Night cruise on West Lake caters to history and literature fans
The committee of the West Lake scenic area has launched a cruise designed for history and literature fans. Passengers can board a boat at the piers of Yihuchun and No. 2 Park to experience what Su Dongpo did centuries ago.
Su, a prominent poet, writer and calligrapher, is hailed as a paragon of Chinese literature during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In Hangzhou, residents view Su as the designer of the West Lake and as the "old mayor" of the city.
During his tenure, Su dredged the West Lake, created the Su Causeway and Xiaoyingzhou Isle, alleviating local drought issues and earning widespread acclaim from residents. He left a legacy of prose eulogizing the West Lake.
The committee has curated performances inspired by Su to recapture the golden era of Hangzhou during the dynasty.
The boat was adorned with sculptures of bingdilian (并蒂莲), a treasure of flowers featuring two lotuses on a single stalk. Cruises are available from 6:45pm to 9:15pm and cost 178 yuan (US$24.50) per person.
When passengers embark on the boat, they will find all the staff wearing Song Dynasty costumes and hats. During that era, both men and women wore vibrant colored flower headdresses, called zanhua, especially in festivals and ceremonies as seen in many ancient ink-wash paintings and archival records.
The boat, decorated with bingdilian (并蒂莲) sculptures, links to the renowned Three Pools Mirroring the Moon on the West Lake.
The route links to the well-known landmark on the West Lake – Three Pools Mirroring the Moon. The three pools refer to the three gourd-shaped stupas in the lake that Su built when removing silt.
The hollow stupas have five round openings. When candles are lit inside at night, the light seen through the openings looks like tiny moons, making a beautiful contrast with the lake's reflection of the real moon. This scene is described as one moon in the sky, three shadows on the lake.
"It is the first time in 2024 to set up a night cruise connecting Three Pools Mirroring the Moon," said He Dongling, planning director of the cruise. "It's a trial to explore more cultural heritages for tourists."
In front of the three stupas is the Xiaoyingzhou Isle. Passengers can get off the boat to watch and experience Song Dynasty performances on the isle.
In ancient times, Su often relaxed on the lake in boats. Floating on the serene water was a joy for the body and mind, which was portrayed in his poetry and prose. Organizers have set up sizhu and diancha performances on the isle to recreate Su's life in Hangzhou.
Sizhu, which means "silk and bamboo," is a term used to describe traditional Chinese string and woodwind instruments. Silk was the material from which the strings were made, and bamboo was the material used to make Chinese flutes.
Zanhua are floral headdresses worn by both men and women in Song Dynasty.
A traditional sizhu orchestra generally includes the erhu (a two-string vertical fiddle), dizi (a bamboo flute), pipa (a pear-shaped lute with four strings), and the yangqin (a hammered dulcimer).
Diancha, the preparation of finely ground powder from processed green tea, was a new method of consuming tea pioneered in the Song Dynasty. The powdered tea is brewed with a small amount of boiling water and then whipped into mush with a small whisk. To dilute the mush, more boiling water is added.
In addition to diancha and sizhu performances, visitors could play touhu as well. This is a type of ancient arrow-throwing game popular among Song people.
Night cruises have been a popular tradition on the West Lake, avoiding the jammed traffic around the lake and offering tourists a tranquil experience. However, cruises are impacted by weather conditions so visitors are recommended to check the service times beforehand through the Zhangshang Xihu (West Lake on the Palm) app or the official WeChat accounts of Hangzhou Fenghuangshan Hill and the West Lake Scenic Area.
