Just Like Heaven

Two cities in China are nicknamed 'paradise on earth'. One is Suzhou and the other one is Hangzhou.

Hangzhou is known for its beautiful natural scenery. The city is located on the Yangtzi River delta, 180 kilometers southwest of Shanghai. It is the capital of Zhejiang province. It was founded around 2.200 years ago during the Qin dynasty. Besides listed as one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China, it was also the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom from 907 to 978 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. This city was one of the three great centers of culture in Southern China during the tenth century along with Nanjing and Chengdu.
As a city of culture, Hangzhou was popular among philosophers, politicians, and artists. One of them was Su Shi or known as Su Dongpo from the Song dynasty (960-1127). He was also once the city's governor and in 1089 constructed a 2.8 kilometers long dike accorss the West Lake, now known as the Su Causeway. Another poet turned governer was Bai Juyi from the Tang dynasty. He also built a dike out of mud cleaned from the bottom of the lake, now known as the Bai Causeway. These dikes prevented the lake from evolving into the marshland. Other famous people from Hangzhou were poets Lu You and Xin Qiji, also the famed scientist Shen Kuo, whose tomb is located in the Yuhuang district.

Freezing on the West Lake
The first agenda as soon as I arrived in Hangzhou was visiting the famous West Lake. I was really amazed by its beauty; clear water and beautiful surroundings. The well-known poet Su Dongpo compared this lake with Xizi, the most beautiful woman in ancient China in this poem:

Ripping water shimmering on a sunny day,
Misty mountains shrouded the rain,
Plain or gaily decked like Xizi,
West Lake is always alluring.

I would say that this lake is the large version of Chinese classical gardens. Whatever the season, the panorama is always breathtaking.
I got on the boat to cross the lake to the Temple of Yue Fei. It was freezing cold because the autumn wind was blowing hard. While sitting and shivering, I tried to listen to the guide talking about the Leifeng Pagoda seen from the distance. This pagoda was built in 975 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period at the order of King Qian Chu of the Wuyue Kingdom to celebrate the birth of his son who was born to Huang Fei, his favorite concubine. Also known as the Thunder Peak Pagoda, it was originally an octagonal five-storied tower made of bricks and wood. Its wooden elements were burned during the late Ming dynasty when the Japanese pirates attatcked Hangzhou. Later, due to superstitions that bricks from the tower could prevent illness and bring luck, people stole them and grinded the bricks into powder. They probably drank it too. The action caused the pagoda collapsed on the afternoon of September 25th, 1924. It was then rebuilt by the provincial and municipal government in October 1999. The original base is kept in good condition as well as the treasures discovered in an underground chamber.
The pagoda became one of the ten sights of the West Lake because of The White Snake Legend, a Chinese story that began as oral traditions the written as compilations, also performed in the TV series, films, and Chinese operas. It's one of my favorite stories. Set in the Southern Song dynasty, the story basically tells about a young scholar named Xu Xian who falls in love with a woman named Bai Su Zhen, unaware that she is a white snake demon in human form. A monk called Fa Hai intervenes to safe the scholar's soul and arrests the white snake in a deep well at the Leifeng Pagoda. She is captivated for a few years. Meanwhile, her sister the green snake named Xiao Qing practices her magic, and when strong enough, she defeats Fa Hai, destroys the pagoda, and frees Bai. The White Snake then rejoins with her husband and they live happily ever after.
On the shore of the lake I saw a bridge. The guide said that it is called the Broken Bridge and still linked to the legend. It is said that Xu Xian met Bai Su Zhen here. It was raining, and the scholar offered his umbrella to Bai. This was also the place where they met again after going through a series of ups and downs; and the place where they said goodbye for the last time. The farewell made them very sad. There is a saying that describes how they feel, “The Broken Bridge is not broken but the heart is'.




The Temple of Martyr
Getting off the boat on the other side of the lake, I arrived on a temple. The tour guide told me that this was the mausoleum of General Yue Fei, whose name I had never heard before. Later I found out that he was an ancient Chinese hero lived in the era of the Song dynasty (960-1279). He was famous for his war against the Jin (1115-1234) and is considered as the symbol of patriotism and loyalty to the country until today.
The place occupies an area of four acres and located at the southern foot of Qixia Hill near the lake. Its main hall is called the Shrine of Remembrance, where I saw the sculpture of General Yue Fei in the middle. He was dressed in a colorful battle uniform and holding a sword in his hand. He looked solemn and mighty; I could feel that he was a great leader. Above is a tablet written in the general's handwriting that says 'Huan Wo He Shan' or 'Give Back My Rivers and Mountains'. At one side of the wall is a painting of the general and his mother. Yue Fei is kneeling down while his mother is writing four characters on his back, 'Jin Zhong Bao Guo' meaning 'serve the country with outmost loyalty'. This tattoo later became famous. The scene happened before Yue Fei went on a battle.
I proceeded to a yard that is located to the west of the main hall. In the middle are two tombs; the one in the center is Yue Fei's and to its left is his son's Yue Yun, who had joined his father in the battlefields. In front of it are some statues of horses, tigers, and sheep.
A little bit further from the tombs are four kneeling bronze statues. I wondered why they were made with bare chests and hands tied behind their back. Their eyes are looking at the ground and I saw some guilty expressions there, as if they had done something wrong. And indeed they had.
The statues on the right are Qin Hui and his wife Lady Wang while the ones on the left are his subordinates, Mo Qixie and Zhang Jun. Qin Hui (1090-1155) was was a Song prime minister who is widely regarded as the traitor of the Han race because he played a part in the political execution of Yue Fei.
History told that after having Yue Fei, Yue Yun, and their friend Zhang Xian arrested for false charges, Qin Hui and his wife were sitting by the eastern window at their home, warming themselves by the fire. Qin was worried because he couldn't get Yue Fei to admit the charges and eventually had to release him. However, after a servant girl brought fresh oranges into the room, Lady Wang came up with an idea of slipping an execution notice inside the skin of an orange and send it to the examining judge. This way, the general and his companions would be executed before the emperor himself gave the order of execution. The conspiracy is known as the 'Eastern Window Plot'. That was why their statues are made to kneel forever before the tombs. For centuries these statues have been cursed, spat, and urinated. But today they are preserved as historical relics.

