West Lake has long been considered one of the best destinations for moon-viewing. Two of the top ten scenes of the West Lake, namely Three Pools Mirroring the Moon and Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake, are known for their extraordinary sight of moon and night sky. Xixi Wetland hails a similar tradition, especially on mid-autumn night when friends come together, taking the cruise boat to appreciate the breeze on the streams and the moon over the mountains. West Lake or Xixi Wetland, no matter which one you choose, there will always be a wealth of beautiful details waiting to be unraveled.
In addition to the usual attraction that lies with natural endowment, West Lake and Xixi Wetland have prepared a rich selection of cultural activities that aim to create great moments for both residents and tourists during this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival.
As one of the city’s architectural landmarks, City God Temple is a perfect spot for anyone who wants to climb up and look far. With the holiday coming up, a moon altar has been built up inside the temple, where residents and tourists are able to get to the top of the building to behold the majestic view and renew the age-old tradition of moon-worship. Meanwhile, the temple is planning a cultural fair with multiple hands-on options, including paper cutting, bronze sculpture, woodblock printing and chopsticks making, and also a number of first-class viewing experience as visitors are given the opportunity to watch craftspeople making flower lanterns and performers doing crosstalk.
At the Former Residence of Hu Xueyan, lantern-riddle games have been made available to create mid-autumn atmosphere in a lavish house typical of the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The West Lake Museum, on the other hand, drew inspiration from a festival-related folklore to host rubbing activity in which participants reproduce the decorative patterns and designs of an ancient Chinese mirror that shows the Jade Rabbit pounding medicine. The activity particularly caters to children who are looking to celebrate the festival while getting a first-hand experience with the traditional Chinese culture.
The West Lake scenic area will open a special route encircling the lake for a limited window of opportunity. Over the 3-day holiday, visitors can enjoy the night views of the city along the West Lake on trams covered in moon decorations. The tram will stop at some of the best moon-viewing sites, such as Changqiao Park, Wangshan Bridge and Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake for people who wish to capture the moment with cameras.
Fun activities aside, food is another thing you don’t want to miss here. In preparation for the Mid-Autumn Festival, the West Lake scenic area is set to organize tea tasting to treat visitors to mooncakes that are modelled on the top ten scenes of the West Lake. Several settings have been put in place at Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake, one of the top ten scenes, for avid photo-takers to enjoy themselves to their hearts’ content.
Xixi Wetland is sought-after for picturesque scenery during its daytime, and yet every night, the focus of attention will be shifted to story-telling instead. For this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival, a performance with breathtaking visuals called Rendezvous at Xixi Tonight will be brought onto the stage, as it echoes the theme of the festival that underscores the devotion to one’s family and country. Besides the show, Xixi Wetland will also be offering an abundance of entertainment choices from giving away hand-held lanterns, Hanfu fitting, moon-worship, to sending away river lanterns and praying for good fortune.