If an inscription on a stone tablet illustrates part of history, then a forest of stone tablets is a library of history carved vividly and solidly on stone. The stone tablet library in Hangzhou is just such a precious archive of past stories. The stone tablet library of Hangzhou is located on a compound where an ancient municipal academic institution used to stand centuries ago. The location is on the downtown Labor Road, only about 500 meters away from the eastern side of the West Lake.

Inside the compound stand many stone tablets on which inscriptions by famed ancient calligraphers can be seen. Carvings on the tablets include a star chart left over from the Five Dynasty (907-960 A.D.), some human figures, a scripture of the South Song Dynasty Royal Learning Institute, a 1000-character prose by a North Song Dynasty emperor, etc. The library epitomizes the ancient glory of Hangzhou and signifies the historical status Hangzhou used to maintain as the most beautiful and prosperous city in the world. These tablets are soundless and yet loudly telling their part of the story Hangzhou has about itself. Steps of history are almost audible here. They tell the vicissitudes Hangzhou has experienced.

Liuhe (Six Harmonies) Pagoda dates back to 970 AD. Situated on the north bank of the Qiantang River's Crescent Moon Hill, the pagoda has fallen into ruins and gone through reconstruction many times. The core of the present pagoda was built with the bricks left over from the South Song Dynasty. The upturned wooden multi-eaves and wrapping structure were first built in the ending years of the Qing Dynasty and have been refurbished many times. The pagoda stands at 59.89 meters in height. It seems to have 13 stories outside but only seven stories inside available to climbers. The Six Harmonies Pagoda has been under the state protection since 1961 as a state-level cultural site.

Commanding a spectacular view of the surging Qiantang River, the Pagoda presents a quiet image of age-old majesty. Looking out from the top of the pagoda, sightseers can see as far as the misty horizon, enjoying an unforgettable, breathtaking experience.

Since September 26,1937 when the Qiantang Bridge finally spanned the river near the site of the pagoda, the two grand structures have been associated as a landmark of Hangzhou and the West Lake. Inside and out of the site of the pagoda are many stone tablets and stone statues left over from the past dynasties, such as the minister's tablet, a Buddhist Scripture tablet erected in the South Song Dynasty, a god statue carved in the Ming Dynasty and a poem inscription on a stone tablet for the Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. As the result of efforts made in the past few years, some man-made attractions have been built within the large compound where the pagoda stands. A huge bell has become a favorite site for local people for New Year celebration. A pagoda garden presents miniature copies of famed pagodas in China.

Peak Flying from Afar, 168-meter high, is formed by rocks of limestone which is different from the other peaks around it. Peak is covered with odd-shaped rocks and historic trees. The odd-shaped rocks appear to be the flying dragon, the running elephant, the lying tiger and the jumping monkey. The peak is just like a rocky zoo. It just as Yuan Hongdou's saying :“Peak Flying from Afar is the best one among all the peaks around the West Lake”. Dotted inside its main caves and on its steep slopes along the stream are 345-odd stone carvings, which date from the Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties. Among all these stone carving, the figures which can be traced back to the Yuan Dynasty are the most precious and the treasures of China grotto carving. It is no wonder that grottos here have been designated for state protection. At the west side of Peak, there is a spring among the trees called Cool Spring. Its water is pure and clear. Sheng Shitian, a famous Chinese painter once wrote that :“As for the views around the West Lake, Lingyin Temple comes first. And in terms of views around the temple, the cool spring is second to none”. On the bank of the Cool Spring Pool, there is a pavilion called Cool Spring Pavilion.

Located on the western side of the West Lake, the one-acre Guo Manor looks across the western inner lake to the Su Causeway. The estate is also known as Fenyang Villa.

The manor is surrounded by age-old trees against the undulating peaks in the distance. The waves touches the estate, bringing all the shadows and reflections of the lakeside scenery to the pavilions and houses. Looking across the expanse of the lake, you can discern the shadow of the Baochu Pagoda in the east merged with the causeway, and pleasure boats noiselessly glide on the glass-like waters.

Inside the estate are tall trees leaning against wooden houses, zigzagged corridors and pavilions perching on the ponds, flowers flanking narrow plate paths, birds hovering and dashing above and fish splashing now and then. When the silver moon shines brightly in a light breeze, you don't know where you are and what evening is this evening.

The Guo Estate has been well known far and near for centuries. The Records of Gardens in Southeast China makes such a comment on the lakeside manor: the estate is encircled by waters. It is so graceful and intricate that it resembles the Wangshi Garden in Suzhou. Full of eternal, poetic beauty, the manor is the one of the best garden-like private estate properties in Hangzhou. Chen Chongzhou, a modern architectural master on the art of landscape gardening, observes that the estate is the best garden on the West Lake in comparison with all other adjacent gardens. He identifies the Guo Estate concisely as the back view of the West Lake.

The south shore of the West Lake allows guests to enjoy leisure, vacation, physical exercise, entertainment and sightseeing simultaneously, adding naturally and culturally fresh highlight to the lakeside.

Being so close to water, the scenic south line starts from the first park of Lakeside Road, passes by oriole's willow jungle, twists with tea house-dotted and bridge-lined grassland, lost in fountains, fog forest and birds' chipping.

A lazy walk along the south boundary provides you with views of the statue of arrow-shooting general, a golden pond and ancient shrines. All the 18 places of cultural interest have purified the poetic taste among the natural surrounding here.

Ancient structures make an exotic addition to the area. Zhou's Old House and Hong's Hall from Xi County, Anhui Province, present specially designed hard mountain roof, brick-carving plaque and high wind wall. Passing by the imperial port, visitors are able to see Gratitude Bridge and New Heng He Bridge.

The art galleries and bars along the street seem to gleam with modernity. The coming dust calls upon bars like Dream Paradise or Fire Cicada to shimmer light. The haunting music reminds visitors of those nearby popular destinations. The whole south line is dotted with bar section, culture section, leisure section, food and drinking section, art corridors, fashionable bars and special tea houses.

The south line is also close to the downtown. The local citizens need not walk long to enjoy sipping tea, doing physical exercise, running exhibition or organizing folk performance. It is so convenient that they feel just like at home.

This green line, considered as the golden lakeside tourist attraction, flexibly reconciles the city with the lake.