用英文介紹西湖 (western lake)

西湖因勝景而聞名是在西元九世紀之後，唐朝白居易及宋朝蘇東坡都曾任杭州的地方官，他們都一方面整飭西湖，一方面用詩篇詠嘆西湖。如東坡的名詩「水光瀲灩晴方好，山色空濛雨亦奇，欲把西湖比西子，濃粧淡抹總相宜。」自此之後，西湖又被稱為西子湖或西施湖。
西湖風景名勝區景色秀麗清雅，園林建築典雅精巧，文物古跡熠熠生輝。一千多年來，經過歷代有識之士不斷的開發和保護，西湖最終由內陸湖泊出落成如北宋大文豪蘇軾「欲把西湖比西子」詩句中所贊譽的，絕代佳人西施那樣美麗的中國風景園林典範之作。
西湖風景名勝區歷史悠久，區域環境優良，經濟發達，人民生活富庶，文化繁盛。豐富的人文景物滲透、交融於自然景物之中，二者互為依托、互為增色，形成了西湖風景景觀結構與內涵的總體特征天工造化與人力雕琢珠聯璧合相得益彰。
西湖三面環山，一面瀕城，結構極為難得。因為西湖天然地具備了山水組合的開合品質，三面雲山是合，一面平地是開。山水組合中有開有合，才顯得既緊湊又靈動，既聚氣又透氣。同時，西湖的山峰不太高也不算低，且透迤層疊，線條圓潤；水面不太大也不算小，頗多曲線，空間適度，山水比例協調，外加山青水碧，自然秀麗無比。
西湖的時間美來自於杭州優越的區位及其亞熱帶氣候。這裡四季分明，每季自然景觀各異，春花秋月，夏雨冬雪，各具特色，同時，朝暮晝夜的變化，賦於西湖各種光線色彩與雲霞煙靄的變化，使之更為迷人。

West Lake because of win a view and be known for is after ninth centry A.D., the tang dynasty is easily white to reside and Sung Dynasty Su's east ascents all once allowed the place officer of Hangzhou, they all put to order to West Lake and on the other hand hum a regret with the Psalter on the other hand West Lake. As the anthologist"water light Lian Yan fine square good, landscape fine drizzle rain is also strange, want chase West Lake compare west son, the thick Zhuang is thin to put on always fitting and proper." of the east ascent from that time on after, West Lake again is called West Lake or west lake.West Lake the scenery famous spot area landscape is beautiful and elegant, the park constructs a cultured choiceness, the cultural object historic monument Yi Yi gets Hui. For more than 1,000 years, the process in the past knew of private continuous development and protection, West Lake final by inland lake pay completed as north Song big eminent writer Su Shi"want chase West Lake compare west son" poem in Zan fame of, matchless beauty west so beautiful Chinese scenery park model it make.
West Lake three wreath mountains, 1 are close to city, the structure is extremely rare. Because had landscape to combine West Lake and naturally of opening and matching quality, three cloud mountains match, a flat ground opens. It have already opened to match in the landscape combination, just seem to be since the tightly packed works properly to move again, since gather to annoy again well ventilated.In the meantime, the mountain peak that is West Lake's ising not that high isn't on the whole low either, and deeply Yi layer, the lines circle is smooth; The surface isn't on the whole small either not too and greatly, rather many curve, space moderation, the landscape comparison moderates, the in addition mountain green water green jade, nature beautiful and incomparable.
Time the United States that is West Lake comes from the niche of superiority in Hangzhou and it subtropics weather. Clear here all the year round, the natural view is each every season different, the spring spends an autumn month, summer rain winter snow, each special features, in the meantime, dynasty Mu day and night of variety, endow with in the variety of West Lake various ray color and beautiful clouds smoke Ai, make of more charming.

West Lake 杭州西湖

West Lake (Chinese: 西湖; pinyin: Xī Hú) is a famous fresh water lake located in central Hangzhou, in Zhejiang province of eastern China.

The lake is divided by three causeways called Su Di (苏堤) , Bai Di (白堤), and Yanggong Di (杨公堤).

The name "West Lake" (Xi Hu) is also used by a large number of lakes in China and surrounding countries (with 800 West Lakes in China according to Lonely Planet). However, the lake in Hangzhou is the most famous of these, and the terms "West Lake" and "Xi Hu" generally refer to this lake.

History



圖片參考：http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Three_Pools_Mirroring_the_Moon-island_-island.JPG/300px-Three_Pools_Mirroring_the_Moon-island_-island.JPG


One of the major attractions in West Lake: Three Pools Mirroring the Moon island
In middle of the Tang Dynasty Zhenyuan era (785-804), poet Bai Juyi came to Hangzhou as governor. Already an accomplished poet, his deeds at Hangzhou made him a great governor. He realised that the farmland nearby depended on the water of West Lake, but due to negligence of former governors, the old dyke had collapsed, the water level of West Lake dried out, and the local farmers suffered severe drought. He ordered the construction of a stronger and taller dyke, with a dam to control the flow of water, and thus solved the drought problem. The livelihood of local people of Hangzhou improved over the following years. Now that Bai Juji had more leisure time to enjoy the beauty of West Lake, he visited West Lake almost every day. He ordered the construction of a causeway connecting the Broken Bridge with the Solitary Hill, to facilitate walking on foot, instead of depending on boat. Then he planted coolabah trees and willows trees along the dyke, making it a beautiful landmark of West Lake. This causeway was later named Bai Di Causeway in Bai Juyi's honour.

Over two hundred years later, in the beginning of Song Dynasty's Yuanyou era (1086-1094), another great poet, Su Shi (Su Dongpo), came to Hangzhou as governor. By that time, the farmers suffered drought again, due to overgrowth of the weeds at the bottom of the lake clogging the irrigation ducts. He ordered dredging of the lake and piled up all the mud into another causeway, in the style of Bai Causeway, but much wider and nearly three times as long, he also planted willow trees along its banks. This causeway was later named after him as the Su Causeway. There are six bridges along the 2.6 km Su Causeway. "Spring Dawn on the Su Causeway" is one of the attractions at the West Lake.



Ten Scenes of West Lake


圖片參考：http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4e/Thewestlake.jpg/300px-Thewestlake.jpg


View of the West Lake from a row boat
Traditionally, there are ten best-known scenic spots on the West Lake, each remembered by a four-character epithet. Collectively, they are known as the "Ten Scenes of West Lake" (西湖十景). Each is marked by a stela with the epithet written in the calligraphy of the Qianlong Emperor. They are:


Spring Dawn on the Su Causeway (苏堤春晓)
Orioles Singing in the Willows (柳浪闻莺)
Viewing Fish at Flower Pond (花港观鱼)
Winery Yard and Lotus Pool (曲苑风荷)
Evening Bell Ringing at the Nanping Hill (南屏晚钟)
Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake (平湖秋月)
Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow (雷峰夕照)
Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (三潭印月)
Lingering Snow on the Broken Bridge (断桥残雪)
Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds (双峰插云)


Other attractions


圖片參考：http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/77/Yufeimemorial.jpg/200px-Yufeimemorial.jpg


Yue Fei Memorial Hall
Other attractions include:


Yue-Wang Miao, the tomb and memorial hall to Yue Fei.
Lingyin Temple, a Buddhist monastery and surrounding hills and gardens.
Longjing tea farms, an area renowned for the quality of its tea leaves.
Galloping Tiger Spring, a spring famous for its mineral water.
Tomb of Su Xiao Xiao, a famous courtesan.
Tomb of Wu Song, famous for slaying a tiger; destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and rebuilt in 2004