Ten Scenes of West Lake

One of ten pavilions sheltering the imperial steles, established in 1699

The Ten Scenes of West Lake (Chinese: 西湖十景; pinyin: Xīhú Shí Jǐng),[1] also known as Ten Vistas of West Lake,[1] Ten Views of West Lake[2] or Ten Poetically Named Scenic Places of West Lake Landscape,[3] is a collection of ten iconic views around the West Lake in Hangzhou, China.[4] Each of these scenic spots is traditionally named and described with a four-character Chinese phrase.[1] Historically, the selection of the ten vistas evolved over time, eventually being standardised in 1699, when the Kangxi Emperor personally inscribed the names of the vistas, after which local authorities engraved stelae and built pavilions to house each inscribed stone.[1] The poetically named scenic places symbolise the ethos of "harmony of humankind and nature" in traditional Chinese landscape design.[3]

  1. ^ a b c d Campbell, Duncan (2011). "The Ten Scenes of West Lake". China Heritage Quarterly (28). ISSN 1833-8461. Archived from the original on 2024-04-25. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  2. ^ Duan, Xiaolin (2017-07-20). "The Ten Views of West Lake". In Ebrey, Patricia Buckley; Huang, Susan Shih-shan (eds.). Visual and Material Cultures in Middle Period China. BRILL. doi:10.1163/9789004349377_006. ISBN 978-90-04-34898-1. Archived from the original on 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  3. ^ a b State Administration of Cultural Heritage of People's Republic of China (2011). West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou (PDF) (Report). Paris, France: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-06-19. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  4. ^ "Ten Scenes of West Lake". China Daily. 2009-08-07.