West Lake

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West Lake
西湖 (Chinese)
Pagoda on Lake
West Lake
Location	Shangcheng District/Xiacheng District/Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Coordinates	30°14′49″N 120°08′39″E / 30.24694°N 120.14417°E / 30.24694; 120.14417
Type	Natural freshwater lake
Part of	Qiantang River Basin
Primary outflows	Grand Canal
Basin countries	China
Max. length	3.2 km (2.0 mi)
Max. width	2.8 km (1.7 mi)
Surface area	1,580 acres (6.4 km2)
Average depth	2.27 m (7.4 ft)
Shore length1	15 km (9.3 mi)
Surface elevation	10 metres (33 ft)
Settlements	Hangzhou
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: ii, iii, vi
Reference	1334
Inscription	2011 (35th Session)
Area	3,322.88 ha
Buffer zone	7,270.31 ha
Chinese name
Chinese	西湖
Literal meaning	"West Lake"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xī Hú IPA [ɕí xǔ] Wu Romanization Si平 wu去 si ɦu Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Sāi wùh Jyutping sai1wu4 IPA [sɐi˥ wuː˩] Southern Min Tâi-lô Se ôo

West Lake (Chinese: 西湖; Wu Chinese pronunciation: [si ɦu]) is a freshwater lake in Hangzhou, China. It is divided into five sections by three causeways. There are numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and natural/artificial islands within the lake. Gushan (孤山) is the largest natural island and three artificial islands: Xiaoyingzhou (小瀛洲), Huixin Pavilion (湖心亭), and Ruan Gongdun (阮公墩) stand at the middle of the lake. Leifeng Pagoda (雷峰塔) and Baochu Pagoda (保俶塔) are separated by the lake. Mirroring each other, the basic pattern of "one mountain, two towers, three islands, three banks, and five lakes" is formed.

West Lake is located at No. 1 Longjing Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, in the west of Hangzhou City. The total area of the scenic spot is 49 square kilometers, the catchment area is 21.22 square kilometers, and the lake area is 6.38 square kilometers.^{[citation needed]}

West Lake has influenced poets and painters throughout Chinese history for its natural beauty and historic relics, and it has also been among the most important sources of inspiration for Chinese garden designers.^[1] It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, described as having "influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries"^[2] and reflecting "an idealized fusion between humans and nature".^[2]

The outline of the lake body of the West Lake is nearly oval, and the bottom of the lake is relatively flat. The natural surface water source of the lake is four streams: Jinsha River, Longhong River, Chishangrun (Huiyingrun) and Changqiao River. West Lake is located in the southeastern edge of China's hills and the northern edge of the subtropical zone. The annual total solar radiation is between 100-110 kcal/cm2, and the sunshine hours are between 1800-2100 hours.^[3]