INTELLIGENCE REPORT HANG-CHOU

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: The Nixon Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06928802
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 25
• Document Creation Date: February 23, 2022
• Document Release Date: February 11, 2022
• Publication Date: January 1, 1972

Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence Report
Hang-thou
out idea.
CIA/BGI GR 72-6
January 1972
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
793 and 794
or re-
ceipi: by an nathorized 9ordon
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
C NFIDENTIAL
Figure 1
People's Republic of China
.UTurrachi
.Lhasa
5222224 4. I- 7.2
�Ch'engiu
ZZCH
Ch'un9.ch'In9/
1-41-NAN
TAO
C NFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
ONFIDENTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
January 1972
INTELLIGENCE REPORT
Hang- chou
Introduction
1. Hang-chou is the most renowned tourist
city in the People's Republic of China (PRC). In
historic interest, it is second only to Peking, and
in the beauty of its surroundings, it is unsurpassed;
according to an old Chinese adage: "Heaven is above;
beneath are the cities of Soochow and Hang-chou."
Although the fame of the city derives from its physical
setting, historical connotations, and the products of
its hinterland (tea and silk), Hang-chou is a large,
modern city of some 700,000 people. Well served by
transportation lines, it is the capital of Chekiang
Province and the locus of a number of small but
significant industrial facilities.
2. The growth of Hang-chou, which had been
only a fishing settlement for more than a thousand
years, began with the southward extension of the
Yun Ho (Grand Canal) from the Yangtze late in the
6th century. The great expansion of the city and
its increased importance, however began during the
10th century, at a time when fundamental political
and economic changes were taking place in China.
The lower Yangtze region, with its great agricultural
productivity and extensive network of navigable
Note: This report was prepared by the Office of
Basic and Geographic'Intelligence and coordinated
within the Directorate of Intelligence.
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
A
waterways, began to supplant North China as the
nation's key economic region. Following the loss
of North China to alien rule, Hang-chou (then
called Lin-an) was chosen as the capital for the
Southern Sung Dynasty in 1127; this ushered in an
era of astonishing growth and an increase in the
area's wealth and prosperity. Although the Mongols
eventually attacked and sacked Hang-chou in 1276,
destroying parts of the city, including the Imperial
Palace, Hang-chou's importance was little dimmed.
It still flourished as a center for trade, and its
opulence and splendor entranced the occasional
Western visitor. Marco Polo, who visited the city
shortly after the Mongol conquest, wrote a lengthy
and detailed account of its prodigious size, paved
streets, multitude of markets and variety of goods,
the well-built houses of the wealthy, and the
pleasure boats on West Lake.
3. Hang-chou remained an important commercial
and tourist center until the savage T'ai-p'ing
Rebellion of the mid-19th century, during which
many of the famous temples, monasteries, and
pagodas were destroyed. Thereafter it declined as
a political and economic center, but it continued
to be a favored vacation and resort area. Since
the establishment of the PRC in 1949, Hang-chou
has developed a modest industrial base, and new
educational institutions and government buildings
have been erected; many of the tourist attractions
that made the city famous have also been restored.
4. Hang-chou is located at approximately
30�N, about the latitude of Jacksonville, Florida.
The Hang-chou winter, however, tends to be longer
and cooler, with average temperatures close to
50�F during the day and dropping to the freezing
mark at night. Winter precipitation is about the
same as that for Washington, D.C.; about 4 days
out of 10 experience some form of precipitation,
including an occasional snowfall. Spring begins
in late February with the early blooming of some
trees and shrubs. Most of the 62 inches of yearly
precipitation falls during spring and early summer.
Summers are hot and humid, and autumns are pleasant
with little rain.
- 2 -
�u-eyttrrrremt-ritt--
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
�EeiavL.F.-71-13ttl'rr7!=
Figure 2. Tea-growing area near Hang-chou. The
lung-ching tea grown here is one of the finest
teas produced in China.
S. Hang-chou is the center of an important
rice- and tea- growing area, with rice being grown
on all the available irrigated land. Some rice-
fields are winter cropped, usually being sown to
winter wheat or rape, which is harvested in May.
