Bai Causeway

Bai Causeway

Bai Causeway is the oldest causeway on the West Lake. It was built in the early Tang Dynasty and it first was called Baisha Causeway. It starts from the Broken Bridge, passes the Embroidery Belt Bridge and ends at the Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake. This one-kilometer-long causeway runs from east to west on the West Lake and provides a short cut from the city proper to the Solitary Hill.

Pink peach trees and sweeping willows are grown at regular intervals along both sides of the causeway. When the great Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi worked as governor of Hangzhou, he often took a stroll along the causeway and wrote a poem entitled ” Walking by Qiantang Lake in Spring”. The last two lines read:

” I like most to go east of the lake and linger there,
The Baisha Causeway is shaded by green willows.”

Though Bai Juyi did not construct the causeway, he did supervise the construction of another causeway, which has now disappeared, from Qiantang city gate to the foot of the Precious Stone Hill. The local people, out of adoration for him, came to associate his name with it, because during his three years as governor of Hangzhou(822–824), he contributed tremendously to the welfare of the city inhabitants. For example, he conducted water conservancy projects, dredged the six spring wells and the West Lake itself.

Since the 1950′s, the causeway has been reconstructed on many occasions, made wider and more solid, with peach and willow trees, flowers and lawns planted along the entire length of the causeway. When one looks at the green hills and the clear water around, one seems to be touring in apainting.

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Author: Amoytrip---Free China Travel Guide--Bai Causeway
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