Chinese Renminbi banknote scenery: West Lake

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Banknotes are usually regarded as de facto "national name cards". The places behind China's "name cards" are not only famous scenic spots, but also representations of China's natural geography, history, culture and politics. Follow CGTN for a tour of all five of the renowned scenic spots on China's currency!

The Three Pools Mirroring the Moon

Shown on the back side of the one yuan bill, the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, one of the Ten Scenes of West Lake, is located in Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. The city was dubbed by Marco Polo in the 13th century as being the "most beautiful and elegant city in the world".

View of "The Three Pools Mirroring the Moon". /VCG Photo

The three pools refer to the three stone pagodas rising from the water. They are two meters tall respectively, and were first built in 1089, during the Song Dynasty. They are spherical in shape and hollow inside, with five holes on the surface of the bulb. When the full moon is shining bright in the sky on Mid-autumn Festival, people light candles in the pagodas and seal the holes with thin paper. The candlelight is then reflected on the surface of the water as if there were many little moons, producing a marvelous scene of "one moon in the sky, 16 silhouettes in the water". This is how the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon got their name.

Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the West Lake is divided by the Bai Causeway, the Su Causeway and the Yang Causeway into five lakes, namely the North Inner Lake, the West Inner Lake, the West Outer Lake, the Yuehu Lake and the South Lake.

Lingering snow on the Broken Bridge in winter. /VCG Photo

Viewing fish at Flower Pond. /VCG Photo

Leifeng Pagoda in the evening glow. /VCG Photo

Orioles singing in the willows. /VCG Photo

The Moon over the Peaceful Lake in autumn. /VCG Photo

The Evening Bell ringing at Nanping Hill. /VCG Photo

The Winery Yard and Lotus Pool in Summer. /VCG Photo

The Three Pools Mirroring the Moon. /VCG Photo

Twin Peaks piercing the clouds. /VCG Photo

Dawn on the Su Causeway in spring. /VCG Photo

The Ten Scenes of West Lake, a collection of ten scenic views distributed around or in the lake, were outlined back in the Southern Song Dynasty. Each scene has its own iconic features.

In 1984, the local government selected the "Ten New Scenes of West Lake", each has gorgeous view and a unique history. The ten new scenes will leave you with an even greater appreciation of the beauty of West Lake.

Tips:

Ways to explore West Lake: Boat cruises, biking, scenic walks

Recommended length of visit: One day

Ticket price: Free

A taste of Hangzhou

But the West Lake and its rich cultural heritage arent; the only things Hangzhou is famous for.

Traditional Hangzhou cuisine boasts exquisite fish and seafood dishes that have a delicate taste and complicated cooking methods. Here are three highly recommended dishes that you can't miss when you visit.

West Lake vinegar fish

West Lake vinegar fish - "Xihu cu yu" in Chinese - is one of the most famous dishes of the Zhejiang culinary tradition of eastern China. It originated in Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279) and is named after the beautiful lake.

West Lake vinegar fish. /VCG Photo

Usually, the grass carp from the West Lake is used in authentic preparations in Hangzhou. After the whole fish is cooked, a sweet vinegar sauce is added to finish the dish. The fresh fish combines with the Chinese black vinegar to create a tantalizing aroma.

Dongpo pork

If you want to sample daily life in Hangzhou, it's easy to find that almost every restaurant in Hangzhou serves Dongpo pork. Named after the renowned poet Su Dongpo, it is a typical Hangzhou dish and made by pan-frying and then red cooking pork belly.

Dongpo pork. /VCG Photo

It's often mixed with a spoonful of ginger to offset the fattiness of the pork. The meat is so tender that people can make it fall apart with a simple nudge from their chopsticks and, when eaten, it has a unqiely satisfying "melt in your mouth" experience.

Tips:

To make it tastier, the secret to this dish is that sometimes the wine matches the pork better than the red cooking. The pork can be slow cooked for several hours so it can absorb the wine fully and reduce the greasiness of the fat.

If you are a committed culinary tourist, this dish is a Hangzhou's signature that you could even write poetry about!

West Lake Longjing Tea

Longjing tea, also known as West Lake Dragon Well tea, is named after its production in the Longjing Village of West Lake in Hangzhou. Ranked as the most famous tea in China, West Lake Longjing Tea is now widely known to people from home and abroad.

West Lake Longjing Tea. /VCG Photo

Thanks to the excellent environment and good quality of water resources, the longjing tea grows well in this area of Hangzhou.

Before you leave, remember to have a perfect cup of Longjing tea, which would definitely make the trip linger on your taste buds.

Impression West Lake

As night falls, West Lake will reveals its mysterious yet charming side. It is highly recommended to watch the Impression West Lake live outdoor night show on the West Lake stage. It has been updated in 2017 and incorporated into the new version with elements from Hangzhou G20 Summit evening gala. It tells a beautiful love story, told via lights, music and dancing, in five acts: "First Encounter", "Falling in Love", "Saying Goodbye", "Memories", and "Impressions".

The Impression West Lake live outdoor night show. /VCG Photo

Transportation

There are many direct and linking flights between Hangzhou and many major cities in China as well as some international popular destinations including Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore and Paris.

In addition, a 144-Hour Visa-free policy is available passport holders of 53 foreign countries and regions when making an international transfer via Xiaoshan Airport in Hangzhou City.

A high-speed railway linking the scenic cities of Hangzhou and Huangshan in east China has recently gone into operation. It starts from Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, and ends in the city of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, threading through a series of renowned scenic spots, including Mount Huangshan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the West Lake in Hangzhou and the picturesque Fuchun River and Thousand Islands Lake in Zhejiang Province.

1121km