West Lake in the context of "Chinese painting"

Hangzhou is the capital city of the Chinese province of Zhejiang. With a population of 13 million, the municipality comprises ten districts, two counties, and one county-level city in northwestern Zhejiang. It is situated at the head of Hangzhou Bay and the estuary of the Qiantang River.

Established as a county seat in 221 BC, Hangzhou later served as the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom (923–997) and the Southern Song dynasty (1138–1276). The city has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are the West Lake Cultural Landscape, the Grand Canal, and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City.

The Hangzhou City Wall was the city wall that once surrounded Hangzhou during the medieval and early modern periods of imperial China. Despite being the most populous city in the world during the Song and early Yuan dynasties, the historic city was much smaller than the borders of the present Hangzhou Municipality and only surrounded the districts immediately east of West Lake in the present city's urban core. The walls were largely dismantled in the early 20th century and what remains has largely been rebuilt and maintained as tourist attractions, but they were a significant part of Hangzhou's historical urban identity and the wall's course and gates are still evidenced by many aspects of modern Hangzhou's design and place names.

30°14′2″N 120°8′42″E / 30.23389°N 120.14500°E / 30.23389; 120.14500

The Leifeng Pagoda is a five-story, eight-sided tower located on Sunset Hill south of West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Originally constructed in the year AD 975, it collapsed in 1924 but was rebuilt in 2002. Since then, it has become a popular tourist attraction. A view of the original pagoda at dusk was one of the famous Ten Scenes of West Lake and it was notable for featuring as a location in the Legend of the White Snake.

Baochu Pagoda (Chinese: 保俶塔; pinyin: Bǎochù tǎ) is a pagoda in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Known as one of the landmarks of the West Lake, it is located just north of the lake on top of Precious Stone Hill (宝石山, bǎoshíshān). Its small base supports seven stories (45 me) and gives it a distinctively slender and elegant appearance.

The name Baochu, translated directly, means "protect Chu", which, legend has it, refers to Qian Chu, the last king of Wuyue. As the story goes, one of Qian Chu's ministers had the temple constructed for prayers to be said for his safe return from a trip he had taken to Kaifeng, then under the rule of the Northern Song dynasty, in central China. He had been summoned there by the Emperor Taizu of Song and had been gone many days with no news of his return.

Jingci Temple (simplified Chinese: 净慈寺; traditional Chinese: 淨慈寺; pinyin: Jìngcí Sì) is located at the foot of Huiri Peak of Nanping Hill. It is the second prominent Buddhist temple beside West Lake in Hangzhou, China. Together with Lingyin Temple, it is called the jewel of the southern and northern hills. The temple was claimed as a key national Buddhist temple in Han areas by the State Council in 1983.

The temple is situated on the western shore of West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple's main hall houses a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha and is surrounded by beautiful gardens and pavilions. Jingci Temple is an important cultural and religious site in China and attracts many visitors each year.