The hills south of Hang-chou produce some of the
finest tea in China -- notably "lung-ching", or
Dragon Well tea. Several tea communes are located
in or near the city, and the Dragon Well People's
Commune, located southwest of West Lake, is most
often shown to visitors. The commune contains the
site of the Lung-ching Ssu (Dragon Well Monastery),
the oldest monastery in Hang-chou.
Overview of the City
6. Hang-chou is located on the Ch'ien-t'ang
Chiang (river), near the head of the Hang-chou Wan
(bay). To the north and east of the city, an
intensively cultivated plain, crisscrossed by
innumerable canals and drainage ditches and dotted
by thousands of ponds, extends north to the
Yangtze. To the west is the fabled Hsi Hu (West
- 3 -
,
CONFIDEJIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Figure
50
Hsuan-
ch'eng
47 1-72
an-ching
Kuang-te.
nan-chian
Kiart su
hiang-yin
u-hsi
Wu-hsing
Kung-ch'en-
an-ch'i
Chin-hua
ng'cho
a han
haohsn
nfg
hu-chi
.Nan-t'ung
Gh'ang-shu
u-chou
Chia-hsing
Shangha
Sung-
chiang
Nin
Hang-chou Area
- 4 -
C NFIDENTIAL
Internal administrative
boundary
Railroad
Road
2.5 50
Miles
S
hai
ipality
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
CONFIDEATIAL
Figure 4. Yun Ho (Grand Canal). The arched bridge
is of the type described by Marco Polo. The
buildings to the right are part of a textile plant
in Kung-ch'en-chliao, a suburb north of Hang-chou.
Lake), which is surrounded by low hills that rarely
exceed 1,000 feet in elevation. The river at
Hang-chou is shallow, and at low tide, the mud-
flats are exposed. Hence the usefulness of the
city as a port is limited. The Grand Canal, which
terminates in the eastern and northern edge of the
city, is navigable for small boats as far as the
Yangtze River some 200 miles (by canal) to the
north. Quaint arched bridges cross the canal and
add a picturesque charm.
7. The modern city of Hang-chou is divided
into three distinct areas. The north is the center
of a growing, heavy industrial complex. Ubiquitous
ricefields surround the iron and steel plant,
cement plant, oil refinery, and the airfield
situated here. All of these features have been
constructed or expanded in recent years. The city
proper, the second distinctive area, contains
residential, commercial, and governmental sectors;
within it there is some light industry. West Lake
and the surrounding hills comprise the third distinct
area, which is mainly tourist and resort oriented.
- 5 -
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
8. Several sections of Hang-chou have been
rebuilt and modernized in recent years. Broad,
tree-lined streets and newly constrpcted buildings,
including many apartment complexes, present a
modern facade in an ancient city. The large
Chekiang Gymnasium has been constructed in the
northern part of the city at a location near
several institutions of higher learning, and the
Red Sun Exhibition Hall has been erected on Yen-an
Lu (street) near the Gymnasium. Many older sections
of the city remain as they have been for centuries,
characterized by narrow streets and cramped build-
ings. Most of the canals of Hang-chou that so
impressed Marco Polo no longer exist, many of them
having been filled and paved to serve vehicular
traffic. The extent of the built-up area has
changed little in 700 years, however, and the
current population (700,000 estimated) is probably
somewhat less than it was during the Sung period.
9. The textile industry is the most important
light industry in the city proper. Especially
associated with Hang-chou is the production of
silks. Tapestry weaving is a widely known speciality
for which the Tu-chin-sheng Mill is particularly
noted. The city also continues to produce tradi-
tional handicrafts -- silk parasols, scissors, and
fans.
10. Unlike Peking, few temples or monasteries
were built in Hang-chou, and for the most part those
that were have been destroyed. One exception is
the Mohammedan Mosque on Chung-shan Lu, built to
serve the many Arab traders who were given trading
privileges early in Hang-chou's history. The focal
point for temples, monasteries, and tombs, however,
is the West Lake area and the surrounding hills.
11. Many of the former villas and homes of
the wealthy have been turned into rest homes,
recreation hostels, or sanatoria. For the most
part they are located around the lake; some,
however, such as the Ping-feng Shan Sanatorium, are
situated in the hills along the river. In Hang-chou
there are many hotels, with the largest and best
being located adjacent to West Lake.
- 6 -
C NFIDE,ITIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Figure 5. The Tu-chin-sheng Silk Mill.
