一直以来,《泰晤士报》被认为是英国的第一主流大报,被誉为“英国社会的忠实记录者”,在英国主流精英社会中具有巨大的影响力。让我们一起来看看《泰晤士报》笔下的杭州是怎样的?
“西湖的每个季节都让人赏心悦目。”在《泰晤士报》眼中,西湖的盛夏,紫莲点缀湖边;金秋,银杏和枫树五彩斑斓;寒冬,远山戴雪,梅花披霜;而春天的西湖则温和而芬芳,奶白的玉兰和粉红的樱花纷纷绽放,空气里弥漫着花香。
无论你在哪个季节来到杭州,清晨的西湖最好都不要错过,这是它最有魅力的时候。《泰晤士报》推荐道,在西湖租一条木船,在垂柳下漂荡,仿佛置身于一幅古色古香的水彩画。或者你还可以租一辆自行车,绕着周围9英里长的湖岸小径骑行,路上可以看到退休的人在带尖顶的亭子里打太极,中途累了可以在当地自营的小馆子里停下休息,享用可口的地方早餐饼和绿茶。
此外,《泰晤士报》在文章中还关注到南屏山慧日峰下的净慈寺;岳王庙里坐落的威猛的石虎、石马和石羊;日落时八角形的五层雷峰塔美到不可言喻;西泠桥畔的苏小小墓;被誉为“鸟的天堂”的西溪国家湿地公园以及处处可见五彩斑斓花朵的太子湾公园。
据《泰晤士报》介绍,你可以在杭州找到包括良渚古城遗址在内的三个联合国教科文组织世界遗产地。沿着古城遗址,有各种花园、潺潺的水道,观赏桥和远足小径,以及隐藏在绿荫中的艺术中心和博物馆。
但如今,世界对杭州的认识已不再仅是“旅游城市”。《泰晤士报》写道,“杭州以其闲适的氛围而闻名于世,同时也是中国一些最具活力的公司的总部所在地,比如阿里巴巴(中国的亚马逊)。”
“你可以在杭州发现很多街头市场(如华丽的丝绸市场:杭州自13世纪以来一直被称为中国的“丝绸之府”)、购物中心、壮观的建筑(这里有极简主义的豪宅等)、美味的街头小吃和欢乐的晚间活动(每天晚上8点可以欣赏武林广场的音乐喷泉和3D灯光秀)。”《泰晤士报》在这篇文章里向外国游客们推荐了他们想要的一切。
Natural wonder——Hangzhou Living poetry
At the heart of the ultramodern city of Hangzhou is West Lake, a place so bewitching it has inspired some of China’s finest artists, writers and poets.
Morning mist stirring over a mysterious mauve lake, sighing willow trees, tiered pagodas and a thousand layers of green – West Lake in Hangzhou is a sight that has moved poets and writers for nearly two millennia.
Every season here brings delights. Purple lotus flowers fringe the lake in summer. Ginko and maple trees flame red, orange and gold in autumn. Winter is white mountaintops and plum trees iced with snowflakes. And spring is temperate and fragrant, with creamy Yulan magnolias and baby pink cherry blossoms bursting into bloom and perfuming the air.
Hangzhou is in eastern China, just 40 minutes by high-speed train from Shanghai. Whichever season you visit, West Lake’s charms are at their height early in the morning. Hire a little wooden boat and start your day floating under weeping willows, feeling as if you’ve fallen into an ancient watercolour painting.
Or book a bicycle and gently pedal the nine-mile trail around the banks, spotting pensioners practising tai chi under peaked pavilions and stopping at family-run cafes for breakfast bing (pancakes) and cups of green tea.
Whether you choose to walk, cycle, row or sail around its waters, gardens and islands, West Lake’s ethereal landscape is one that will stay with you. But Hangzhou’s charms extend to more than just its beautiful lake. The city has scores of culturally and historically important sites, dating back to the Neolithic Age. Among them, the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu City, recognised as evidence of 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation.
And tucked away on Huiri Peak at Nanping Hill is Jingci Temple. Built in AD954, it has magnificent red lacquer halls, Buddhist sculptures and an enormous copper bell.
On the other side of the lake, Yue Fei Temple is decorated with fearsome stone tigers, horses and rams dating back to the Southern Song dynasty (over 700 years ago) and offers sublime mountain views.
The octagonal five-storey Leifeng pagoda is at its most atmospheric at sunset. While the tomb of Su Xiao Xiao, near Xilin bridge, is said to be haunted by the ghost of a beautiful 5th-century courtesan and poet who died of a broken heart.
There are parks too – Xixi National Wetland Park, known as the “heaven of birds”, and Taiziwan, striped pink, yellow, purple and orange with flowers. You’ll also find three Unesco World Heritage sites in Hangzhou, including Liangzhu; alongside the ruins there are gardens, tinkling waterways, ornamental bridges and hiking trails, plus an arts centre and museum hidden within its leafy confines.
Then, of course, there’s Hangzhou city itself, its LED-lit high rises hugging the northeastern banks of the lake. It is well known across China for its welcoming laidback vibes as well as for being a home to some of the country’s most dynamic companies, including Alibaba (China’s equivalent of Amazon).
Wander the city’s broad pedestrianised streets and you’ll find street markets (such as the gorgeous silk market: Hangzhou has been known as China’s Silk City since the 13th century), shopping malls, spectacular architecture (giant golden domes, silvery prisms, and minimalist mansions), superb street food and upbeat evening activities (try to catch the Wulin Square music, fountain and 3D light show at 8pm each evening).
Eight centuries ago, Marco Polo lauded Hangzhou as “the most splendid city in the world”. Today, it is one of China’s most exciting destinations, a heady blend of nature, wonderfully preserved temples, pagodas and pavilions, and big city hits.
From romantic strolls around the lake to meditative moments in the mountains and sci-fi stays in the heart of town, Hangzhou still has the power to inspire.
Don’t miss:
The Jing-Hang Grand Canal
Book a spot on a cruise from Hangzhou to Suzhou for a dreamy drift along the world’s oldest and longest canal. Parts of it are thousands of years old and it runs, in sections, all the way to Beijing.
Lingyin Temple
The Temple of the Soul’s Retreat, as it translates to English, is best enjoyed at sunset when golden beams wash over its bronzed wing-tipped roof.
Eat the street
Downtown Hefang Street is the place to tuck into local cuisine: try pian er chuan (a noodle soup of vegetables, pork and bamboo), fluffy Southern Song dingsheng cake and a sweet-smelling tonic of West Lake lotus root powder.
All the tea in...
Stroll through the greenery of LongJing Tea Village before sitting down to sample longjing cha, one of China’s finest teas, in a porcelain cup.