Idyllic scenes of Hangzhou's early spring
- By Wu Jin
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E-mail China.org.cn, April 13, 2018
Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province and a city of abundant natural and cultural legacies, is once again enjoying the splendor of its best season—with graceful willows budding and peach blossoms in fierce and full bloom along the causeways, the enchanting spring landscape is touched by gentle breezes.
Over many years, willows and peach trees have been planted along the two famous causeways, the Bai and the Su, connecting them and forming 10 classic lakeside scenes, including "spring dawn at the Causeway Su," "viewing fish at the pond with falling petals" and "lotus ruffled by the breeze in the crooked courtyard."
But the beauty of Hangzhou reaches far beyond its iconic causeways.
Retreating from the hustle-bustle of tourist sites in the city, one can experience a moment of quiet seclusion by heading toward the mountains, west to the lake, by Longjing Village with its undulating tea gardens. The tea leaves plucked a few days ahead of the Tomb Sweeping Day (usually on April 5) are considered a top-notch beverage, on which the village thrives. The genuine Longjing tea leaves typically remain fragrant even after being rinsed five times in boiling water.
A few miles from the village, a stone pass comes into sight, zigzagging to the bottom of the mountain, along with a clear stream gurgling through the woods and bamboos. To many locals, the cracking of bamboo shoots at night signals not only the seasonal delicacies served at dinner tables, but also the burgeoning time when the plants, bathed in sunshine, start to grow.
Even though spring is a season to anticipate a brighter, more promising future, it can also carry a note of melancholy, especially on Tomb Sweeping Day, when people pay tribute to deceased loved ones, both family members and legendary figures.
Memories of the old days can never recede in the city with its ubiquitous commemorative sites, temples and pagodas to remind people of the grand qualities and personas that have defined the shared values of the nation.
"With a reputation obtained in the dust of battlefield and a ride of 4,000 kilometers accompanied by the clouds and moon, we should not wait until our hair turns grey, tortured by the remorse of a futile life," wrote Yue Fei (1103-1142), one of the most remarkable generals in history, who defeated northern invaders with a significantly smaller army.
But Yue's victory ended in tragedy; he was called back from the battlefield where he almost retrieved all the territories that had been lost, and was later executed on uncertain charges by the imperial court.
To commemorate the heroic general, a mausoleum was built after the succeeding emperor had cleared his name. From then on, his mausoleum receives homage from generation to generation. And this year's Tomb Sweeping Day was no exception, as bouquets of chrysanthemums could be spotted on top of his tomb.
Compared to Yue's mausoleum, the metal silhouette erected in memory of the charismatic female architect Lin Huiyin (1904-1955) at the southwestern end of the Su causeway is less imposing—but more poetic.
The versatile luminary was born in Hangzhou and received overseas schooling in the last century. She died at a relatively young age, but left behind prolific collections of architectural constructions and poems. She was also notably the chief designer of the national emblem for the People's Republic of China.
Her commemorative metal silhouette is engraved with one of Lin's embellishments on the significance of ancient buildings: "At the proper points bathed in light and shadow, the silhouette of the building is cloaked with layers of lovely hues. More than majestic gate towers or dilapidated temples, they are in essence the songs that have resonated for thousands of years while withstanding the changes of history."
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