Slender West Lake

{{redirect|Shouxihu|the administrative area|Shouxihu Subdistrict}} {{hatnote|Not to be confused with the more famous West Lake in Hangzhou, China.}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Slender West Lake | native_name = {{native name|zh|瘦西湖}} | other_name = | image = Twenti-four Bridge.jpg | alt = 24 Bridge | caption = The Bridge of Twenty-Fours ({{lang|zh|二十四桥}}) at Slender West Lake (2017) | image_bathymetry = | alt_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Hanjiang District, Yangzhou, Jiangsu | group = | coordinates = {{Coord|32|24|36|N|119|25|03|E|type:waterbody_region:CN-32|display=it}} | type = Lake | etymology = | part_of = | inflow = | rivers = | outflow = | oceans = | catchment = | basin_countries = | agency = | designation = | date-built = | engineer = | date-flooded = | length = | width = | area = | depth = | max-depth = | volume = | residence_time = | salinity = | shore = | elevation = | temperature_high = | temperature_low = | frozen = | islands = | islands_category = | sections = | trenches = | benches = | cities = | pushpin_map = Jiangsu | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of the lake in Jiangsu | pushpin_map_caption = | website = [http://ly.shouxihu.net/ ly.shouxihu.net] }} {{Infobox Chinese |pic=Five Pavilion Bridge and White Pagoda 2017.jpg |picsize=266px |piccap=The dagoba and Five-Pavilion Bridge (2017) |c={{linktext|瘦西湖}} |p=Shòuxīhú |w=Shou-hsi-hu |l=Skinny West Lake |altname=Slender West Lake Scenic Area |t2={{linktext|揚州|瘦西湖|風景區}} |s2={{linktext|扬州|瘦西湖|风景区}} |p2=Yángzhōu Shòuxīhú Fēngjǐngqū |w2=Yang-chou Shou-hsi-hu Feng-ching-ch'ü }} {{Infobox Chinese |title=Historical names |altname=Paoshan Creek |c2={{linktext|炮山河}} |p2=Pàoshān Hé |w2=P'ao-shan Ho |l2=Artillery Hill Creek |altname3=Changchun Creek |t3={{linktext|長春河}} |s3={{linktext|长春河}} |p3=Chángchūn Hé |w3=Ch'ang-ch'un Ho |l3=Eternal Spring Creek |altname4=Baoyang Creek |t4={{linktext|保揚河}} |s4={{linktext|保扬河}} |p4=Bǎoyáng Hé |w4=Pao-yang Ho |l4=Yangzhou-Protecting Creek |altname5=Baozhang Creek |c5={{linktext|保障河}} |p5=Bǎozhàng Hé |w5=Pao-chang Ho |l5=Protecting Creek |altname6=Baozhang Lake |c6={{linktext|保障湖}} |p6=Bǎozhàng Hú |w6=Pao-chang Hu |l6=Protecting Lake }}

'''Slender West Lake''', also known by its Chinese name '''Shouxihu''' and by other names, is a scenic lake in Hanjiang District in central Yangzhou, China. The lake developed from the city moats of Tang-era Yangzhou. During the Qing dynasty, its banks were the site of numerous estates for the area's wealthy officials and salt merchants. The lake and some of its attractions have been restored as a national park and AAAAA tourist attraction, requiring a ticket for admission and open only from 7 am to 6 pm.{{sfnp|Fodor's|2015|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Uz-wBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT284 284]}}

==Names== In medieval and early modern China, the present Slender West Lake was described as a stretch of river variously known as Paoshan, Changchun, Baoyang, or Baozhang Creek. The area was popularly known as the Slender West Lake by the late 17th century, when the name was recorded in the treatise ''Yángzhōu Gǔchuī Cíxù'' {{nowrap|(t {{lang|zh|《{{linktext|揚州|鼓吹|詞|序}}》}},}} {{nowrap|s {{lang|zh|《{{linktext|扬州|鼓吹|词|序}}》}})}} compiled by Wu Qi {{nowrap|(t {{lang|zh|{{linktext|吳|綺}}}},}} {{nowrap|s {{lang|zh|{{linktext|吴|绮}}}},}} ''Wú Qǐ''; 1619{{ndash}}1694).{{efn|{{lang|zh|城北一水通平山堂，名瘦西湖，本名保障湖。}}}} It was further popularized in the 1736 poem "On Baozhang Creek" ({{lang|zh|《{{linktext|咏|保障河}}》}}, ''Yǒng Bǎozhàng Hé'') written by the Hangzhou native Wang Hang ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|汪|沆}}}}, ''Wāng Hàng'', 1704{{ndash}}1784) during a visit to Yangzhou.{{sfnp|Lu|1981|p=[https://archive.org/details/cr196912/CR1981-09/page/n35/mode/2up 34]}} Wang had been the student of Li E, who had just completed his own work on the ''West Lake Records'' ({{lang|zh|《{{linktext|西湖|志}}》}}, ''Xīhú Zhì'') detailing the history of the area around Hangzhou's West Lake{{sfnp|Du|1943|p=454}} and Wang's short ode praised the town as similarly prosperous and attractive.{{efn|{{lang|zh|垂杨不断接残芜，雁齿虹桥俨花图。 也是销金一锅子，故应唤作瘦西湖。}}}}

==Geography== Slender West Lake is located between Hanjiang and Guangling districts in the center of modern Yangzhou in central Jiangsu in eastern China. Originally part of the moats, canals, and streams around the older locations of Yangzhou, it lies above the northwestern corner of the city's Song, Ming, and Qing fortifications.{{sfnp|Olivová|2009|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=dvFJQ6WE1agC&pg=PA6 6{{ndash}}7]}} The lake proper runs from Baozhang Lake at the north to the remains of the Qing moat at the south. The Slender West Lake Scenic Area includes Baozhang Lake and some islands and additional waterways to the west.{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}

