Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (Lesser Yingzhou)

Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (Lesser Yingzhou)

Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (Lesser Yingzhou) is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

Three Pools Mirroring the Moon is one of the Ten Scenes of West Lake, located in the central-southern part of the lake. Together with the Mid-Lake Pavilion and Ruangong Islet, it forms the Three Islands in the Lake, resembling the legendary Penglai Islands from ancient Chinese mythology—hence also called Lesser Yingzhou.

As early as the Northern Song Dynasty, Lesser Yingzhou had become a popular spot for moon viewing on the lake. In the 35th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1607), Nie Xintang, the magistrate of Qiantang County, built embankments around the island using silt dredged from the lake, forming an inner lake that initially served as a place for releasing captive animals. Later generations constructed three small bottle-shaped stone pagodas in the southern lake area of the island, known as the Three Pools. In the early Qing Dynasty, zigzag bridges, halls, and pavilions were built on the island, and hibiscus trees were planted around the inner lake. During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, retired general Peng Yulin built a villa here, giving Lesser Yingzhou its initial form.

Three stone pagodas stand in the lake to the south of the island. Legend says they were created by Su Dongpo during his time as an official in Hangzhou while dredging West Lake (the current pagodas were rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty). The pagodas are hollow inside, with five equally spaced round holes arranged on their spherical surfaces. On moonlit nights, when thin paper is pasted over the holes and lights are lit inside the pagodas, the shapes of the holes are projected onto the lake surface, creating numerous “moons.” The real and fake moons blend so seamlessly that they’re hard to tell apart, making the night scene incredibly enchanting—thus the name “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon.”

The island is connected north-south by zigzag bridges and east-west by earthen embankments, which cross each other in a cruciform pattern, dividing the island’s water area into four sections—the surrounding ring is formed by embankments. From the air, the landmass of the island resembles a giant Chinese character “field” (田). The islet features garden structures such as the Open Net Pavilion, Tingting Pavilion, Nine Lion Stone, Leisure Platform, Welcome Greenery Pavilion, and My Heart Reflects Pavilion, all nestled among lush greenery and blooming flowers. Willows sweep the lake’s edge, while pavilions and terraces cast reflections on the water. The garden boasts rich spatial layering and is a model of China’s waterside landscape gardens, a fine example of ancient garden artistry. It uniquely presents the features of “islands within the lake, lakes within the island,” excelling in waterscape beauty—a distinctive highlight among the Ten Scenes of West Lake.

To the east of the Zigzag Bridge, across the water, stands a short wall. Its two ends are unconnected, resembling a screen. Yet the wall is pierced with four exquisitely decorated lattice windows. Though separating the inner and outer spaces, the wall allows the spaces to interconnect and permeate. Outside the wall, visitors bustle about; inside, however, the atmosphere is tranquil and refined—just inches apart, yet a world of difference.

Address: Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, West Lake, Xihu District, Hangzhou City

Type: Lake Island/Peninsula

Recommended Visiting Time: 1–2 hours

Phone: 0571-87065684; 0571-87977638

Opening Hours:

8:00-17:00

Ticket Information:

Regular boat for adults: 55 RMB (includes 35 RMB for the island access boat ticket + 20 RMB for Three Pools Mirroring the Moon admission); Luxury painted pleasure boat for adults: 70 RMB (includes 50 RMB for the island access boat ticket + 20 RMB for Three Pools Mirroring the Moon admission)

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Zhejiang Province