Red leaves are symbols of autumn, the color of which rivals the most luscious brocade. As far as autumn leaf viewing is concerned, maple is the tree species that you don’t want to miss. Indeed, the colorful foliage is a perfect visualization of the clear and refreshing autumn days. As late autumn creeps closer, maple has come to the center stage in Lingyin Scenic Area, west of West Lake Scenic Area, making up a stunning view in places like Lingyin Road, Feilai Peak and Maple Leaf Avenue with leaves glowing yellow and red.

In order to make good use of the abundant maple resources in Lingyin Scenic Area, showcase the progress that West Lake has made on biodiversity conservation and add seasonal attractions on Hangzhou’s plate, Lingyin Scenic Area Management Office held an Asian Games themed maple festival on November 22. It aimed to entice visitors to appreciate the beauty of maple leaves in close distance, and by setting the stage at Lingyin Peak, provide a place to go for those interested in the invocation of good fortune.

Efforts have been made to make this year’s maple view special. Nine sightseeing areas were drawn up to couple maple leaves with selected elements such as Feilai Peak, the Asian Games, stone statues, Zen, streams and ancient relics. These areas combined offered some forty attractions for visitors to revel in the distinctly autumnal vibe.

One of the attractions was a landscape with red maple in the background and ornamental plants as adornment. By virtue of gardening ingenuity and natural endowment, rows of maples were turned into a masterpiece that resembled picturesque clouds. Next to Ligong Tower was an attraction that echoed a popular living philosophy – Let the current take you away. The place was designed to be a source of joyous serenity where you could pray for good health and happiness.

In its pursuit to introduce the maple scene to a wider audience regardless of the constraints of time and space, Lingyin Scenic Area created a 3D model of the scene that grasped every subtle detail. In doing so, it made the spectacle a lot more accessible and helped kindle people’s interest in exploring and protecting natural beauty. The maple scene will be updated on a regular basis during the peak viewing period. There will also be some hidden attractions along the way. For more information, please follow “杭州西湖西溪景区” and “杭州灵隐” on WeChat or download the mobile app “掌上西湖”.