Introduction

South Lake Tourist Area, a National AAAAA Level scenic spot, is located in the Jiaxing City, covering an area of 5.5 sq km, consisting of the South Lake Park, Yuehe Historic Street and Qiyi Square. It is not only famed for its picturesque lake scenery and traditional Chinese architecture, but also for being an important national demonstration base for patriotism education. It is a famous tourism destination in East China.

The lake lies in the southeast part of Jiaxing, and is one of the three most famous lakes in Zhejiang (the other two are the West Lake in Hangzhou and the Donghu Lake in Shaoxing). It features beautiful scenery, mainly including the Huijing Park, Huxin Island, Yanyulou Pavilion and Haogu Tower. Yanyulou Pavilion, built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and decorated with various stone carvings, steles and tablets, is an ideal place to appreciate the wonderful scenery of the lake. Yuehe Historic Street lies in the northwest of the South Lake, with time-honored stores and shops, crisscrossing rivers, and a characteristically slow lifestyle, all reflecting the distinctive features of water towns in the south region of the Yangtze River. Qiyi Square is situated in the south of the lake, where the South Lake Revolutionary Memorial Hall is located.

The South Lake occupies a major place in history, because it witnessed the first National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1921 when the Chinese Communist Party was established, and from the ship of Chinese revolution set sail. Therefore, the South Lake has a shining spot in history and became an important landmark of the revolution in China’s modern history.

Surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, the charming lake showcases enchanting scenery and cultural relics, attracting tens of thousands of tourists every year. In 2001, the South Lake Tourist Area was added into the key national cultural protection units by the State Council.