The autumn colors are at their most vibrant. West of West Lake and at the foot of Lingshan Mountain, the area has transformed into a living painting: charming villages nestled along the hills and streams, vast farmlands fragrant with blooming rice flowers, open green wilderness as far as the eye can see, and rolling tea plantations wafting with fragrance.

Tea fragrance drifts across mountains, fields, and rivers; joyful Lingshan welcomes visitors from all directions. After nearly a year of construction, the highly anticipated Hangzhou Lingshan Scenic Town officially opens today. Here, citizens and tourists can enjoy rolling waves of golden rice, taste Jiukou Red Plum tea, sample local Shuangpu brews, engage in exciting outdoor field sports, and immerse themselves in authentic local culture. Throughout the seasons, you can admire ever-changing beautiful scenery, revel in the love of nature, and enjoy endless fun.

As an important part of the rural tourism scene in Xihu District and a model of its beautiful countryside initiatives, this suburban tourism town near Hangzhou integrates leisure in nature, cultural experiences, countryside getaways, educational trips, and artistic creation. It now stands as a unique celebration of rural charm, presenting a heartfelt tribute to the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China.

High-standard planning: a suburban village transforms into a scenic town

Lingshan Scenic Town is located in Shuangpu Town, Xihu District, covering a total area of 18.76 square kilometers. In recent years, the five villages within its sphere of influence—Shuangling, Lingshan, Hubu, Xiayang, and Zhoufu—have served as key sites for Xihu District's rural revitalization strategy. Through a series of transformations including illegal structure demolition, water management, mine remediation, paddy field restoration, weak electrical upgrades, and more, these villages have undergone a magnificent metamorphosis. Tens of thousands of acres of arable land have been revived, creating a new vision of a beautiful countryside in the new era, with swaying golden rice fields, colorful flower seas, and graceful egrets in flight.

Subsequently, Xihu Culture & Tourism Group adopted a scenic area development approach, planning at a high starting point and with high standards to create an upgraded version of the beautiful countryside. Currently, the first phase of Lingshan Scenic Town has been completed, featuring carefully developed projects such as Hejiahuam Field Fun Park, a wedding-themed park, and the Jiukou Red Plum Tea Museum. Supporting facilities including tourism reception, scenic transportation, commercial dining, and parking services have also been built in sync. Among them, Hejiahuam Field Fun Park is a paradise of play hidden within nature, offering over 20 activities such as go-kart racing, frisbee golf, and orienteering in the fields, with plans to later introduce a mini train that winds through mountains and fields.

Additionally, themed around “A Dreamy Journey Back to Lingshan,” the once wildly popular “Lingshan Cave” from the 1980s and 90s has undergone a comprehensive upgrade. Using sound, light, and electrical effects, it now features immersive light and shadow experiences, plus new attractions like the Light & Shadow Reincarnation, Jade Lotus Waterfall, and Penglai Fairy Island.

Xihu District has conducted in-depth exploration and integration of the area’s unique natural and cultural landscapes, agricultural ecological scenes, and rich agricultural products. By connecting and optimizing key nodes of the beautiful countryside, it has created a new type of rural tourism destination that highlights local charm and cultural individuality.

Abundant opening activities: endless fun on wheels, joy for every “Hejia” family

Lingshan Scenic Town has prepared a rich variety of opening activities.

The town features an 8-kilometer-long, pleasantly scenic electric vehicle loop that connects various attractions, including golden rice fields, lotus pond horse farms, and the field fun park.

At the town’s wedding-themed park, sightseeing vehicles will take you through a dreamlike tunnel of floral arrangements, adorned with interactive installations, fun haystacks, farming tool displays, and other exquisitely crafted art pieces. During the National Day holiday, romantic wedding photography spots, RV campsites, and love-themed folk music concerts will be set up here. The lotus pond horse farm is arguably the most enchanting sight in the park, where visitors can experience horseback riding, archery, tea tasting and reading, feeding foals, or take a ride in a spacious, comfortable carriage along the tea-horse country roads.

The 6-kilometer cycling route through the rice fields is an excellent spot for leisurely strolls and biking. During the “Golden Week” of National Day, over 200 bicycles of various types will be available. Visitors can simply scan a QR code on their phones to enjoy the fun of biking through the countryside.

Next to the rice fields lies the 5,000-acre Shuangpu Yuanxiang, a modern agricultural industrial park under Blue Town that integrates agricultural technology, education, and tourism. During the National Day holiday, over 20 research and leisure activities will be held here, including “Farmer Makeover,” “I Am a Little Inventor,” fishing, and fruit picking.

During the National Day Golden Week, Hejiahuam Field Fun Park will launch the Nazca Giant Mural activity, where nearly 400 people will collaboratively complete a 300-square-meter patriotic-themed giant mural. The field craft workshops combine hands-on farming experiences with scene recreations, offering leaf printing, wheat straw creations, and other hands-on crafts for families to enjoy together.

A brighter future ahead: building “one lake, one town, and five zones”

The newly opened Lingshan Scenic Town is just beginning to reveal its beauty, with even more stunning natural scenery and exciting activities waiting for you in the future.

According to the plan, the town will take Tongjian Lake as its core, supported by the natural charm of the Shangsi landscape, the folk culture of the Jiukou Tea Village, and the pastoral beauty of modern agriculture. It aims to promote the integration of culture and tourism as well as agriculture and tourism, developing “one lake” (Tongjian Lake), “one town” (performance town), along with five zones: Zhoufu Affection, Xiayang Farming, Shuangling Tea Tasting, Lingshan Wellness, and Hubu Scenic Overlook. Projects for “one lake” and “one town” are currently under intensive development.

Based on three signature local products—Jiukou Red Plum tea, West Lake water shield, and Luxi sorghum liquor—the town will establish a sightseeing factory integrating cultural displays, educational experiences, multimedia interaction, and leisure dining. It will continue to explore new paths for agricultural transformation and upgrading. Among them, the Jiukou Red Plum Tea Museum, located in Shuangling Village, is nearing completion.

The town is also committed to developing tourism projects such as the Lingshan Performance Town and the EVENMIX Fashion Industry Base, while accelerating the construction of supporting facilities including the Lingshan New Century Hotel, rural homestays, the Longhui Plank Road, and the Dragon Head Plaza... A more beautiful Lingshan Scenic Town with a richer array of tourism offerings is something to look forward to.