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Home Travel in Zhejiang Xixi National Wetland Park
Xixi National Wetland Park
Travel in Zhejiang

 Xixi National Wetland Park
Xixi National Wetland Park (xī xī shī dì guó jiā gōng yuán 西溪湿地国家公园) is located in the west of Hang Zhou City (háng zhōu shì 杭州市), Zhejiang Province (zhè jiāng shěng 浙江省), less than five kilometers away from West Lake (xī hú 西湖). It covers an area of 10.08 square kilometers, among which 3.46 kilometers areas are open to public. The park is the first and the only national wetland park in China which combines urban wetland, farming wetland and cultural wetland. Xixi National Wetland Park features abundant ecological resources, beautiful natural scenes and rich cultural heritages. It was regarded as one of the "Three Xi" in Hangzhou along with West Lake and Xiling Seal Society (xī líng yìn shè 西泠印社).

Xixi National Wetland ParkThe landscapes in Xixi are famous for its nature and simplicity. Experts summarize its features like this: Coldness (lǜ 绿), Wildness (yě 野), Simplicity (dàn 淡) and Elegance (yǎ 雅). Coldness is quietude, means it is a peaceful place in a noisy city. Wildness suggests nature and a primitive land in human world. Simplicity means back to nature. Elegance suggests grace, you can feel the profound culture flavor here. Xixi has always been a best place for artists and writers to produce poems, calligraphy, paintings and epigraphy.

There are three causeways and ten sights in Xixi. The three causeways are Causeway Fu (fú dī 福堤), Causeway Lu (lǜ dī 绿堤) and Causeway Shou Xixi National Wetland Park(shòu dī 寿堤). In Chinese,
the three words fu, lu and shou have the meaning of fortune, prosperity and longevity. Causeway Fu is 2,300 meters in length and 7 meters in width. It stretches through the park from south to north. Across the bank span six bridges with the Chinese character “fu”, respectively named Yuanfu Bridge (yuán fú qiáo 元福桥), Yongfu Bridge (yǒng fú qiáo 永福桥), Qingfu Bridge (qìng fú qiáo 庆福桥), Xiangfu Bridge (xiàng fú qiáo 向福桥), Guangfu Bridge (guǎng fú qiáo 广福桥), Xixi National Wetland ParkQuanfu Bridge (quán fú qiáo 全福桥). Causeway Lu is 1,600 meters long and 7 meters wide. It stretches through the core reserve area from west to east. Causeway Shou is 3,600 meters long and 4.5 meters with, it is the longest one in the three. The ten sights are Qiu Lu Fei Xue (qiū lú fēi xuě 秋芦飞雪), the only sight that can be reached by boat; Huo Shi Ying Bo (huǒ shì yìng bō 火柿映波); Exhibition of Dragon Boat Culture (lóng zhōu shèng huì 龙舟胜会); Lian Tan Lu Ying (lián tān lù yǐng 莲滩鹭影), the main area for bird-watching; Charm of Hong Villa (hóng yuán yú yùn 洪园余韵), the living place of the Hongs; Boat-rowing in the Moonlight (jiān jiā fàn yuè 蒹葭泛月); Fog and Water in Fishing Village (yú cūn yān yǔ 渔村烟雨); Qu Shui Xun Mei (qǔ shuǐ xún méi 曲水寻梅),a main place to view plum blossom; Gao's Villa (gāo zhuāng chén jì 高庄宸迹) and Music Appreciation in Hezhu (hé zhǔ tīng qǔ 河渚听曲).

Xixi National Wetland ParkWater is the soul of the Xixi Wetland. About 70% of the area was covered by river harbors, ponds, lakes and marshes. Six creeks cross through the park which scattered numerous fish ponds which forms a unique scene of Xixi wetland.

In order to strengthen the ecology protection. People built three big ecological protection area, Fei Jia Tang (fèi jiā táng 费家搪), Xia Long Tan (xiā lóng tān 虾龙滩) and Chao Tian Mu (cháo tiān mù 朝天暮). An Ecological Recovery Area was built too. There is a wetland museum at the entry. Xixi is also a heaven for birds, many Bird-Watching Pavilion were built here. You can see the magnificent sight of a group of flying birds.

Xixi was regarded as a pure land on earth by many literators. Qiu Xue Hut (qiū xuě ān 秋雪庵), Bo Hut (bó ān 泊庵), Plum and Bamboo Villa (méi zhú shān zhuāng 梅竹山庄) and Xixi Grass Hall are the places where ancient literators produced their works. It is said that the ancient stage under the old camphor in Shen Tan Kou (shēn tán kǒu 深谭口) was the first performing place of Yueju Opera (yuè jù 越剧).

The folkway in Xixi is very simplicity. Exhibition of dragon boat culture will be held here every year. The dragon boat exhibition had a long history and unique form which was praised as Figure Dragon Boat (huā yàng lóng zhōu 花样龙舟).

Gao's VillaThere are also restaurants, snacks outlet, conference rooms, educational center and a science laboratory at Xi Xi. The Xixi wetland is a beautifully tranquil rural water town, a healthy respite from crowded city life.

Xixi National Wetland Park
Address: No. 148 Tianmushan Road (tiān mù shān lù 天目山路), Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province
Admission fee: RMB 80
Opening hours: 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 pm.
Transportation:
Bus: No. 310, K506, K193, Y13