Hangzhou Travel Guide: Must-Visit Yuewang Temple & Catch the Impression West Lake Show "Impression of Hangzhou"

Text and photos by /Xavier Yuan Chuangzhiyi

The hotel where Xavier stayed during his trip to Hangzhou, China, was just a five-minute walk from Yuewang Temple. Having been familiar with the story of Yue Fei since childhood, he naturally made it a must-visit spot on this Hangzhou trip. On the first day, he arrived at the hotel close to dusk and could only take a brief look before the 6 PM closing time, planning to explore it properly the next day.

Yuewang Temple is a very important site around West Lake. The famous Impression West Lake performance stage is right in front of the temple, and there’s also a dock for taking boat tours nearby. One of the four stops for the lake’s electric sightseeing buses is located at Yuewang Temple. Additionally, the temple is close to several of the Ten Scenes of West Lake, including Quyuan Fenghe, Su Causeway, Yanggong Causeway, and Solitary Hill. This is why Xavier chose to stay near Yuewang Temple.

Yuewang Temple is actually a large complex. Ticket sales start at 7 AM (tickets cost 25 RMB), and despite its vast area, it doesn’t feel crowded even with many visitors and tour groups. Must-see highlights include the solemn and towering statue of Yue Fei in the Zhonglie Shrine, Yue Fei’s tomb, and the kneeling iron statues nearby. These scenes, once only seen in textbooks and history books, were finally witnessed in person this time.

Since the reburial of Yue Fei’s remains with proper rites at the southern foot of Qixia Ridge in the 32nd year of the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1162 AD), Yue Fei’s tomb and temple have undergone more than ten renovations over various dynasties. In 1979, the Zhejiang Provincial Government carried out a large-scale restoration. The Yuewang Temple we see today is quite different from its earlier form, but the spirit of loyalty and righteousness remains deeply rooted in people’s hearts.

[Xavier Talks About Song History] Viewing the Posthumous Rehabilitation of Yue Fei from the Perspective of the Red Flame Army Case in Nirvana in Fire

Entrance to Yuewang Temple

Right at the entrance, you’ll see this precious tripod — it seems incense could be placed here in the past, but now it’s adorned with fresh flowers.

Walking further ahead leads to the main hall, Zhonglie Shrine, with several incense burners in front.

The plaque above Zhonglie Shrine bears the four large characters “Xin Zhao Tian Ri” (The Heart Shines as Bright as the Sun).

The statue of Yue Fei in Zhonglie Shrine stands 4.5 meters tall, dressed in dragon robes and holding a sword, exuding solemnity and righteous integrity.

The famous plaque “Huan Wo He Shan” (Return My Rivers and Mountains) is written in Yue Fei’s own hand.

The table in front of Yue Fei’s statue is filled with flowers as tokens of respect.

The walls around Zhonglie Shrine feature murals and calligraphy depicting Yue Fei’s deeds.

On either side are calligraphic inscriptions reading “Jin Zhong” (Utmost Loyalty) and “Bao Guo” (Serve the Country), together forming the phrase “Jin Zhong Bao Guo” (Utmost Loyalty to Serve the Country) — also displayed on the outer wall.

Inscription of Yue’s Mother Tattooing Words on His Back

“Huan Wo He Shan” and the Recapture of Jiankang

On either side of Zhonglie Shrine are the Liewenhou Shrine and Fuwenhau Shrine — dedicated to Yue Fei’s generals Zhang Xian and Niu Gao.

Stone Tablet of Yue’s Tomb at Qixia

Statue of Yue’s Mother Tattooing Words

The wall features the “Jin Zhong Bao Guo” calligraphy written by Hong Zhu of the Ming Dynasty.

The character “Guo” (Country) is missing a dot in the upper right corner, symbolizing an incomplete nation.

Yue Fei’s Tomb, alongside the tomb of his son Yue Yun. The title “E Wang” (Prince of E) was posthumously granted during the reign of Emperor Ningzong of Song.

Many visitors buy fresh flowers for offerings.

In front of the tombs are stone statues and animals forming a ceremonial guard of honor.

The famous kneeling iron statues were first cast in the 8th year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1513 AD).

They have been damaged and recast multiple times. Currently, there are four statues on-site — these are Qin Hui and his wife Lady Wang.

Kneeling Statue of Qin Hui — visible signs of repair on the head are noticeable.

Perhaps due to too many people spitting at it in the past, there’s now a “No Spitting” sign nearby.

There are also kneeling statues of Moqi Xie and Zhang Jun — both were the ministers who framed Yue Fei.

In truth, figures like Qin Hui were merely the public faces of Yue Fei’s wrongful case. The true mastermind behind this injustice was Emperor Gaozong of Song, Zhao Gou. However, under the feudal society of the time, it was impossible to create a kneeling statue of the emperor. Zhao Gou and Qin Hui essentially had a mutually beneficial arrangement — Qin Hui took the blame and infamy, while securing the power he desired.

The Yue Fei Memorial Hall within the complex has three exhibition areas introducing Yue Fei’s life and deeds.

Yue Fei’s Work “Man Jiang Hong” (The River All Red)

No Evidence of Rebellion, He Zhu Resists Interrogation (top right) — He Zhu was originally part of Qin Hui’s faction and initially held prejudice against Yue Fei.

When presiding over Yue Fei’s trial, he was moved by the “Jin Zhong Bao Guo” tattoo on Yue Fei’s back and began to question Qin Hui.