The elaborate tapestries produced at this
mill are a specialty of Hang-chou's silk
industry.
Figure 6. A view of Hang-chou Hotel from Ku Shan
Island. The largest and best-appointed hotel in
Hang-chou, it is located on Huan-hu Lu (road) in
front of Ko-ling Hill. The Hsi-ling Bridge -- barely
discernible in the center of the picture -- connects
Ku Shan with Huan-hu Lu, the street leading to Lake-
side Park. Several of the well-known attractions
are within walking distance of the hotel.
- 7 -
NT I AL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
West Lake
12. West Lake is the focal point for tourist
and recreation activities in Hang-chou. Parks,
playgrounds, and temples line the lakeside; a
circumferential road offers magnificent vistas of
wooded hillsides, ornate temples, and shaded
walkways of unbounded beauty; and the three small
islands in the lake are particularly attractive to
visitors. Scenic views associated with West Lake
may be observed at various vantage points. Ever
popular are "The Ten Scenes," considered to be the
most beautiful points around the lake. Some of
these scenes, such as the Tuan-ch'iao-ts'ang-hsueh
(Remnant of Snow at the Interrupting BriTge), are
most beautiful in late winter, while others are
highlighted in the spring and autumn. All of the
West Lake area can be enjoyed during summer, how-
ever, when the trees are green and the flowers
blossom in great abundance. Various points of
interest in the West Lake area, including the "Ten
Scenes," are described below, beginning at the
south end of the lake and continuing in a counter-
clockwise direction.
13. The Nan-pin_R-wan-ching (Evening Bell at
Nan-ping Hill), located at the Ching-t'zu Ssu (Pure
Compassion Monastery), is so named because the
chimes are admired for their resonance in the
evening. The monastery, built about A.D. 960,
originally was known as the Temple of the Lasting
Brightness. Much of the monastery was destroyed
during the T'ai-p'ing Rebellion, but it was largely
restored in 1959. The central hall contains a
statue of Sakyamuni (Gautama, the Great Buddha).
A tablet commemorating the Evening Bell is in a
pavilion to the right of the monastery. The
legendary wayward monk, Chi Kung, is worshiped in
Chi-tsu Hall to the west. Chi Kung is said to have
had magical powers. Legend has it that when con-
struction of the monastery was started, the
necessary timber was available only in Szechwan
Province. Nevertheless, after several days of
prayer, Chi Kung awoke one morning to find the
needed logs in the bottom of his well, from which
he lifted them through use of this magical powers.
Since then the well, located in. front of Chi-Tsu
Hall, has been known as the "Well Where the Gods
Sent Timber."
- 8 -
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
14. On a hill adjacent to and north of the
monastery is the site of another of the "Ten Scenes,"
the Lei-fen&fhsi-chao (Sunset at Thunder Peak
Pagocra)T This very large pagoda collapsed in 1924
because of the removal of bricks from its base.
The dust derived from these bricks was believed to
be beneficial to crops.
15. Liu-lan&-wen Yin& (Listening to Orioles
among the Willows) is another of the "Ten Scenes".
Located on the east side of the lake, between the
lake and the Huan-hu Nan-lu (road), it is the
largest of a series of such tree-shaded parks.
Within it is the Pigeon Pavilion and a hall that
is used by visitors while listening to the birds
singing in their ornate cages. Three other parks
make up this lakeside complex: the Ch'ing-po
Kung-yuan (park) contains the former Prince
Ch'ien Temple, which houses a zoo and aviary; the
adjacent park -- Erh-t'ung Kung-yuan (Childrens'
Park) -- features playgrounds; and the Yung-Alin
Kung-yuan (park) contains pavilions, flower gardens
tea rooms, and the Hang-chou Youth Scientific
Technical Guidance Station.
16. The Hulpin Park (Lakeside Park) north of
the Liu-lang:wen Ying is actually several small
parks linked together by the Hu-pin Lu (Lakeside
Road). Formerly the site of a military barracks
area during the period of the Manchus, the park
contains memorials to the Nationalist Northern
Expedition of 1927, the battle against the Japanese
at Shanghai in 1932, and the Communist victory of
1949.
17. The Hang-chou Youth Palace, separated by
a broad square from Lakeside Park, was rebuilt from
the former Chao-ching Monastery. A series of halls
and rooms provide a variety of youth-oriented
recreational and educational facilities.
