Xixi National Swamp Park located 5km away from the famous West Lake is a rare urban wetland. Xixi National Wetland Park covers 10.08km2 of which 3.46km2 opens to public. The walking trails are 8km in total which takes 3 hour or so to cover the entire park.
Water is the soul of Xixi. 70% of the Park is aqua area. It is crisscrossed with six main watercourses, among which scatter various ponds, lakes and swamps.
The Wetland is a self-severing ecological system which is divided into three reserves—Feijia Pond, Xialong Shoal and Chaotianmu Pond. Around the entrance of the park laid a showroom of the swamp eco system. Xixi is also a paradise of various kinds of birds. There are special spots dedicated to observe birds in a distance.
Xixi has long been land of reclusion. Qiu Xue Hut, Bo Hut, Meizhu Mansion, Xixi Mansion have been shelters of many literati to live a private life from the hustle and bustle in the past centuries. Thus many poems and prose were created here. The opera stage under the camphor tree is a historical relic for the north school of Shaoxing Opera made their debut on it.
The Dagon Boat Contest is another cultural event held on Dragon Boat Festival. The Contest is different from traditional ones for it do show while racing. Visitors can gain real tastes through observing the daily life of the villagers which center around mulberry, silkworm and silk.
Xixi National Wetland Park Attrctions
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Xixi National Wetland Park Must See Attractions
1. Plum blossom
Hangzhou has long been famous for its plum blossoms. Xixi along with Lingfeng Mountain and Gushan Mountain is labeled as three famous spots to appreciate plum blossoms. In the Qing Dynasty Xixi’s plum blossom is considered as one of the 18 attractions of West Lake. According to a West Lake Records: the blossoms are like snow drifting from the branches when people come near in a boat. Nowadays, except the on water, visitors can also see them in the plum valley in the southwest of the park. Here plum and apricot are in full bloom, which makes here like a pink paradise.
2. Shiping Bridge
Since 70% of Xixi is water, bridges are necessary and indispensible here. There stand many ancient bridges like Wenyun Bridge (ask the clouds), Dexian Bridge (Be a god), Yingchun Bridge (Greetings of spring). Almost every bridge has its story, but some of them crushed. Nowadays visitors can find stone bridges with three giant holes everywhere. They are flat with no rails on the side or very low ones. Stories hold that they were built in Qing Dynasty by a stonemason named Zhang Daixan. This type of bridges cost less, easier to walk on and saves the trouble of bumping all around when passengers picking poles.
3. Go picnic in Xixi
Xixi has been the spring outing destination of Hangzhou citizens. Xixi in spring is lushly green with full blooms of various kinds of flowers. Rowing a boat on the river is another recreation for visitors. Going a picnic in the fresh air on the shore of a river is divine.
4. Stall tea
Xixi is also famous for its tea which is served in huge bowls which tastes sweet. Only one Yuan for a bowl.
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