Melting Snow on the Broken Bridge

Melting Snow on the Broken Bridge

: After leaving Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake, walk eastward along the 1.1-kilometer-long Bai Causeway, and at the end of the causeway lies Melting Snow on the Broken Bridge. At the bridge's entrance stand pavilions such as the Imperial Stele Pavilion, facing the Inner West Lake and overlooking the Jade Mountain and Pagoda of Precious Clouds across the lake. The mountain, pagoda, lake, pavilions, bridge, and the peach and willow trees along the shore form a picturesque scene that is truly enchanting. The Broken Bridge is the essential route to Solitary Hill. Whenever it snows, people flock to the bridge to admire the snowy scenery of the West Lake. Solitary Hill and the Inner West Lake, blanketed in white, appear especially captivating—hence the name "Melting Snow on the Broken Bridge." The Broken Bridge enjoys worldwide fame, largely due to the key scenes of the Legend of the White Snake that take place here. Lady White and Xu Xian met here, returned to the city together by boat, borrowed an umbrella and pledged their love; they later reunited here and reconciled. In the Yue opera version of the Legend of the White Snake, Lady White sings: "The landscape of the West Lake remains unchanged... I see the Broken Bridge still standing, yet my heart is broken, and all my deep feelings flow eastward!" It has always been deeply moving. The name “Broken Bridge” originated in the Tang Dynasty. In ancient times, there was a gate on the bridge with eaves overhead. When it snowed, the snow in the middle section would accumulate on the eaves, leaving only snow at both ends of the bridge. From a distance, the bridge appeared to be broken, hence the name.

Transportation: Take Tourist Bus Route 1 or 2 and get off at the Broken Bridge stop.

Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province