18. Another of the "Ten Scenes" is Tuan-ch'iao
Ts'ang-hsueh (Remnant of Snow at the Interrupting
Bridge), located at the northeastern end of the
Pai Chu-i (Pai-t'i) Causeway. The winter view from
here, when snow is present on the nearby wooded
hills, is particularly beautiful. The In the Midst
of Clouds, Water, and Light Pavilion, located just
- 9 -
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Figure 7. Hu-pin Lu (road) looking north from the
Hu-pin Fan-tien (Lakeside Hotel). Lakeside Park is to
the left between the road and the lake. The Hang-chou
Youth Palace (former Chao-ching Monastery) is at the
end of the road. The Pao-shu T'a (pagoda) is on the
hill in left background.
Figure 8. Pai Chu-i Causeway. Tuan Ch'iao (Inter-
rupting Bridge), in the left center, is part of a
famous West Lake "scene." The pavilion at the left
is the Yun-shui-kuang-chung-shih T'ing (In the Midst
of Clouds, Water, and Light Pavilion).
- 10 -
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
CONFIDENTIAL
north of the Interrupting Bridge, contains a tablet
dedicated to the "Interrupting Bridge and the
Melting Snow."
19. At the opposite end of the Pai Chu-i
Causeway, on Ku Shan Island, and standing at the foot
of Ku Shan (Lonely Hill), is the Ping-hu-ch'iulyueh
(Autumn Moon and Calm Lake Pavilion). This pavilion
was erected by the Ch'ing Emperor, Kang-hsi, and
several buildings were added in 1959. The view of
the lake from here is particularly good. The name
of the pavilion derives from a line of poetry that
translates, "Ten thousand acres of water are as
level as a mirror, the moon is most beautiful in
autumn."
20. The Ku Shan or Lonely Hill is
containing a number of tombs of martyrs
pavilions, parks, and other buildings.
perspectives it appears to be a part of
jutting into the lake. The Ku Shan was
Imperial Island because of the many summer palaces
built there by the Emperors; most of them now have
been turned into public museums or libraries.
21. The Hsi-ling Yin-she (Hsi-ling Seal
Engravers Club) is an impressive complex of build-
ings, pavilions, terraces, and gardens situated at
the summit of Ku Shan. The club, founded in 1903,
was formed to study, preserve, and publicize the
ancient art and techniques of seal engraving. .
an island
and heros,
From certain
the mainland
once known as
22. The Chung-shan Park (Sun Yat-sen Gardens)
lies at the foot of Ku Shan. The park, a remnant
of the Imperial Lodge of Ch'ing Emperor Ch'ien-lung,
was opened to the public following the formation of
the Republic in 1911. It contains many engraved
stone tablets, a pavilion, and artificial rock
gardens. The Chekiang Library and Chekiang Museum
are located on opposite sides of the park. Housed
in the museum is one of the seven copies of the
Imperial Encyclopedia.
23. On the north side of Ku Shan Island is
the 600-year-old Fang-ho T'ing (Crane Pavilion).
The pavilion is the site of the home of the Sung
poet, Lin Ho-ching, who planted 300 plum trees
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
C NFIDENTIAL
around his house. He supposedly trained a crane to
fly to him if someone visited his house when he was
not at home. Both Lin Ho-ching and the crane are
buried near the pavilion.
24. Crossing the lake from north to south is
the Sun Tung-pu Causeway (Su-t'i). About 1.2 miles
in length, it is broken by six ornate bridges that
are designated by such picturesque names as Reflect-
ing Waves and Crossing the Rainbows. At the north
end of the causeway is one of the "Ten Scenes," the
Ch'u-yuan Feng-ho (Lotus in the Breeze at the
Crooked Courtyard), the site of a former Imperial
brewery. The south end of the causeway terminates
at Nan-ping Hill. Su-t'i Ch'un-hsiao (Sunrise at
Su Tung-pu Causeway) is another of the famous "Ten
Scenes"; it is lined with cherry, Judas, magnolia,
and cinnamon trees and many varieties of flowering
shrubs.
