Yangzhou - Slender West Lake

Jiangsu - Lianyungang - Nanjing - Suzhou - Wuxi - Yangzhou - Zhenjiang

Slender West Lake (Shouxi Lake) is situated in the northwest suburb of Yangzhou City. It originally was a nature river course named Baozhang River. With continuous harnessing through the dynasties, it gradually became a scenic area with many enchanting lake scenes. It is located to the west of the city and is slim in its shape, so people named it Slender West Lake.

Slender West Lake is 4.3 kilometer in total length with an area of over 30 ha. The lake boasts many famous scenic spots, such as the White Pagoda, the Five Pavilion Bridge, and Xiaojin Hill.

The Long Dike is on the western bank of the lake, extending about 100 meter from the entrance of the park to the Xiaojin Hill. Weeping willow trees are growing all along the dike. In the lake is an islet where Zheng Banqiao's calligraphy of couplets can be seen in a house.

Xiaojin Hill (Little Golden Hill), originally named Changchun Hill, is an islet in the lake. During the Qing dynasty, in order to open a water channel connecting the Slender West Lake and the Daming Monastery, a canal was excavated in the northwest side of the lake. The mud excavated from the river course was piled up to form a small hill that we can still see today. The Wind Pavilion which is located at the top of the hill is the highest spot in this scenic area.

The Five-Pavilion Bridge is situated in the northwestern corner of the lake. It gained its name from the 5 pavilions built on it. Elaborate in its structure and magnificent in its decorations, this bridge possesses the characters of architecture in both Northern China and Southern China. Besides, it is also a harmonious combination of the garden architecture and bridge architecture.

The White Pagoda, which is an imitation of Beihai White Pagoda in Beijing, lies south of the bridge. Dating from the Tang dynasty, this manmade lake has often been quoted by several poets of the period.