Linyin Temple and West Lake

山外青山楼外楼，
西湖歌舞几时休?
暖风熏得游人醉，
直把杭州作汴州。
— 林升
Beyond the hills, green mountains lie, next to mansions stand edifices of more,
Singing and dancing around the West Lake never draw to a close.
Visitors become enchanted on the scents of warm breezes,
Supplanted from Bianzhou to Hangzhou, their new-found home.
— Sheng Lin
This poem, titled “题临安邸,” is about the West Lake, one of Hangzhou’s most famous and scenic areas. The West Lake, a 32 square kilometer area of water, bridges, and green coast, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular destination for travelers and locals alike. West Lake has numerous islands, pagodas, and temples, all of which have a long and rich history. After a visit to a local temple and lunch at a vegetarian restaurant, we spent an hour on a cruise around the West Lake, enjoying views of the many beautiful stone bridges and wooden buildings. 
At the end of the evening, we watched Enduring Memories of Hangzhou, a show with ten acts based on local legends. The show is completely performed on the lake, with special stages put three centimeters below the surface of the lake for performers to run, jump and dance on. The spectacular performance uses the lake, its surroundings, and what seems like millions of lights to accompany the hundreds of performers that look as if they’re running across the surface of the water.
The show was designed by Zhang Yimou — who put together the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing — specifically for the 2016 G20 Summit held in Hangzhou. The show was re-created for public viewing in 2017, and is now one of Hangzhou’s biggest tourist attractions.