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Impression West Lake

General Introduction

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Hangzhou West Lake BridgeAn old Chinese saying goes that there is a paradise in heaven, Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth. When Marco Polo visited China in the thirteenth century, he remarked Hangzhou as the most beautiful city he'd ever seen. West Lake, as the hottest landmark of Hangzhou, is certainly not to be missed. The lake is surrounded by hills on three sides while Hangzhou city on the eastern shore. Ancient Chinese people praised the area around West Lake as a land of intoxicating beauty.


Staged entirely upon the lake itself, Impression West Lake (Enduring Memories of Hangzhou), directed by Zhang Yimou, is a grand open-air show of light, music, dance and theatrics. First initiated in 2007, Impression West Lake deploys the lake and its surroundings as props to create a life-like charming background. Through the vividly performed folklores and myths of Hangzhou, Impression West Lake highly exhibits the deep-rooted culture and natural beauty of Hangzhou.


Impression West Lake

Impression West Lake

Yuehu Lake Scenic Area is the venue of Impression West Lake. There is a retractable and moveable platform to hold 1800 audiences at the south of Yuehu Lake Tower. With the combination of live environment and high-end technologies, Impression West Lake extends varied marvelous visual appeal to audience in accordance with the natural changes.

Impression West Lake is one of the outdoor folk musical shows under the title "Impression", co-directed by Zhang Yimou, Wang Chaoge and Fan Yue. It was first initiated in late 2007. Staged entirely upon West Lake, the show combines both the natural and cultural beauty of West Lake.

Impression West Lake Impression West Lake
Performance undergoing The performance is staged on water.

Legend of the Formation of West Lake

Long long ago in the heaven, Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix found a white jade on a fairy island near the Milky Way. They made every effort to polish the jade, and after many years got a gorgeous and shining pearl. Wherever the pearl shone its rays on, trees became evergreen and flowers blooming. This miracle was known by Xi Wang Mu, the highest goddess of heaven, and she sent out soldiers to extort the pearl. By accident, during the fight, the pearl fell into the human world and turned into the shimmering West Lake. To protect the lake forever, Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix descended to the world and turned into Jade Dragon Mountain and Phoenix Mountain, lying near the lake ever since.


Impression West Lake Impression West Lake
West Lake Overview West Lake Causeway

Layout of West Lake

West Lake is surrounded by hills on three sides while Hangzhou city itself on the eastern shore. The basic layout is "one hill, two causeways, three islands, and five lakes".

    One hill: Gushan Hill, the largest natural island in the lake
    Two causeways: Su Causeway & Bai Causeway
    Three islands: Three small man-made islands, "Xiao Ying Zhou", "Hu Xin Ting", "Ruan Gong Dun", lie in the center of Outer West Lake.
    Five lakes: Outer West Lake, West Inner Lake, North Inner Lake, Little South Lake, and Yue Lake.


Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake (The Traditional Version)

West Lake is the pride of Hangzhou, and a favorite spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the modern city. Among all its marvelous sceneries, the Ten Scenic Spots top the tourism itinerary. They are:
-- Dawn on the Su Causeway in Spring,
-- Curved Yard and Lotus Pool in Summer,
-- Moon over the Peaceful Lake in Autumn,
-- Remnant Snow on the Bridge in Winter,
-- Leifeng Pagoda in the Sunset,
-- Two Peaks Piercing the Clouds,
-- Orioles Singing in the Willows,
-- Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond,
-- Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon,
-- Evening Bell Ringing at the Nanping Hill.



West Lake not only hosts abundant natural resources and resorts, it also possesses a close link to ancient Chinese culture, including association with a large number of romantic poets, profound philosophers, national heroes and heroines.


West Lake (Xihu) is without doubt at the top of Hangzhou's hottest landmarks. Remarked as a paradise on earth, West Lake depicted its intoxicating beauty by its natural sceneries as well as its romantic legends. The grand open-air show, Impression West Lake (Enduring Memories of Hangzhou), is the very media that brings the audience into the mixed wonders of West Lake's natural and cultural beauties.


Impression West Lake (Enduring Memories of Hangzhou)


Hangzhou West Lake Bridge Avenue: Yuehu Lake Scenic Area
Address: Yuehu Lake Scenic Area, West Lake, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Show Time: 19:40-20:35
Directors: Zhang Yimou, Wang Chaoge, Fan Yue


Notice: Due to weather condition and facility maintenance, the show is usually closed from the mid December to January of the following year and not available for booking.


Impression West Lake, Hangzhou
Ticket Class General Seat VIP Seat
Discount Rate USD60 USD68
Ticket Booking



Impression West Lake Booking Tips


After you select a ticket class in above table, later you shall select show date&time and submit your information, then make payment online by Paypal, then you will get a ticket confirmation voucher in 72 hours.
 
Ticket Confirmation Voucher: How to get show ticket(s)?
After make payment online to us, the Ticket confirmation voucher will be sent to you via email. You will get show ticket(s) by displaying your passport and ticket confirmation voucher to the theatre staffs at the theatre, and they will help you to find the seat.
Urgent Booking: 100% Refund Guarrantee:
You can directly contact us by Email or call 0086-20-37251788 to make a urgent booking. Thousands of our clients have paid through PayPal to book tickets in this way. In case when we find out the tickets have been sold out on the day you required, we guarantee to send 100% refund to your Paypal account immediately.
Notice: No cancellation is allowed once the order is confirmed.
For more question about this show, please contact our trip advisor.

 


Synopsis of Impression West Lake


Act I: Encounter

From the remote horizon, a white crane sails near, and transforms into a young scholar. Gently and graciously, he saunters around West Lake. Meanwhile, another white crane comes, transforming into a beautiful woman. In the gorgeous lake view, in the fantastic drizzle, they fall in love with each other at first sight, with a silk umbrella as their pledge for love. It seems as if the engagement scene between Xu Xian and Lady White in the Tale of White Serpent appears again.


Act II: In Love

As if having independent mind, the fish at the West Lake chases and frolics with each other. Echoing to this brisk and pleasant scene, the characters on stage are displaying their happiness of love with their graceful and smooth dances. In this world, their soul and spirit combine together, with their love as pledge.


Act III: Parting

Happy time flies. With the drumming rhythm, the show comes to a climax, where the love of this two heavely crane meets obstruction from great powers. Tragically, the female crane dies in the stuggle, bidding a heart-rending farewell to her love.


Act IV: Memories

The male crane returns to the place where they met. The beautiful scenes stay the same, yet his love leaves forever. Numerous charming ladies pass by, yet none of them is his love. The drizzle of that day, the boat where they stay, the promise of their love, can only become memories, for ever, and ever.


Act V: Impression

Dreamly, softly, the legendary love rests in the graceful West Lake. As if in dream, the crane couple meets with each other again, and leaves, until they disappear in the horizon. But the memories of their love leave a mysterious and marvellous impression on us. Maybe some day in the future, when we think of this show, we will be moved to tears again by this love story.


Impression West Lake Impression West Lake
The on-going performance Stage of Impression West Lake


  • Impression west lake
  • Impression West Lake Stage
  • Stage on water with lighting
  • Also a show of light
  • The colorfully lighted stage
  • Gorgeous performance
  • The crane-transformed young scholar
  • The on-going performance
  • Stage of the show

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