Overview
The lake was a lagoon until the eighth century, when it was dredged and embanked; the Bai and Su causeways are named for the poet-officials who built them. Ten prescribed views, fixed in the Song dynasty, still organise how the lake is seen and are marked by stelae. Entry is free, which for a site of this standing is unusual in China.
Highlights
Walk or cycle the Su Causeway, 2.8 kilometres of willows and arched bridges across the water. Take a boat to Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, the island with the stone pagodas on the one-yuan note. Sunset from Broken Bridge, and the lake at first light before the tour groups, are the two times worth planning around.