As He Zhu refused to cooperate, Qin Hui had no choice but to replace him with Moqi Xie to handle the case.

The Twelve Gold Medallions (bottom right)

Stone Statues from the Southern Song Dynasty

Stone Statues Around the Memorial Hall

A stone tablet at the back of the hall bears Yue Fei’s famous quote: “If civil officials are not corrupt, military officials are not afraid to die, you need not worry about the world not being at peace.”

This seems rather ironic when compared to the current situation in Taiwan.

The Stele Corridor displays stone tablets from various dynasties. The corridor has two sides with a vast number of inscriptions, requiring some time to browse.

Fossilized “Jing Zhong Bai” Tree — Legend says it was an ancient cypress near the Fengbo Pavilion of the Southern Song Dynasty’s Dali Temple, which withered on the day of Yue Fei’s unjust death.

However, scientific analysis shows these tree fossils are over 100 million years old, formed long before the Southern Song Dynasty.

Yuewang Temple in Hangzhou
Address: No. 80, Beishan Road, north of Su Causeway, Xihu District, Hangzhou City
Phone: 0571-87986653
Opening Hours: 07:00 AM – 06:00 PM
Ticket Price: 25 RMB

The square in front of Yuewang Temple features food stalls and artisan shops. The ticket office for Impression West Lake is also located here.

Restaurants here include Little Yang’s Pan-Fried Buns, Yonghe King, and KFC.

Little Yang’s Pan-Fried Buns is a chain restaurant specializing in pan-fried buns, which are in high demand during peak hours.

Pan-fried buns can be ordered in pairs or triples with different fillings. Each bun averages around 15 TWD.

Compared to Taiwan, the buns here have a crispier wrapper but are juicier inside — the juice really bursts out.

(Xavier found the curry beef soup quite ordinary, not the kind he likes.)

The Hangzhou-style restaurant “Louwailou” is quite famous in the area.

TheHow to describe the famous Impression West Lake show “Impression West Lake: The Most Memorable Is Hangzhou”? Some viewers previously mentioned they didn’t quite understand the performance before its revamp. But you don’t necessarily have to understand every scene, because the original appeal of Impression West Lake lies in its grand scenes and spectacular audiovisual effects, especially the highly dazzling visuals. From that perspective, it’s definitely worth watching.

Impression West Lake has two performances each night, at 19:45 and 21:15 (the second show depends on conditions). On Xavier’s first night in Hangzhou, he watched the first show. According to the official website, the program includes ten pieces: “Spring River Flower Moon Night,” “Tea-Picking Dance,” “Butterfly Lovers,” “High Mountains and Flowing Water,” “Swan Lake,” “Me and My Motherland,” “Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon,” “Unforgettable Jasmine Flower,” “Ode to Joy,” and “The Most Memorable Is Hangzhou.”

That night, all ten pieces were indeed performed. Xavier’s seat was in Zone A5, near the middle and front rows, offering a decent view close to the stage. The first show was over 80% full, and the audience responded enthusiastically with frequent applause. Most people took lots of photos on their phones (though the images weren’t clear). Personally, Xavier liked the fifth piece, “Swan Lake,” for its creative visual effects — though the meaning is something you have to experience yourself.

Impression West Lake “The Most Memorable Is Hangzhou” Ticket Price Chart (Image source: Impression West Lake Official Website)

From experience, you can still buy tickets on the night of the show, but purchasing them at the ticket office means paying the full price. Booking online in advance is cheaper — for example, some tickets on Taobao are significantly discounted. There are also other ticket sellers on-site, reportedly offering lower prices. Xavier passed by the ticket area the next morning and saw some, but since he had already seen the show, he didn’t ask about the prices.

Impression West Lake “The Most Memorable Is Hangzhou” Seating Chart (Image source: Impression West Lake Official Website)

As for the seating, the main and VIP sections of Impression West Lake use telescopic tiered seats common in stadiums. The difference between the front and back rows is only about ten meters, and as long as you’re not in a far corner, the view isn’t bad. However, because the stage is so large, performers at the back are inevitably hard to see from any seat.

Signboard for Impression West Lake “The Most Memorable Is Hangzhou” in front of Yuewang Temple — Zhang Yimou is one of the producers.

This is the main audience area for Impression West Lake — filled with cars during the day and transformed into tiered seating at night.

Morning view of the Impression West Lake performance stage (can you see it?). The stage sits 65 cm below the water surface during the day and rises to 3 cm below the surface at night. Most performers have to perform in the water (quite a challenge). The visible area in the photo is just part of the stage — giving you an idea of its size.

Impression West Lake“The Most Memorable Is Hangzhou”
Address: Yuehu Scenic Area (opposite Yuewang Temple on North Lake Road, West Lake)
Phone: 057186156991
Show Times: 19:45 PM, 21:15 PM
Ticket Price: 360 – 680 RMB
Official Website

Yuewang Temple Dock — Take a boat to Xiaoyingzhou to see the West Lake Ten Scenes “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon.”

The ticket booth is right next to the dock. Xavier will provide more details in the “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon” article.

The West Lake Ten Scenes “Quyuan Fenghe” is located right in front of Yuewang Temple and beside the Impression West Lake stage. The painted pleasure boat in the back turns into the audience seating for Impression West Lake at night, with different pricing for upper and lower decks.

Article authorized by Xavier Yuan Chuangzhiyi
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