The present lake runs for {{cvt|3.4|km|sp=us}} and covers about {{cvt|30|ha|sqmi|sp=us}}. The scenic area around it covers at least {{cvt|120|ha|sqmi|sp=us}}.<ref name=odannyboy/>

The lake lies on the opposite side of the old city from the course of the Grand Canal to its east. It is nevertheless interconnected with it by streams along its entire length: by Baozhang Lake and the modern extent of the Han or Hangou Canal {{nowrap|(t {{lang|zh|{{linktext|邗|溝}}}},}} {{nowrap|s {{lang|zh|{{linktext|邗|沟}}}},}} ''Hángōu'') on the north; by Cao or Caohe Creek {{nowrap|({{lang|zh|{{linktext|漕|河}}}},}} ''Cáo Hé'') in the middle; and by Yudai Creek {{nowrap|(t {{lang|zh|{{linktext|玉|帶|河}}}},}} {{nowrap|s {{lang|zh|{{linktext|玉|带|河}}}},}} ''Yùdài Hé'') or by Erdao Creek {{nowrap|({{lang|zh|{{linktext|二|道|河}}}},}} ''Èrdào Hé''), Lotus Pond Park, and Andun Creek {{nowrap|({{lang|zh|{{linktext|安|墩|河}}}},}} ''Āndūn Hé'') on the south.

==History== thumb|right|250px|Yangzhou under the Qing, Slender West Lake marked by its Bridge of 24s Despite Yangzhou's centuries of prosperity as a major hub on the Grand Canal, the area around Slender West Lake was not particularly built up until the Qianlong Era of the Qing, the mid-1700s. The area had been greatly damaged with the rest of city by the Qing conquest and the Yangzhou Massacre in May 1645.{{sfnp|Fodor's|2015|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Uz-wBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT284 284]}} Under the Qing, however, the great wealth of the area's canal officials and salt merchants was used to construct lavish private residences and gardens{{sfnp|Hollister|1996|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=JqHPpNaZfNwC&pg=PA886 886]}} along with nationally renowned restaurants and teahouses{{sfnp|Olivová|2015|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=mVgEEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA108 108]}} and decoration intended to welcome Qing emperors and officials, particularly the Qianlong Emperor. The lake was dredged and enlarged to handle the imperial entourage, particularly during his second visit in 1757.{{sfnp|Finnane|2004|p=194}} Several major landmarks self-consciously emulate features of other locations.{{sfnp|Chen|1962}} The area was heavily damaged during the Taiping Rebellion in the 1850s and 1860s, but was a particular focus of rebuilding afterwards.

The lake was thoroughly dredged in 1979, allowing boats to again reach the Daming Temple<ref name=odannyboy>{{citation |last=Danielson |first=Eric N. |date=26 January 2012 |contribution-url=http://yangziman.over-blog.com/2015/07/yangzhou-still-a-former-rival-to-suzhou.html |contribution=Yangzhou Historic Sites Index |publisher= |location= |url=http://yangziman.over-blog.com/ |title=The Long River |access-date=19 March 2024 |archive-date=2 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240202050559/http://yangziman.over-blog.com/ |url-status=live }}.</ref> in time for a long-planned bit of cultural diplomacy whereby the Tōshōdai-ji in Nara, Japan, allowed its 8th century sculpture of the monk and missionary Jianzhen to be temporarily exhibited at his original temple in mainland China. The lake was designated a national park in 1988.<ref name=odannyboy/>

A long bank planted with weeping willows follows the lake. At its midpoint stands a square terrace with pavilions at each of the corners and one in the center. Around the lake is a park in which are found several attractions: Xu Garden, the White Dagoba of Lianxing Temple, copied from the similar tower in Beijing's Beihai Park; Five-Pavilion Bridge; Small Gold Mountain (Xiao Jinshan); and the Fishing Platform (Diaoyu Tai), a favorite retreat of the Qianlong Emperor. The emperor was so gratified by his luck in fishing at this spot that he ordered additional stipends for the town. As it turns out, his success had been augmented by local swimmers who lurked in the lake busily attaching fish to his hook. The present Bridge of 24s (Ershisi Qiao or Niansi Qiao) is not located in its original place and probably derives from confusion with the 24 bridges recorded in Yangzhou under the Tang, the confusion arising from the general lack of distinction between singular and plural forms in Chinese.{{sfnp|Kafalas|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=mVgEEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA61 61{{ndash}}62]}}

==Legacy== Wang Hang's poem remains a point of pride for the city and the area remains a major tourist attraction. However, Zhu Ziqing found the comparison with Hangzhou ill taken; by comparison, he found the slenderness of the lake offputting despite enjoying Yangzhou's many canals.{{sfnp|Finnane|2015|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=mVgEEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA398 398]}}<ref>{{citation |last=Zhu |first=Ziqing |author-mask=Zhu Ziqing |script-title=zh:《扬州的夏日》 |trans-title=Yángzhōu de Xiàrì'', ''Summer Days in Yangzhou |language=zh}}.</ref>

==See also== * List of Chinese gardens * Geyuan, a nearby traditional estate

== Notes == {{notelist}}

== References == ===Citations=== {{Reflist|30em}}

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Category:Slender West Lake Category:National parks of China Category:Yangzhou Category:Lakes of Jiangsu Category:Tourist attractions in Jiangsu Category:AAAAA-rated tourist attractions