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You will be picked up from your Hangzhou hotel at around
8:30AM by your English-speaking guide and driver. From there
we�ll proceed to our first point of interest, Leifeng
Pagoda. Leifeng Pagoda is an octagonal five-story tall tower
with historical stories and interesting legends going along
all the time. It is located on Sunset Hill south of the West
Lake in Hangzhou. Originally constructed in the year 975 AD,
it collapsed in 1924 but was rebuilt in 2002, since when it
has been a popular tourist attraction. The original pagoda
was built in 975 AD at the order of a King to celebrate the
birth of his son by one of his favorite concubines, Huangfei.
It was therefore called Huangfei Pagoda at that time.
Leifeng Pagoda is one of the ten major sights of West Lake
because of the Legend of the White Snake. At its most basic,
the story tells of a young scholar who falls in love with a
beautiful woman, unaware that she is a white snake who has
taken on human form. A monk intervenes in order to save the
scholar's soul and casts the white snake into a deep well at
the Leifeng Pagoda. Over centuries the story has evolved
from horror story to romance with the scholar and the white
snake-woman genuinely in love with one another, but such a
relationship is forbidden by the laws of Heaven. The legend
was existed as oral traditions long before any written
compilation. It has since become a major subject of several
Chinese opera, films and TV series.
Our next stop today will be at the National Silk Museum. The
museum is located at the foot of Yu Huang Mountain on the
south bank of the world-famous West Lake. The museum is a
showcase for the origination, evolution, variety of silk and
the evolution of the Silk Road with its social implications
and influences. The museum is divided into different halls
with different functions. The Evolution History Hall
displays photos and various silk antiques that reflect the
5000 years� evolution and the advanced technology; the
Silkworm and Mulberry Hall gave you some insight into the
mysterious process of silkworm raising and silk making; the
Dying and Weaving Hall composed of various buildings with
strong ethnical features holding various dying and weaving
devices like looms on which you can try your hands at it if
interested. The Modern Accomplishment Hall showcased the
accomplishments and technological breakthroughs in the silk
production and trade.
Following lunch at a local restaurant we�ll then visit the
former residence of Hu Xueyuan. The former residence of Hu
Xueyan was built in the 11th year (1872) of the Tongzhi
Period of the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911) and was finished in
1875. It is located on Yuanbao Street of Hangzhou and it
cost over 500,000 taels (an old measurement of weight) of
silver in total.
The buildings within the residence are an excellent example
of integrated Chinese traditional styles with western
styles. occupying a construction area of 5,815 square
meters, the residence was named �The First Luxury Mansion of
South China in the Later Qing Dynasty� due to its fine
workmanship in furnishings; all the furniture in the
residences are made from fine and rare timbers including
ginkgo trees, rosewoods, red sandalwoods, China firs, and
beeches. Today, the former residence of Hu Xueyan serves as
a historical museum and folk handicraft museum with many
great arts and crafts preserved including wood carvings,
brick carvings, stone carvings, and painted sculptures of
high historical value. Moreover, many precious calligraphic
works by Zheng Ban Qiao (a famous painter and poet of the
Qing Dynasty) and Tang Bohu (a famous painter of the Ming
Dynasty) are memorably showcased in the residence.
Before being dropped off at your hotel we�ll conclude your
tour with a stroll down the ancient Qinghefang Street. Qinghefang
Street is one of the oldest streets and is the only well
preserved antique historical street in Hangzhou. It was
first constructed during the Southern Song Dynasty and
became prosperous in the Qing Dynasty. The buildings in the
street were mostly constructed during the Ming and Qing
dynasties. After Hangzhou had been chosen as the capital of
Southern Song Dynasty, Qinghefang witnessed many luxurious
residences and prosperous restaurants, teahouse and stores.
Qinghefang is the epitome of old Hanghzou.
You will then be dropped off at your hotel no later than
5PM, ending your day tour.
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