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Taihu Lake & West Lake-Lakes in the heaven
 China's old proverb says that Suzhou and Hangzhou are the paradise on earth. Men have no experience of the real paradise but they could go to Suzhou and Hangzhou. Suzhou is famous for her simple and primitive park and Taihu Lake while Hangzhou the fairy-like West Lake.
 The West Lake lies in Hangzhou City in northern Zhejiang Province. It was a shallow bay connecting with the Qiantang River. The lake got shape because of gradual sand deposition and the supply of spring and stream of surrounded mountains.
Su Shi, famous poet of the Northern Song Dynasty once wrote a poem, "Bright water ripples under shining sky, hazy mountains after raining; to praise West Lake as Xizhi, richly attired or light made-up is all but beauty.". West Lake is accompanied by mountains in three sides except for Hangzhou City. The sceneries in the Lake as well as in the sorrounding mountains have been ranked as a poetic masterpiece over ages. It is also called Xizi Lake.
Spring sees the flourish flowers, willow, hazy water and singing birds; summer the booming lotus, and flourishing green; fall the red maple over mountains, clear water and shining sky; and winter the plum and white snow.
Its famous scenic spots comprise Su Causeway, and Bai Causeway, which have partitioned the Lake into Inner Lake, Outer Lake, Yue Lake, Xili Lake and Xiaonan Lake. There are 4 islands in the lake, i.e. Gushan (The Solitary Hill), Xiaoyingzhou (Small Fairy Island), Huxin Ting (Mid-lake Pavilion), Ruangong Dun (A mount after a provincial governor Ruangong) .
In combination with the surrounding hills and streams, they make up the West Lake beautiful scenery. The scenic zone shrouded in luxuriant vegetation is dotted with myriad of halls, towers, terraces, pavilions, pagodas, grottoes and temples, which were barely visible under the dense foliage of surrounding woods. The lake is embraced by emerald hills covered with lush forests, grotesque rocks, gullies and intriguing streams. They are so colorful and picturesque!
Other surrounding famous scenic spots include Linying Temple and General Yue Fei's Tomb. The Longjin Tea is also well-known at home and abroad. The ten scenic spots such as Willow warbler, Spring Dawn at Su Causeway, Autumn moon over the Lake are all wonderful.
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