Slender West Lake

Slender West Lake, also known by its Chinese name Shouxihu and by other names, is a scenic lake in Hanjiang District in central Yangzhou, China. The lake developed from the city moats of Tang-era Yangzhou. During the Qing dynasty, its banks were the site of numerous estates for the area's wealthy officials and salt merchants. The lake and some of its attractions have been restored as a national park and AAAAA tourist attraction, requiring a ticket for admission and open only from 7 am to 6 pm.[1]

Slender West Lake
24 Bridge
The Bridge of Twenty-Fours (二十四桥)
at Slender West Lake (2017)
Location of the lake in Jiangsu
Location of the lake in Jiangsu
Slender West Lake
LocationYangzhou, Jiangsu
Coordinates32.404051°N 119.420786°E / 32.404051; 119.420786
Typelake
Native name瘦西湖 (Chinese)
Slender West Lake
The dagoba and Five Pavilion Bridge (2017)
Chinese瘦西湖
Literal meaningSkinny West Lake
Slender West Lake Scenic Area
Traditional Chinese揚州瘦西湖風景區
Simplified Chinese扬州瘦西湖风景区
Historical names
Paoshan Creek
Chinese炮山河
Literal meaningArtillery Hill Creek
Changchun Creek
Traditional Chinese長春河
Simplified Chinese长春河
Literal meaningEternal Spring Creek
Baoyang Creek
Traditional Chinese保揚河
Simplified Chinese保扬河
Literal meaningYangzhou-Protecting Creek
Baozhang Creek
Chinese保障河
Literal meaningProtecting Creek
Baozhang Lake
Chinese保障湖
Literal meaningProtecting Lake

Names

In medieval and early modern China, the present Slender West Lake was described as a stretch of river variously known as Paoshan, Changchun, Baoyang, or Baozhang Creek. The area was popularly known as the Slender West Lake by the late 17th century, when the name was recorded in the treatise Yángzhōu Gǔchuī Cíxù (t 揚州鼓吹, s 扬州鼓吹) compiled by Wu Qi (t , s , Wú Qǐ; 16191694).[lower-alpha 1] It was further popularized in the 1736 poem "On Baozhang Creek" (保障河, Yǒng Bǎozhàng Hé) written by the Hangzhou native Wang Hang (, Wāng Hàng, 17041784) during a visit to Yangzhou.[2] Wang had been the student of Li E, who had just completed his own work on the West Lake Records (西湖, Xīhú Zhì) detailing the history of the area around Hangzhou's West Lake[3] and Wang's short ode praised the town as similarly prosperous and attractive.[lower-alpha 2]

Geography

Slender West Lake is located between Hanjiang and Guangling districts in the center of modern Yangzhou in central Jiangsu in eastern China. Originally part of the moats, canals, and streams around the older locations of Yangzhou, it lies above the northwestern corner of the city's Song, Ming, and Qing fortifications.[4] The lake proper runs from Baozhang Lake at the north to the remains of the Qing moat at the south. The Slender West Lake Scenic Area includes Baozhang Lake and some islands and additional waterways to the west.

The lake lies on the opposite side of the old city from the course of the Grand Canal to its east. It is nevertheless interconnected with it by streams along its entire length: by Baozhang Lake and the modern extent of the Han or Hangou Canal (t , s , Hángōu) on the north; by Cao or Caohe Creek (, Cáo Hé) in the middle; and by Yudai Creek (t , s , Yùdài Hé) or by Erdao Creek (, Èrdào Hé), Lotus Pond Park, and Andun Creek (, Āndūn Hé) on the south.

History

Yangzhou under the Qing, Slender West Lake marked by its Bridge of 24s

Despite Yangzhou's centuries of prosperity as a major hub on the Grand Canal, the area around Slender West Lake was not particularly built up until the Qianlong Era of the Qing, the mid-1700s. The city had been greatly damaged with the rest of city by the Qing conquest and the Yangzhou Massacre in May 1645 and few earlier buildings survived throughout the city in any case.[1] Under the Qing, however, the great wealth of the area's canal officials and salt merchants was used to construct lavish private residences and gardens[5] along with nationally renowned restaurants and teahouses[6] and decoration intended to welcome Qing emperors and officials, particularly the Qianlong Emperor. Several major landmarks self-consciously emulate features of other locations.[7]

A long bank planted with weeping willows follows the lake. At its midpoint stands a square terrace with pavilions at each of the corners and one in the center. Around the lake is a park in which are found several attractions: Lotus Flower Pagoda (Lianhua SO, a white structure reminiscent of the White Pagoda (Baita) in Beijing's Beihai Park; Small Gold Mountain (Xiao Jin Shan); and the Fishing Platform (Diaoyutai), a favorite retreat of the Qianlong Emperor. The emperor was so gratified by his luck in fishing at this spot that he ordered additional stipends for the town. As it turns out, his success had been augmented by local swimmers who lurked in the lake busily attaching fish to his hook.

The present Bridge of 24s (Ershisi Qiao or Niansi Qiao) is not located in its original place and probably derives from confusion with the 24 bridges recorded in Yangzhou under the Tang, the confusion arising from the general lack of distinction between singular and plural forms in Chinese.[8]

Legacy

Wang Hang's poem remains a point of pride for the city and the area remains a major tourist attraction. However, Zhu Ziqing found the comparison with Hangzhou ill taken; by comparison, he found the slenderness of the lake offputting despite enjoying Yangzhou's many canals.[9][10]

See also

Notes

  1. 城北一水通平山堂,名瘦西湖,本名保障湖。
  2. 垂杨不断接残芜,雁齿虹桥俨花图。
    也是销金一锅子,故应唤作瘦西湖。

References

Citations

  1. Fodor's (2015), p. 284.
  2. Lu (1981), p. 34.
  3. Du (1943), p. 454.
  4. Olivová (2009), p. 6–7.
  5. Hollister (1996), p. 886.
  6. Olivová (2015), p. 108.
  7. Chen (1962).
  8. Kafalas (2015), pp. 61–62.
  9. Finnane (2015), p. 398.
  10. Zhu Ziqing, 《扬州的夏日》 [Yángzhōu de Xiàrì, Summer Days in Yangzhou] (in Chinese).

Bibliography

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