served. The portion was generous, piping hot and delicious right out of the pot.
At 17:46, arrived at Xiaoshan East Toll Station on the Hangzhou-Jinhua-Quzhou Expressway, cumulative distance 293 km.
At 18:12, stopped at Chang'an Service Area on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway to rest, cumulative distance 332 km.
At 19:10, reached Dayun Toll Station on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, cumulative distance 392 km, toll fee 60 yuan.
At 19:20, arrived at Fengjing Toll Station, cumulative distance 405 km.
At 19:46, reached Xinqiao Toll Station, cumulative distance 440 km, toll fee 30 yuan.
At 20:28, arrived back home in Pudong, Shanghai, total trip distance 482 km.
