Liuhe Pagoda - A Quiet Sentinel Through the Ages
In Hangzhou, there's a place where natural beauty and cultural heritage intertwine—the Liuhe Pagoda. Standing on the banks of the Qiantang River, it has weathered a thousand years of storms, witnessed countless sunrises and sunsets, and carries the historical memories of this city.
The journey to Liuhe Pagoda is filled with anticipation. If you choose public transportation, you can take bus routes 314, 4, 4 Express, 318, 318B, Digital Tourism Bus Line 2, or Digital Tourism Bus Line 4, and get off at Liuhe Pagoda Station to encounter this marvel. Alternatively, you can take bus routes 500, 7280, or 8202 to Zhijiang Road Liuhe Pagoda Station for easy access. If driving, head west from Xiaoshan East or National Highway 104, turn south after crossing the bridge, and navigate to Hangzhou Liuhe Pagoda. The scenery along the way serves as a prelude, gradually unveiling this wonderful journey.
Upon entering the Liuhe Pagoda scenic area, you're immediately enveloped by an ancient atmosphere. This structure, originally built in the third year of the Kaibao period during the Northern Song Dynasty, was constructed by King Qian Hongchu of Wuyue to suppress the river tides, embodying the wisdom and wishes of the ancients. The existing Liuhe Pagoda features a wooden tower structure with a brick body in pavilion style. The tower stands 59.89 meters tall and appears to have thirteen stories from the outside, with numerous small windows on each level and 104 iron bells hanging from the upturned eaves. When the wind blows, the bells chime with a crisp, pleasant sound. However, the pagoda actually has only seven floors inside, with its unique "seven visible, six hidden" structure seemingly concealing secrets of time. Ascending the spiral staircase, you can feel the weight of history with each step. From the top of the tower, looking out over the railing, the magnificent Qiantang River spreads before your eyes. The surging waters flow ceaselessly, boats come and go on the river, and in the distance, the Qiantang River Bridge spans both banks, connecting past and present, busyness and tranquility. The majestic scene makes one marvel at nature's masterful craftsmanship and humanity's great creativity, while troubles gradually dissipate amid this spectacular view.
From March to mid-April, Liuhe Pagoda welcomes a romantic floral event—the peony exhibition. During this time, the pagoda transforms into an exquisite painting. Liuhe Cultural Park is known as the "Jiangnan Peony Garden," housing over 230 varieties of peonies across 4,000 square meters. When the peonies bloom—red like fire, pink like rosy clouds, white like snow—they appear even more enchanting against the backdrop of Liuhe Pagoda. The elegance of the peonies complements the pagoda's ancient charm, the softness of the flowers blends with the tower's strength. Walking among the flowers, with the fragrance of peonies lingering and the ancient pagoda in sight, it feels like traveling through time back to a prosperous era. Here, time seems to slow down, and every moment is filled with poetry.
On the way down the mountain, the bells of Liuhe Pagoda ring out softly. These bell sounds, echoing from a thousand years ago, carry historical vicissitudes and the sediment of time. Each toll is steady and powerful, piercing the night sky, reaching people's ears, and resonating in their hearts. In these bell sounds, one feels inner peace and tranquility, as if all fatigue and chaos are cleansed away, leaving only purity and serenity deep within.
Liuhe Pagoda is not merely a building but an emotional anchor and cultural heritage. Here, you can watch the surging river tides, admire blooming peonies, listen to melodious bells, and let your soul find healing in this tranquil yet magnificent setting, creating warm and beautiful memories.
Tip: The Liuhe Pagoda scenic area requires an entrance ticket, and there's an additional fee to climb the tower.
The last stop of my Hangzhou trip, I climbed up to gaze out over the Qiantang River once again. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't good, and it was a bit foggy. The park itself was beautiful, with its historical stories. After descending the tower, the sun peeked out, illuminating my joyful mood.
This tower boasts a long-standing reputation. Climb the tower to view the Qiantang River and the Qiantang River Bridge, integrating the text into your travel experience. Its twin towers rival the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda in stature. Hangzhou's weather can be quite hot, so arriving early during the summer months is recommended. After the climb, explore nearby attractions like the Tiger Run. Highly recommended.