25. The Hua-kang Kuan-yu (Viewing Fish at
Flower Harbor) is a small pond located near the
southern end of the Su Tung-pu Causeway, between
the Yin-po Ch'iao (Reflecting Waves Bridge) and
the So-lan Ch'iao (Locking Waves Bridge). Stocked
with red and gold carp, it is another of the "Ten
Scenes."
26. The other three islands in West Lake are
reached only by the ubiquitous white-canvas-topped
sampans that carry tourists on the lake. The
largest, San-t'an Yin-yueh (Three Pools That Mirror
the Moon), consists of pools and walks that lead
to a central islet. The island was built by Su
Tung-pu, poet and former governor of Hang-chou,
when he dredged the lake and constructed the cause-
way named after him. During the construction, Su
Tung-pu found three bottomless pits inhabited by
evil spirits. In order to contain the devils,
three pagodas were built over the pits to lock the
spirits in the depths. The large pagodas subsequently
disappeared, but they were replaced by three small
stone lanterns built during the reign of Wan Li
(1573-1619) of the Ming Dynasty. The lanterns
(known as San T'an) occasionally are lit, and their
reflections on the lake appear to be those of three
moons. This beautiful site is one of the famous
- 12 -
C NFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
CONFIDENTIAL
"Ten Scenes" of the West Lake. The island has been
laid out in a manner typical of Chinese gardening,
which emphasizes arrangement on water and the
coordinate planting of trees and flowers. The
inner islet from south to north is connected by
the "Bridge of Nine Turnings". The series of
pavilions, terraces, pools, gardens, and walks are
designed to give a maximum number of views in a
restricted setting.
27. The Hu-hsin Tt_ing (Lake's Heart Pavilion)
is on a small island between the San-t'an Yin-yueh
and Ku Shan. The original structure was Hu-hsin
Ssu (Monastery of the Heart of the Lake), later
destroyed because of the evil repute of the priests.
The present structure consists of a two-story
building with floor to ceiling windows. Surrounding
the pavilion is a walkway shaded by weeping willows.
A third small island, Juan-kung-tun, to the west of
the Lake's Heart Pavilion, has no tourist attractions
28. Near the end of the Hsi-ling Ch'iao
(bridge), which connects the western end of Ku
Shan to the mainland, is the Temple and Tomb of
Yueh Fei, a famous general of the Sung period.
He led several expeditions against northern
invaders, but was betrayed by the Sung Prime
Minister, Ch'in Kuei, who executed Yueh Fei and
his son in 1141. Their tombs are in a courtyard
to the west, at the end of a walk lined by stone
animals and attendants. Alongside the wall facing
the tombs are four iron statues representing Chin
Kuei, his wife, and two other accomplices; all
are in a kneeling position. The statues, recast
in 1803, show the effect of encouraged public
desecration. The temple contains memorabilia of
Yueh Fei and two of his subordinates. On one of
the walls are the characters "Chin-chung-pao-kuo"
(Exert your loyalty to your country), the phrase
tattooed on the back of Yueh Fei by his mother
when he was still a child. A garden to the rear
of the main temple contains memorials to Yueh Fei's
parents, daughter, and other relatives. The
portion of the lake directly across the road from
the temple is named in honor of Yueh Fei.
- 13 -
- CONFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Figure 9. Yueh Fei Temple. This elaborate temple is
dedicated to the Sung general who successfully fought
the Tartar invaders from the north.
29. Other nearby tombs enclose the remains
of more contemporary personages such as Ch'iu
Chin, a young follower of Sun Yat-sen, who was
arrested, tortured, and executed in 1905 after an
abortive coup in Hang-chou against the Manchus.
Following the establishment of the Republic, her
remains were buried at Hsi Hu; a temple was built
in her honor in 1958.
30. North of Ku Shan Island are low hills
that include several attractive features and sites.
From north to south the hills are Pao-shu Shan
(Precious Stone Hill), Ko-ling, and the Chi-hsia
Ridge. Near the summit of Pao-shu Shan stands the
Pao-shu T'a (Precious Stone Pagoda or Needle Pagoda),
whose seven stories make it the most prominent
feature around West Lake. The Pao-shu T'a (Pagoda)
was last rebuilt in 1933, but earlier versions date
back a thousand years. The present name probably
derives from a Buddhist monk, Yang Pao-shu, who
vowed to repair the structure if Heaven would cure
him of his blindness. After his eyesight was
restored, he effected the necessary repairs and
since A.D. 998 the pagoda has been called the
- 14 -
C NrIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
C NFIDENTIAL
Pao-shu T'a. During the Manchu Dynasty the United
States maintained a consulate for a year (1906) in
a white, Chinese-style two-story building between
the Needle Pagoda and a small pavilion nearby. The
building has since been razed.
