Having given rise to many legends, myths, tales, poems and so forth, the West Lake in Hangzhou has stood as an enduring literary inspiration for Chinese poets, scholars and artists from the distant past to the near present. Among all those eminent names, Bai Juyi is perhaps the most distinctive from others, not only for the considerable number of popular poems he wrote extolling the virtues of this enchanting lake, but also because the renowned Chinese poet once governed the ancient city of Hangzhou for around three years during the early ninth century – making him one of the most famous poet-mayors in Hangzhou's history.  

When his tenure was about to come to an end, Bai penned "The Lake in Spring," where the poet depicts the picturesque springtime vistas of the West Lake within a few strokes, while chanting "from fair Hangzhou I cannot tear myself away, on half my heart this lake holds an alluring sway."