Xianshan Lake Scenic Area

　　The Xianshan Lake Scenic Tourism Area can be regarded as the gateway to the green ecological corridor of northwest Zhejiang. Stepping through this beautiful gateway opens up a magnificent scroll painting stretching two hundred li from South Taihu Lake to Huangshan. The scenic area mainly consists of two parts: Xianshan Mountain and Xianshan Lake.

　　“A mountain need not be high — with immortals it is famous.” Xianshan Mountain stands 162 meters tall, resembling Japan’s Mount Fuji in shape. Within a radius of ten li, although not very high, it offers views across three provinces, and though not expansive, it is covered in lush greenery, brimming with spiritual energy. The legends about Xianshan are ancient and mysterious.

　　Especially the story of how, following a court coup in the early Tang Dynasty in the Silla Kingdom (an ancient Korean kingdom), the Silla prince came here to become a monk and eventually transformed into the Earth Store Bodhisattva (Kṣitigarbha), which adds boundless charm to Xianshan. Historically, there has been a saying: “First there was Little Xianshan, then there was Great Jiuhua.” This means that the Earth Store Bodhisattva of Jiuhua Mountain came from Xianshan, making Xianshan the ancestral home of the Earth Store Bodhisattva.

　　“Water need not be deep — with dragons it is spiritual.” Xianshan Lake lies beside Xianshan Mountain, covering a water area of about 10 square kilometers. A long causeway runs east-west through the lake, dividing it into southern and northern sections. The causeway is lined with swaying willow trees, reminiscent of Su Causeway at West Lake, and the water is crystal clear and unpolluted, cool and refreshing. With shallow, broad waters and gently sloping banks, beneath Xianshan Lake lies a mysterious ancient river channel and a long-lost ancient village corresponding to the celestial body known as "Jinxiu" (Venus).

　　Thanks to the excellent natural environment of Xianshan Lake, not only are water birds abundant here, but even the very rare swan has made its home here, a rare natural ecological phenomenon.

　　As mysterious as Xianshan and Xianshan Lake is the local Chinese Alligator Village, home to an animal as ancient as the dinosaur, locally called the “water gecko” — the Chinese alligator. This animal is a nationally protected endangered species in China.