By simply hearing its name, you can feel the gentleness and tenderness of Hangzhou, a city in Jiangnan Region. Words are not enough to describe its picture-postcard scenery. The West Lake that was compared to Xi Shi (one of Four Great Beauties in ancient China) in a poem, the Lingyin Temple that has attracted a countless number of pilgrims, the tragic yet beautiful love story that happened under Leifeng Pagoda ... all give the city, Hangzhou, a legendary color.
In Hangzhou, which is well known for its beautiful scenery in the world, hides "a Jiangnan water town" in the downtown area. It's neither West Lake nor Xianghu Lake. It sends off its unique luster and low-key charm in a corner of Hangzhou. It's Xixi National Wetland Park (西溪湿地公园).
There are small bridges with water flowing under everywhere, there are woods that are not tall but dense, there are wobbling sculling boats ... When speaking of experiencing the coziness and tranquility of Jiangnan Region, the best place to be is Xixi.
In autumn and winter, reed catkin is the protagonist of Xixi National Wetland Park. It creates the wonderful scenery that is exclusive to Xixi, "Autumn Reed Catkin Like Flying Snow ( 秋芦飞雪 )". In late autumn, the over 300-mu (1 mu is roughly equal to 666 sq m) reed fields produce snow-white reed catkin, which goes with the wind, like flying snow.
Whenever it's autumn and winter, Xixi will hold "Xixi Reed Festival ( 西溪听芦节 )", which will last until January 3, 2022 this year. During the period, Xixi welcomes the best time to enjoy autumnal scenery and reed catkin. So, why not come to Xixi to feel the poetic and pictorial splendor with friends and family members.
To appreciate reeds in Xixi, it's best to take a sculling boat, which allows you to slowly unroll the artistic painting-like scenery, "Autumn Reed Catkin Like Flying Snow". The sculling boat, departing from Zhoujia Village ( 周家村 ), runs slowly until reaching Qiuxue (Autumn Snow) Temple ( 秋雪庵 ). In the boat, you can feel the poetic image of "boat sailing into reed catkin" in the meandering riverway.
With the wind, reeds sway. The view is quiet, elegant, and unbelievably beautiful. It is the most beautiful and elegant thing in Hangzhou's autumn and winter.
Xixi has over 360 mu of reed fields, growing various types of reeds with the giant reeds characterized with fluffy and snow-white catkin as the major ornamental species.
Naturally, when coming to Xixi National Wetland Park, you should definitely enjoy its natural and ecological environment. It's also an enjoyment to watch birds frolicking in the reeds. Early morning and afternoon are the best time for bird watching. To enjoy the reeds at the time of year will give you a distinctive wonderfulness.
The reed catkin in Xixi is no doubt beautiful. The scenery of "Autumn Reeds Like Flying Snow" is as beautiful as an oil painting. But if you say that Xixi is only beautiful in autumn, it's not right. Xix's water and mountain landscape changes with the season and shows off different charm in different seasons.
Because 70 percent of the entire Xixi Wetland is covered with water, people's first impression of the place is always emerald-green water, docks, pools, lakes, swamps ... The water landscape is extremely beautiful, while people hardly realize that the seasonal scenery is also breathtaking.
Spring - Monet's Garden
When it's spring, Xixi becomes a sea of flowers, tulips, daisies... Colorful flowers contrasting against lush green leaves bloom all over the mountains and plains. With the wind blowing, they are swaying gently, forming sea-like waves, extremely like the oil painting that is thick and heavy in colors by Monet.
Don't just consider Xixi as an ideal place for photo shooting. Picnics, excursions, and boat rides are also nice here. Even chatting casually with friends on a sunny day in Xixi is an enjoyment.
Summer- Appreciating Lotus by the Lake
"Once again Jiangnan Region welcomes its best season to pick lotus flowers, lotus leaves surface water, overlapping one another." The blessed water environment on sweltering summer days gives Xixi a different charm.
"The green lotus leaves stretch to the horizon and the lotus looks extremely bright in the sunshine." The rosy lotus flowers and the presumptuous lotus leaves are contending for attention, announcing the opening of Xixi summer "banquet".
The most important of all is that compared with those internet-famous lotus flower viewing places, Xixi is far less crowded. Whether it's in misty rain or the blazing sunshine, each way gives the lotus flower viewing experience a special flavor.
Autumn—Flame-Red Persimmons Fill the Garden
Although one of the grand views of Xixi is "Autumn Reed Catkin Like Flying Snow", actually the flowering period of reeds spans late autumn and early winter, so persimmon is the most suitable representative of autumn days. Flame-red persimmons herald the arrival of autumn.
Every year at the end of September, Xixi welcomes the mature season of the over 7000 persimmon trees, and the lively and prosperous Persimmon Festival is at this time of year. Flame-red persimmons hang on the branches, like festive and lovely little lanterns a lot.
When it's late autumn and early winter, the showtime for reed catkin begins. The reed beds take off green clothes and acquire a completely new look. The lake is shimmering in the sunlight and the white reeds are reflected on the water surface. The place can satisfy your need for shooting different kinds of photos. Instead of going far from home to suburban areas to take photos, you can do so right here at your doorstep. Isn’t it exciting?
Winter—Finding Plum Blossom along Zigzag Creeks
People say that winter is bleak and chilly. Fallen leaves, withered lotus leaves, dead wood ... Everything about desolation is in this season. However, the emerald-green lake remains the same, adding a touch of purity and tranquility to the desolation.
If it happens to be a severe winter, there will be a few heavy snowfalls. Flying snow covers the entire place, making it a world of ice and snow. When the earth falls into a deep sleep in winter, at this corner of Xixi is staged a lively show.
In the severe winter, plum blossoms are in full bloom. The slender branches are decorated with red plum blossoms, extremely eye-catching against the backdrop of boundless whiteness. It's casual and pleasant to walk in the snow to find plum blossoms and smell the faint fragrance.
Taking a Boat
Leisurely Years All in My Hands
The charm of Jiangnan Water Town hides in the seemingly borderless lake water. Taking a boat is the most interesting way to have fun here. You can take a sculling boat and savor tea in the boat. The experience is leisurely, comfortable and nice, making people envy. The surface of water ripples. Taking a sculling boat is one of the must-does in Xixi. The swaying boat leaves people with the exclusive memory of water town.
The green plants growing naturally on the banks of creeks are full of greenery. The coolness in the shade, the duckweed floating on the water, the sound of oars rolling, the splosh of water, the chirping of birds...
Wetland Birds Illustrated Handbook
Lotus Beach and Egrets
Speaking of museums, things that spring to people's minds are usually exhibitions. It seems that except viewing exhibitions and listening to staff telling history, there is nothing else to do in museums, while, it's a different case with the Wetland Museum in Xixi. Besides exhibitions, there is a super large bird-watching center — Lotus Beach Bird Watching Area ( 莲花滩观鸟区 ). After knowing Xixi, you can explore the real nature there.
The area of wetland in Xixi is large, making it the first-choice habitat for birds like starlings, egrets, night herons ... Occasionally, you'll see national first-level protection birds like the white-tailed sea eagles ... Xixi really is a land of treasures.
Xixi Qie Liuxia (Stay Temporarily in Xixi)
Not just an Internet-Famous Wall
The wall with the Chinese letters "Xixi Qie Liuxia" by Gaozong Emperor of the Song Dynasty on has long since been an internet-famous wall and has attracted a constant stream of people to come. They are not just a few words, but also a symbol of Xixi’s beauty and attitude towards life, and an ode to the beautiful Xixi.
Hangzhou has not just West Lake. The enchanting scenery of Xix is waiting for you.