Influences

The West Lake is said to be the incarnation of Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. As a result, since ancient times, the West Lake has been associated with a large number of romantic poets, philosophers, and national heroes and heroines, including:

• Eastern Jin Dynasty philosopher Ge Hong, who practiced Taoism in the Ge Mountain, and wrote his great philosophical work: Bao Pu Zhi.

• Tang Dynasty poet Luo Binwang lived in Lingyin Temple

• Tang Dynasty poet-governor Bai Juyi built the first causeway, which is the Bai Causeway.

• Song Dynasty poet-governor Su Dongpo, dredged the lake and built the Su Causeway. He also invented a special recipe for preparing pork: the Dongpo Pork. Dongpo Pork is on the menu of every restaurant in Hangzhou

• Song Dynasty national hero Yue Fei was buried near the West Lake

• The great Ming Dynasty essayist Zhang Dai, wrote a number great essays about Xī Hú in Reminiscence and Dream of Tao'an, as well as a whole book about the lake: Search for Xī Hú in Dreams.