[2025 Hangzhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Yu Qian Shrine (Updated Oct)

Continuing my tour of Hangzhou, it's most pleasant to stroll along the West Lake trails in the evening. The scenic area is designed to be close to the water, with winding trails, and each corner offers different views. During the day, you can visit several nearby historical attractions. The Yu Qian Temple with its lime chant is less popular than the Yuewang Temple, but it's a good place for a quiet rest. I also recommend that friends who have time in Hangzhou must take time to visit the Liangchu Ancient City Ruins Park and Museum to appreciate the transformation of China's 5,000-year-old civilization. The park is very large and there is a shuttle bus between the ruins park and the museum. The park is suitable for family trips, and children can let off steam, and taking photos with them is very photogenic. For accommodation, I recommend the Novotel suite at Hangzhou East Station. The hotel room is the largest we've stayed in Hangzhou, divided into a living room, bedroom, and bathroom, with complete facilities and friendly cleaning staff. It's suitable for short or long-term stays and is also close to Hangzhou East Station #Liangchu Ancient City Ruins Park #West Lake Yu Qian Temple #West Lake Scenic Area Night Tour #Novotel Hangzhou East Station

#chinatravel 📍 Location: 161 Santaishan Road, West Lake District, Hangzhou (Turtle Pond's serene shore) ⚔️ The Man Who Extended an Empire Yu Qian (1398-1457), Military Strategist & Minister of War, stands among West Lake's "Three Heroes" (with Yue Fei & Zhang Cangshui). His tactical genius preserved the Ming Dynasty for two extra centuries—earning him the title "Ming's Ultimate Guardian" in historical texts. ℹ️ Visitor Essentials 🕙Hours: Wed-Mon 8:30-16:30 (*Closed Tuesdays*) 🎫 Admission: Free 🚌 Transport: - Bus 197 to Yu Qian Temple Stop - Buses 1314/West Lake Loop to Yuhuang Bay Stop → 5-min walk via Bapanling Road

| Hangzhou April's Hidden Routes. When the blue light from city screens erodes your retina, let your feet immerse in this flowing "Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" scroll. In the folds of Yuhu Bay and Turtle Pond, I found the code to restart Song dynasty landscape paintings—ripples created by oar boats follow the rhythm of ink spreading on rice paper; the arc of late cherry blossoms falling resembles the rouge traces left by a painter's brush. Travel Guide: ⏰7:30 Awakening at Jihong Bridge Morning mist serves as ink, with Jihong Bridge sketching faint ink lines on the green scroll. Wooden walkways pass over moss, each step treading in Wang Ximeng's unfinished brushwork. ⏰8:15 Listening to Wind at Snow Boat The Snow Boat with its vermilion railings and dark tiles is like a frozen Song dynasty poem, with bronze bells at the eaves shaking off misty rain. Leaning against the railing, you might spot a few egrets skimming the water surface, their wingtips rippling reflections that hide the blank spaces Muxi left unfinished eight hundred years ago. ⏰9:30 Secret Realm of Turtle Pond The oar boats by Yongfu Bridge are moving viewing platforms, with boatwomen speaking soft Wu dialect like fresh tea. Watch the bow cut through jade-colored silk, startling waterbirds whose wing beats harmonize perfectly with the tinkling of iron chimes at Yu Qian Temple. ⏰11:00 Late Cherry Blossom Fugue Pink and white late cherry blossoms bloom at Yu Qian Temple Dock, with falling petals dropping into the pond, chasing fish like boneless paintings by Tang Yin. Looking back from Jingxing Bridge, the entire landscape suddenly becomes Xu Wei's splashed ink, with green and light crimson merging in the mist. 🌕Travel Tips: ▫️Wear moon-white Hanfu to enter the painting; styling your hair in Song dynasty hanging bun looks even better in photos ▫️Bring a macro lens to capture morning dew on cherry petals ▫️Arrive before 2 PM to enjoy the best view of "boats traveling through paintings" on the oar boats 👟When your feet are covered with the scent of damp moss, those anxiety pop-up windows playing on loop in the concrete forest are finally shattered into pond-full of stars by the oar boats. This 6.8-kilometer loop route is a spiritual SPA for introverts—no need to chase scenery, let nature heal your low-battery mode.

