Hangzhou: a true heaven on earth
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Stop 2: Wetland wonders: sightseeing around Xixi
The Xixi National Wetland Park, the first national wetland park in China, is located in the western outskirts of Hangzhou. It provides fine examples of urban wetland, as well as agricultural and cultural wetland environments.
The attraction of Xixi lies in its aquatic environment. Water is in the very soul of Xixi. About 70 percent of the park is covered by ponds, lakes, rivers, and swamps. The park is crisscrossed with six central watercourses, among which are scattered several ponds, lakes and swamps. The branching streams and the series of ponds form a unique landscape amid the wetland.
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File photo shows the scenery of the Xixi National Wetland Park, the first national wetland park in China, in Hangzhou. [Photo: Xinhua Forum] |
The local government in Xixi attaches considerable importance to sustainable ecological development, and has now established three ecological protection and restoration areas. There is also an exhibition hall showcasing scientific knowledge about the wetlands and a dedicated viewing platform. The area's pleasant climate not only attracts a large number of visitors, but also a variety of birds, seeing it billed as something of a paradise for our feathered friend.
Xixi also has a rich human legacy. Many classical scholars saw it as a veritable Eden and praised it in their writings. Its Dragon Boat contest dotes back thousands of years and still takes place here annually. During this festival, you can take the chance to enjoy the scenery of hazy willows, as well as the mist and smoke from kitchen chimneys in the nearby Hazy Fisher Village. You can also take the opportunity to learn more about how the local residents make silk and earn a living as fisherfolk.
In Xixi, you can enjoy different landscapes during different seasons. You can have an outing in spring and enjoy the fresh air or harvest water chestnuts on the boats in summer, view the reeds during a radiant autumn sunset or admire the plum blossoms amid the chilly winds of winter.
If you are fond of birds, you should make sure you visit Xixi. The network of swamps and streams is the ideal dwelling place for a number of species, especially ducks. Standing and watching the relaxed and natural rhythms of their lifestyle, is enough to ease the stress of even the most hardworking executive. There is a also a three-storey pavilion that makes the ideal haven for relaxed observation.
West Lake Longjing Tea ranks among the top ten national blends, but Xixi Tea has also enjoyed a high reputation since the ancient times. Feng Mengzhen, a high-ranking official of the late Ming Dynasty, wrote a poem proclaiming his preference for the tea of Xixi over and above that of the rival Longjing tea.
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