You can't miss the Liuhe Pagoda when you come to Hangzhou! The ticket is 20 yuan, and it costs another 10 yuan to climb the pagoda. As soon as you enter the park, the ancient and majestic Liuhe Pagoda comes into view, and next to it is the surging Qiantang River, which makes the atmosphere very comfortable. The stairs in the pagoda are quite steep, so you have to be careful when climbing, but the scenery on each floor is different, and the higher you go, the wider the view. At the top of the pagoda, you can see the river view, the bridge, and the city scenery. When the wind blows, the iron bells on the eaves jingle, which is so comfortable!
Liuhe Pagoda, standing on Yuelun Mountain by the Qiantang River, is an ancient building with a thousand-year history. The tower is nearly 60 meters high, with eight sides and thirteen floors on the outside and seven floors inside. The brick and stone structure and the wooden pavilion-style eaves complement each other, showing a unique architectural beauty. The 104 iron bells hanging on the eaves sway in the wind, making a crisp and pleasant sound, as if whispering a thousand-year story. Climbing the tower and looking far away, the Qiantang River Bridge and the scenery on both sides of the river are in full view, which is refreshing. The exquisite stone carvings, murals and paintings in the tower are even more amazing. Liuhe Pagoda is not only a scenic spot, but also a living history and cultural textbook, which allows people to feel the weight of history and the charm of culture while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Whether for ancient architecture enthusiasts or ordinary tourists, Liuhe Pagoda is a place that cannot be missed.
Hangzhou Liuhe Pagoda: Located on Yuelun Mountain by the Qiantang River on Zhijiang Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, it was first built in the third year of Kaibao in the Northern Song Dynasty by Qian Hongchu, the King of Wuyue, to control the tide. The pagoda has been damaged and rebuilt many times in history. The existing pagoda was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. It is a pavilion-style brick and wooden pagoda with exquisite architecture. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit and the best tidal viewing spot in the Qiantang River.
Liuhe Pagoda has been a favorite place for scholars to watch the river and recite poems since ancient times. It has been repaired in different dynasties. There are also carvings of flowers, birds, beasts and flying fairies inside the pagoda. It is also the best place to watch the tide of Qiantang River. It has become a must-go place for many people to watch the tide every year. The current Liuhe Pagoda was rebuilt in the Southern Song Dynasty. Liuhe Pagoda is also known as Liuhe Pagoda, which means "the four directions of heaven and earth".
I visited Liuhe Pagoda on the weekend. This is a place I have always longed for. I finally got to see it. I drove from the city along Yanggong Dike and Hupao Road. The scenery was beautiful all the way. You can park in the scenic spot parking lot, 20 yuan per hour, and the tower includes the park ticket 30 yuan. It is recommended to climb the tower to see far. The tower has 13 floors on the outside and 7 floors on the inside. The stairs in the tower are steep, so you must be careful. The tower has various exquisite murals and brick carvings, and the artistic value is extremely high. You can see the scenery from every side window on each floor. Below is the Qiantang River Bridge. To the west, you can see the Zhijiang Bridge as far as possible. The scenery is really good. Blowing the autumn wind and looking at the river view, I really have a feeling of "the clouds are rising in my chest, and the birds are returning to my eyes". I feel that it is an excellent observation point to see the Qianjiang tide on August 15. When I went up and down the tower, I saw a couple. The young man carried the little girl upstairs. Such a steep staircase really made me sweat for them. I really admire the young man's spirit. Is this the power of love? After coming down from the tower, you can go to the stele pavilion to admire the imperial calligraphy of Emperor Qianlong, read the introduction of the past and present of Liuhe Pagoda, and listen to the sound of Liuhe bells...
Liuhe Pagoda is a scenic spot I really want to visit during this trip to Hangzhou. I imagine that I can climb up and overlook the tide of Qiantang River. The scenic area is not big, and there were not many tourists due to the typhoon that day, but there was still a limit on the number of people climbing to the fifth floor of the tower, so if you travel on holidays, you may not be able to climb to the top of the tower. But above the third floor, the pictures taken at each window are still very good. You can see the Qiantang River and the railway bridge, and the view is very open.