Wozhou Lake Scenic Area

Wozhou Lake Scenic Area

Wozhou Lake Scenic Area is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a national water conservancy scenic area.

The Wozhou Lake Scenic Area is located 12 kilometers east of the city, covering an area of 81.8 square kilometers. It consists of Wozhou Lake, Wozhou Mountain, Tiantai Mountain, Dongshan Mountain, as well as attractions such as Xishan Yibi and Thirty-Six Crossings. It is renowned for its stunning scenery and profound cultural heritage. Bai Juyi once praised: “Among the landscapes of the southeast, Yue stands first, Shanyin second, and Wozhou and Tiantai are the crowning jewels.”

Introduction

Wozhou Lake: Also known as Changzhao Reservoir, it lies against Wozhou Mountain to the north and borders Tiantai Ridge to the south. With a catchment area of 276 square kilometers, a lake surface of 8.18 square kilometers, and a water storage capacity of 180 million cubic meters, Wozhou Lake is a comprehensive water conservancy project integrating flood control, irrigation, water supply, power generation, aquaculture, and tourism.

Surrounded by mountains and vast blue waters, the scenery here is serene and beautiful. Throughout history, literati have visited in an endless stream, especially during the Tang Dynasty when it became a nationwide tourism hotspot, leaving behind hundreds of poems and making it a radiant pearl along the “Poetry Road of the Tang Dynasty.”

There is an island in the lake called “Dayuejiao” (Big Moon Cape). By taking a boat to the island and standing on the “Shuangyuan Pavilion,” you can enjoy the magnificent views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

Wozhou Lake is a hidden jewel in the valley and a paradise among the islets. The scenic area is characterized mainly by its picturesque lake and mountain scenery. In recent years, the area has been gradually developed with new additions such as boardwalks, corridors, suspension bridges, and luxury painted pleasure boats, enriching the visitor experience.

Take a ride on a luxurious and comfortable painted pleasure boat to cruise across the lake. Lush green mountains and rippling blue waters unfold before your eyes. Along the way, you can admire attractions such as the Wozhou Lake Dam, Zhenjun Temple, Shinv Peak, Ebifeng Peak, Fanghe Peak, Zhidun Ridge, Dayuejiao, Xianglu Peak, and the spot where Master Zhizhe released spiral shells. Depending on the season, fruit picking and tea tasting in the plantation can also be arranged.

Wozhou Mountain: Located to the north of the lake. This mountain boasts a rich cultural heritage and is one of the fifteen blessed lands of Taoism, a center of Prajna studies in southern China, a gathering place of aristocratic culture, and the birthplace of ancient landscape poetry. Eighteen eminent monks such as Zhi Daolin and Zhu Daochan, as well as eighteen famous scholars including Sun Chuo and Wang Xizhi, once stayed here for extended periods. Related knowledge: In his “Record of the Chan Monastery on Wozhou Mountain,” Tang Dynasty’s Bai Juyi wrote: “Among the landscapes of the southeast, Yue stands first, Shanyin second, and Wozhou and Tiantai are the crowning jewels.” It was once the national center of Buddhist activities, represented by eight eminent monks including Zhu Daochan and Zhi Daolin, and a convergence point of aristocratic culture.

From the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the most celebrated were eighteen literati including Sun Chuo, Wang Xizhi, and Dai Kui; it was the birthplace of landscape poetry. At that time, 44% of poets in China were from eastern Zhejiang, and 28% resided at Wozhou. Among them, the poems of just Zhi Daolin alone accounted for 55% of the total poems from the Western and Eastern Jin Dynasties.

By the time of Xie Lingyun in Shanyin, an independent form of landscape poetry had emerged. Thanks to the accumulation of the aforementioned culture, the area attracted around 300 Tang Dynasty literati to visit and compose poetry, forming the “Poetry Road of the Tang Dynasty.”

Address: Changzhao Village, Chengguan Town, Xinchang County, Shaoxing City

Type: Lake

Recommended visiting time: 3–4 hours

Phone: 0575-86130251

Opening hours:

09:00–16:30

Ticket information:

Gate price: 60.0 RMB

Address: Changzhao Village, Chengguan Town, Xinchang County