All of Hangzhou’s temples and pagodas are faithful reconstructions of the originals dating back from the city's founding in AD 610.  The Taiping Rebellion of 1861 destroyed most of the monuments and cultural sites, and the few that survive were decimated by the Cultural Revolution in 1949.  Nonetheless, the pagodas and temples still remain breathtaking.  The most famous is the Temple of the Soul’s Retreat (Lingyin Si).  Inscribed at its entrance are the words ‘cloud forest Buddhist temple’, and the description could not be more accurate.  Lingyin Si houses no fewer than seven temples, each grander than its predecessor.  The halls are heavily decorated with detailed wood sculptures, ending with a large 20-meter high Buddha statue carved from 24 pieces of camphor wood.

The oldest standing pagoda in Hangzhou is the Six Harmonies Pagoda (Liuhe Ta).  Already along the city’s outskirts, the 60-meter high octagonal pagoda is accessible by taxi.  It served as the city’s lighthouse when it was the center of commerce in the 1200s.  Now it provides a sanctuary for those who want a relaxing atmosphere free from the hustle and bustle of the increasingly face-paced life in China.  The grounds provide a charming walk with its numerous sculptures, bells, and shrines.  Climbing up Liuhe Ta costs extra, but it’s worth it considering that the Qiantang River Tidal Bore, located 60 kilometers away, can be seen from its highest level.

Two other pagodas have been recently restored by the government as tourist attractions.  Both offer breathtaking vistas of West Lake.  The first is the Precious Stone Pagoda (Baochu Ta).  Rebuilt in 1933 on the original's remaining bricks, Baochu Ta measures just 45 meters tall.  Its slender silhouette means that it’s almost impossible to see its spire when you stand near the base.  Set atop the hilly terrain near Xi Hu, the surrounding grounds is a great place to catch the sunrise.

Completed in just 2002, Brick Pagoda of West Gate (Leifeng Ta) is the most modern of all Hangzhou attractions with accessibility for the disabled.  Like Baochu Ta, Leifeng Ta was heavily reconstructed.  Unlike the former, it had to be re-built from scratch as the original structure collapsed on its own weight after the locals stole the pagoda’s stone wall bricks, which were said to be miraculous.  The local government rebuilt Leifeng Ta after they discovered extensive Buddhist artifacts dating back to AD 975 in a chamber underneath, including the remains of Buddhist founder, Sakyamuni.  The large collection of artifacts as well as the original Leifeng Ta structure can be found inside.

A long, tiring day exploring the city is best capped off with a taste of local cuisine.  Though not usually given the same high regard as Cantonese or Guangzhou cooking, Hangzhou still has its specialties including xihu cuyu (poached fish in sweet vinegar) and jiojuazi ji (Beggar’s Chicken).  Above all though, we just had to try the famous Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea.  Grown in the mountain areas surrounding the city, Longjing is light and crisp, just perfect for a nightcap.  The tea’s strength depends on the altitude where the tea leaves are harvested, the best being those found on the mountain tops.  Enjoying Hangzhou’s special brew is best done at the Dragon Well Tea Village (Longjing Wencha).  However, since it's far from the city center, we found the next best thing—a local tea house.

Unlike western coffee outlets, tea houses in Hangzhou differ in mood and ambiance when compared to each other.  The one we visited, Peerless Tea House, is intimately set complete with small, private rooms perfect for groups of two to four.  The buffet, filled with all sorts of dimsum, crackers, fruits, and even our very own ube ice cream, is free!  All we paid for is the tea (one per person), which is also refillable.

Casually walking back to our hotel room, we couldn’t help but think how much this city has changed over the past decade.  And yet, despite the economic boom, much of the city’s unique character and charm is well preserved.  There’s a good reason why Hangzhou is always filled with droves of tour buses.  Indeed, though life in Hangzhou isn’t as modern as it is elsewhere, the tranquility and peacefulness offered by this city is unique.  Stealing a glance at Xi Hu is more than enough to tell us that we’ve visited the right place.

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