Hangzhou Solitary Hill (Gu Shan), Six Harmonies Pagoda

Solitary Hill (Gu Shan)

Solitary Hill is the largest island in West Lake. It occupies an area of 20 hectares with a height of 38 meters. Now over thirty scenic spots can be found here.

Picturesque sceneries are the distinctive feature of Solitary Hill. Of all, snow provides the most enchanting scene on the Solitary Hill. After snow, the bright, reflected sunlight seem soft and warm. If boating on the lake after snow, the hill with a 'silver' cover will be sure to remind you of a sparkling and limpid jade building.

The hill is abundant in plum blossoms. A famous Northern Song hermit, Lin Bu once lived in seclusion here. He did not marry. Through all his life, his beloved plum trees and cranes were accompanied him. Hence he is famous for having a 'plum' wife and 'crane' children.

Zhongshan Park, located in the center of the Solitary Hill, is built on the site of an imperial garden of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). In memory of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the name was changed to Zhongshan Park in 1927.

One can get there by public bus No. 7.

Admission Fee: CNY 5
Opening Hours: 07:30-17:30

Six Harmonies Pagoda

To the south of West Lake on the Yuelun Mountain is the Six Harmonies Pagoda (Liuhe Pagoda) built for suppressing the Qiantang River Bore. The present Six Harmonies Pagoda was rebuilt in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). It is an outstanding example of brick-wood-structured architectures in China.

It is an octagonal pagoda at a height of 59.89 meters. It got the name from the doctrine of Buddhism; The Liuhe (Six Harmony) meaning the six stipulations of Buddhism.

The Pagoda has 13 stories and on the tips of the eaves, there hung 104 iron bells. Although repaired many times, the pagoda retains the architectural features of the Southern Song Dynasty. On every storey of the pagoda there is a small space for a Buddha statue to worship. Exquisite brick carvings of flowers, birds, animals and people on the body of the pagoda add vitality to the building. They bear the art essence of the pagoda.

Climbing to the top of the pagoda, tourists can appreciate the Qiantang River at a distance. Now beside the Six Harmonies Pagoda, an ancient Chinese Pagodas Garden has been built. In the garden, over one hundred ancient pagodas bear the characteristics of all dynasties and regions are spectacularly displayed.

Admission Fee: CNY 30 (including CNY 10 for pagoda climbing)
Bus Route: K808, K599, 504, Tourism Bus No. 5