("Hahng-joe")
21 April 2016
Up and out the door at 6:30, at the train station by 7:30. Why? As a laowai who speaks minimal chinese, getting tickets can easily be one of the most frustrating things ever. You don't have the luxury of being able to purchase them online or through mobile apps like locals. You have to be physically present at the station to purchase them. You will need your passport and it's good to at least know a) The name of the Station (there are often multiple stations in most cities), and b) when you would like to arrive. Also a good idea to bring oodles of patience, as you will no doubt be waiting in a rather lengthy line. If you make a special trip to the station, you can buy tickets in advance and it's a good idea if you plan on travelling during a national holiday. Otherwise, you may end up stranded, or worse... standing.
HINT: Your boarding gate is in the upper-right corner. In this case: gate 10. Then it's the 11th car, seat 13F.
The G Train (Bullet Train) leaves from Shanghai's Hongqiao Station. Approximately 40 minutes and 100 miles later, I arrive in Hangzhou. I leave the train station and descend into the depths that is the Metro System...
With a quick glance around the station, I learn the Hangzhou metro also functions via paper tickets; so I make a b-line for the automated ticket machines. For the cost of a few yuan I have a single journey ticket that will get me to Longxianqiao-West Lake Metro Station. From this point, I travel on foot and ferry as I discover the sights and stories of this legendary lake.
I could not have had better weather (my sunburn proves it). I emerge from the metro station and immediately don my sunglasses. I turn east and head towards the lake. Visually, the city looks much like many parts of Shanghai, but there seems to be a difference in pace or rhythm. Hangzhou seems more laid back, and devoted to enjoying life, not always running to catch up to it.
I cross a main thoroughfare and the buildings make-way to vibrant green trees, and multitudes of spring blooms. The lake beyond was glittering under the sun, and the blue skies boasted of clean air. It was refreshing to see rolling hills and distant mountains. (Okay, they're small mountains, but give me a break!)
I walked north along the lakeshore to the Bai Causeway and the Broken Bridge. Roughly a half-mile long, man-made bridge that allows easy access to many tourist features around the lake. I traverse the long, shadeless causeway, and when I finally reach the other side, I nestle under the shade of a willow(?) for a bit of a pic-nic lunch, Chinese tourists take the opportunity to take photos of the blonde laowai, sitting on the ground with her lunch. But it doesn't bother me. I snack and reflect on the story of Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian, from my days as an acting intern and understudy with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The White Snake (Dir. Mary Zimmerman) was one of the most magical productions I have ever seen. And somehow, the instruments and techniques used in creating the magic were to simple, creative, culturally fitting, and beautiful.
There's a story that takes place at the infamous West Lake and LeiFeng Pagoda (more on this later). A serpent spirit desperately wants to be human, so she transforms herself and descends to earth to experience human life. At the legendary Broken Bridge (Bai Causeway) she meets and falls in love with Xu Xian--a human--when he lends her his umbrella during a storm (Umbrella's are kind of a big deal in China...) I won't spoil it for you, but to give you an idea; their love is tested, as are their brains and bravery as a villain presents itself in the form of a Buddhist monk named Fa Hai who wishes to separate the two forever. It's a beautiful story, and I encourage you to seek out some version of it. If you enjoy reading scripts you can purchase Mary Zimmerman's script online. If you are strapped for time or cash, you can view the Study Guide for Zimmerman's play here.
After lunch, I paid 40RMB for the ferry to LeiFeng Pagoda (雷峰塔), by way of the "Fairy Island" or as the locals know it: Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon. I strolled around this curious little islet, stopping to take pictures of macaws, the surrounding landscape, or enjoy an ice cream.
The Macaws were beautiful! But when I went to take pictures the lady with them gave me the most terrifying look and quickly moved to block my shot. As a result, this is the only picture I was able to get of them. Grr...
This qualifies as a legitimate bridge in China. In the USofA, we call this a lawsuit. Naturally, I thought it was really cool.
After completing the circuit around the islet, I continued to the ferry that traverses the remainder of the lake. When I disembark on the otherside, I can see Leifeng Pagoda standing tall in the near distance. Using it as a guiding star, I promenade down the path, being particularly liberal with my camera...The docks sported all varieties of boats....
LeiFeng Pagoda
Underneath the visible Pagoda lie the ruins of the old LeiFeng Pagoda. Originally built in 975 AD, it collapsed in 1924, and was rebuilt in 2002.
Sometime during the Ming Dynasty Hangzhou was attacked by Japanese Pirates. Believing the Pagoda to house weapons, the Pirates raided and burned much of the structure, which consisted of wood and brick.
Fast forward a few centuries, throw in some fun superstition and people begin stealing bricks from the Pagoda, believing them to carry healing abilities and prevent miscarriages. This continuous-clepto-trend eventually led to it's collapse in 1924.
What remains of the original structure is beautifully preserved underneath the existing reincarnation of LeiFeng Pagoda. And as offering to either a Buddhist diety, or to the curation and preservation of the place, people throw money into the ruins exhibit.
Ascending upstairs, the story of The White Snake is depicted in intricate wood carvings all the way around the octagonal room. Each beautiful carving tells a brief synopsis of the story.
For those of you who may be wondering, or for whom it may be necessary, there is an elevator to this floor, but I do not remember it going all the way to the top floor...
...I'm a sucker for a good view...
Léi Fēng Tǎ in all her glory.
Returning to the Downtown side of the lake, saying goodbye to LeiFeng.After spending nearly an hour waiting for a bus that never came (they do that sometimes...), and getting ignored by taxi drivers (they do that sometimes...) I decided to just pay for another ferry trip back across the lake. Which provided some pretty great views as the sun began to set, and an evening storm began to roll in. Once back across the lake, I ducked into a coffee shop to charge my phone for a few minutes and refuel before heading back to the mayhem that is the train station.
Part of me almost wishes I had planned on staying the night in Hangzhou so I could have simply retired to my hotel room. But I put in my headphones, pressed play on the Hamilton soundtrack, bought a tea and a large water bottle, and toughed it out a little longer. I hiked (or rather, rode the escalator, but at this point anything involving being on my feet felt like a hike) to the top floor and perched myself high above the chaos while waiting for my train to start boarding...
I made it home, and fell into bed about 2200.
Even though I was dead tired by the end of the long day... it was well worth it.
Thanks, Hangzhou.
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