Retreating the Soul
Most Chinese are Buddhists and temples are found everywhere, including in Hangzhou.
The temple I visited was the Lingyin Temple of Lingyin Si in Chinese. The name is formed by two characters, 'ling' meaning 'spiritual' and 'yin' meaning retreat. Together they mean 'spiritual retreat' or 'the Temple of Soul's Retreat
This temple is found to the northwest of the West Lake, located in a narrow alley between Feilai Feng (Peak Flying from Afar) and the North Peak. As one of the ten most famous Buddhist temples in China, it is also considered as a leading center for research related to Chinese Buddhist culture.
The existence of the holy site can be traced back to the ear of the Jin dynasty (317-420). Legend said that an Indian monk named Huili came to the area and fell in love with the spiritual nature of the scenery. He then decided to build a temple which we know now. His ashes are kept in a small pagoda at the foot of Feilai Feng.
This peak is located in front of the temple. It got its name because it is made of limestone, thus gives a different appearance compared t its surrounding mountains. According to legend, it was originally from India; some versions suggested that it had flown to Hangzhou overnight to show the almighty power of the Buddhist law. I saw a large number of carvings on its surface depicting the Buddha. One of their panels on the left tells a story of the Monkey King, 'Journey to the West.'
The formal entrance to the temple itself is the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tianwang Dian). It is a double-eaved building with a plague written by the third Qing dynasty emperor Kangxi (1661-1722) which says 'Yunlin Chan Si' or 'the Chan Temple of the Clouds and Forests.' That is how the temple got its name. The main statue in this hall is the Maitreya Buddha in his manifestation as the clothes bag monk or the Laughing Buddha. At the back is the Boddhisatva Skanda who is regarded as a devoted guardian in Chinese Buddhism. The statue dates from the Song dynasty (960-1279).
Passing through the main hall and crossing the courtyard, I arrived in front of Da Xiong Bai Dian or the Hall of Great Heroes. It is a single storey construction with double-eaved roof shaped like a cone rising to 33.6 meters tall, making it probably the tallest single storey building in China. Inside is the statue of Sakyamuni made of camphor wood and stands 24.8 meters tall, covered with gold. It is guarded by twenty statues of saints on its euther sides, said to be protectors of justice.
I continued again until reaching the Hall of Medicine Buddha (Yaoshi Dian) where you can see the statue of Bhaisajyaguru, also known as the Healing Buddha. The sun and the moon on his left and right hands represnt yin and yang. In Chinese traditional medicine, they have to be balanced to create good health.
On the way out I saw a beautiful stone carving on the wall. It was complicated to figure out what it was, but later I noticed that it is the dragon and the phoenix; symbols of the Chinese emperor and empress.

Drinking a Cup of Tea
It is a common knowledge that China is famous for its tea. I'm a tea drinker myself, but have never tasted the 'real' Chinese tea. Not until I visited the Longjing tea plantation. This place reminded me of Puncak, West Java which is also famous for its beautiful tea plantation scenery. The view here was just as gorgeous.
Also known as the 'Dragon Well', this well was discovered in about 230 AD, according to legend. The fresh spring water encouraged Hangzhouers to develop their own quality tea. A spokeswoman explained that to me in the National Tea Museum, the only state-level museum specializing in the tea culture. It has a wonderful collection of tea utensils. My interest was particularly the unique teapots; one stops pouring water when its lid is held and the other can pour spiral water. There are more kinds that I didn't see.
I learned about different kinds of tea, among them are the famous Longjing tea and there is the chrysanthemum tea. The Longjing tea is made of fresh tea leaves and the chrysanthemum tea is made of dried chrysanthemum flowers. They tasted delicous! The tea are packed in special containers that are designed so that the flavor doesn't wear off. You can buy the tea there too. It's quite expensive, but you get the best quality of tea which can last for a long time.
As I walked around the museum, I saw a statue in its garden. The tour guide said he was Lu Yu, the tea sage. This man lived between 733-804 and had contributed a lot to the Chinese tea culture. He is well known for his book, The Classic of Tea, the first comprehensive work on cultivating, making, and drinking tea.
The Dragon Well is well known to foreigners as well as the Chinese. Some world leaders had visited the plantation, among them were Queen Elizabeth and the former Chinese president Jiang Zemin.

And that's the end of my trip in Hangzhou