My dears, are you still worried about where to go for fun during the May Day holiday? Don’t go to the crowded popular attractions, come to Hangzhou West Lake and follow this niche route kept by Hangzhou locals to easily have a different and wonderful time. Best of all, it’s free! 🗺️ Detailed route planning [Airplane] First stop: Prince Bay Park (best to arrive before 8:00): Enter from the "Prince Bay West Gate". After entering the park, you can first enjoy the sea of ​​tulips (if it is still open during the May Day holiday), and then stroll to the late cherry blossom area. Take a leisurely stroll along the main road, admire the streams, meadows and various flower landscapes in the park, and feel the romantic atmosphere of spring. The tour takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. [Airplane] Second stop: Huagang Fish Viewing (enter from the south gate): After exiting Taiziwan Park, walk to the south gate of Huagang Fish Viewing. After entering, follow the route of Peony Garden→Peony Garden→Red Fish Pond. You can admire the gorgeous peony flowers in the peony garden; in the peony garden, if the flowering period is right, you can see the elegant peonies; in the red fish pond, you can feed koi and watch the fish playing. The whole tour takes 1-1.5 hours. [Airplane] The third stop: Drinking tea at Lakeside House (avoid the tea time of 12:00 - 12:30): After leaving Huagang Fish Viewing, go to Lakeside House Teahouse. Order a cup of Longjing tea and pair it with exquisite snacks. Sit by the West Lake, sip tea, and enjoy the cruise ship on the West Lake. Relax and enjoy the leisure time. The tea drinking time is 1-1.5 hours. [Airplane] Fourth stop: Yuhu Bay (Jihong Bridge): Start from Lakeside Residence and walk to Yuhu Bay. After arriving, stroll along the lakeside to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Jihong Bridge reflected on the lake surface. You can also find an angle by the lake to take ancient style photos. There are few people here and the scenery is beautiful. It takes 0.5-1 hour to visit. [Airplane] Stop 5: Turtle Pond: From Yuhu Bay, you can reach Turtle Pond on foot. Take a walk along the path beside the lake, admire the lake, the island and the surrounding greenery, and feel its quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Play for 0.5 - 1 hour. [Airplane]Sixth stop: Yu Qian Temple: Located on the shore of Wuguitan Lake, visit to learn about the life and deeds of Yu Qian, a famous official in the Ming Dynasty, and remember history. The visit lasts about 0.5 hours. [Airplane]Seventh stop: Maojiawu (Maojiabu): After leaving Yu Qian Temple, head to Maojiawu. In this small and wild wetland, you can stroll along the willow-lined path, admire the blooming February orchids, check in at the ancient bridge, and feel the tranquility of the tea garden. Play time: 1 - 1.5 hours. The whole journey is about 6 kilometers, and it takes 5-6 hours to walk slowly. The main feature is a leisurely and comfortable way to immerse yourself in the beauty of West Lake. 🚗 Transportation Guide Starting point: Prince Bay Park: Take bus No. 4 directly there, or just locate "Prince Bay West Gate" when taking a taxi. The final destination is Maojiabu: Bus No. 197 and No. 318 can return to the city. During the tour: walking or riding shared bicycles are very convenient, and you can also take a boat to Turtle Pond and Yuhu Bay, which maximizes the experience. If you drive during the May Day holiday, parking will be extremely difficult, so try not to choose this option. 💡 Intimate Tips Outfit: Wear Hanfu and cheongsam to Jihong Bridge to take ancient style photos; wear straw hat and bamboo bag to Maojiabu and Taiziwan Park, which is full of pastoral style. Other preparations: The sunshine on May Day will be strong, so please be prepared for sun protection. There is a lot of walking throughout the trip, so comfortable shoes are essential. There are a lot of mosquitoes where there is a lot of vegetation, so bring some mosquito repellent. Extra surprise: If you still have energy after shopping, take the West Lake Loop Bus to Jixian Pavilion or Yongjin Pond to watch a beautiful West Lake sunset and put an end to the perfect day.

Yu Qian's Tomb was built in 1459, the third year of the Tianshun period of the Ming dynasty. It is the tomb of Yu Qian, a politician, military strategist, and national hero of the Ming dynasty. The tomb faces east and backs onto a green mountain, facing West Lake. The tomb and temple are combined. The tomb is now horseshoe-shaped, measuring 23 meters north to south and 30 meters east to west, covering an area of more than 600 square meters, with a natural forest as a barrier. The tomb was originally a family area, with seven tombs of Yu Qian and his father, mother, wife, etc., arranged in a row, with Yu Qian's tomb in the middle. On both sides of the tomb path are stone figures, stone horses, stone tigers, stone sheep, and stone dogs, and a stone archway is built in front of the tomb path. In 1966, Yu Qian's tomb was destroyed. In 1982, Yu Qian's tomb was rebuilt, and the original seven tombs were changed to one. In 1998, to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Yu Qian's birth, Ming-style stone figures, stone animals, and archways were placed on both sides of the tomb path. Yu Qian's Temple is located next to Yu Qian's Tomb and was rebuilt in 1869, the eighth year of the Tongzhi period of the Qing dynasty. It has three halls and two side rooms. The front hall has a gable and hip roof, and the main hall, back hall, and side rooms have gable roofs. The interior is now arranged with an exhibition of Yu Qian's life. On May 25, 2006, Yu Qian's Tomb was announced as the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council of the People's Republic of China.

In the early morning, I left Santai Village and walked along the foothills of Santai Mountain. I saw the Yu Qian Temple beside the mountain path, a small hill in front, and further ahead was the Turtle Pond of West Lake. Yu Qian was a national hero of the Ming Dynasty. He, Yue Fei and Zhang Huangyan were collectively known as the "Three Heroes of West Lake". It is a traditional Chinese ancestral hall building with a vermilion lacquered gate and the large official script characters "Yu Zhongsu Ancestral Hall" appearing solemn and dignified. There are three entrances to the ancestral hall. Yu Qian Temple