31. Ko-ling Hill, a little southwest of
Precious Stone Hill, offers the best panoramic view
of the West Lake and the city of Hang-chou from the
Sunrise Terrace. A temple to the memory of Ko
Hung, a Taoist monk, who is said to have concocted
an elixer of life, stands at this point.
32. Atop Chi-hsia Ridge is the Tzu-yun Tung
(Purple Cloud Cave), excavated during the Sung
period. At the bottom of 12 stone steps, ancient
Buddhist scriptures have been carved in the walls.
This cave and others around the hills are popular
places to escape the summer heat. Although Chi-hsia
Ridge was once covered with beautiful blossoming
peach trees, only a few now remain. An exhibition
hall contains paintings of Huang Piu-mung, a famous
Chinese landscape artist. Behind Ko-ling Hill to
the north stands the Huang-lung Tung (Cave of the
Yellow Dragon). The uphill approach is lined with
bamboo arches. Three pavilions, rock carvings,
and fish ponds provide an attractive setting.
Western and Southern Hills
33. Several monasteries, temples, and other
features are located in the considerably higher
hills south and west of the lake. A view of two
nearby but higher peaks to the west and southwest
is obtained from the Shuang-feng Ch'a-yun (Two
Peaks that Enter the Clouds Pavilion) near the
road leading west to the Ling-yin Monastery. The
view from the pavilion towards these hills,
Pei-kao Feng (North High Peak) and Nan-kao Feng
(South High Peak), is one of the "Ten Scenes."
The pavilion is an octagon shaped building
surrounded by purple bamboo groves and maple and
cinnamon trees.
34. The Ling-yin Monastery (Monastery of the
Souls Retreat), which is also known as Yun-lin Ssu
- 15 -
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
C NFIDE\TIAL
Figure 10. Ling-yin Monastery. Walkway to
the main hall, as identified by characters
over the entrance. Before entering the
temple, worshipers burned incense in the
iron lanterns.
(Temple of the Forest of Clouds), is the largest
and best known monastery in Hang-chou. First
established in the 4th century A.D., the monastery
has been damaged or unused at various times, most
recently during the T'ai-ping Rebellion. Recon-
struction was begun early in the 20th century; the
Hall of Heavenly Kings, restored in 1956, contains
an 82-foot-high carved Buddha surrounded by several
smaller ornately carved and molded statutes repre-
senting various dieties of Buddhism. Several
elaborately carved supports to the main hall are
believed to date to the 10th century.
35. South of the monastery is Fei-lai Feng
(Peak That Flew Over). This peculiar name derives
- 16 -
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
CONFIDENTIAL
Figure 11. Hu-p'ao Ssu (Tiger Run Monastery). The
monastery sits at the head of a small valley on
Hu-p'ao Hill. The water from the spring is reputed
to be exceptionally pure.
from Hai-li, a Buddhist monk. When he arrived in
the valley from his home in India, he was so
impressed with the similarity of the site to his
native land that he named the hill "The Peak That
Flew Over [from India]".
36. The T'ao-kuang Ssu (Secluded Light
Monastery) is located on Pei-kao Feng (North High
Peak) a little over a mile from Ling-yin Monastery.
The monastery dates from the 8th century. The
most recent of the several renovations it has
experienced transformed the temple into an open-
style hall on top of a cliff. The view from here
is called "Sea View," and the visitor may watch
the Chien-t'ang River flow to the sea.
37. South of West Lake, about half a mile
from Hang-fu Kung-lu (road), stands the Hu-p'ao Ssu
(Tiger Run Monastery); established more than 1,000
years ago, it is interesting mainly because of its
origin and the quality of the spring water found
there. The founder, one Hsing K'ung, abandoned his
project to build a monastery for lack of water,
but as he was praying one day he had a vision of
- 17 -
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Figure 12. Liu-ho T'a (Pagoda of the
Six Harmonies). The pagoda, one of
the largest in China, is on Yueh-lun
Shan (Moon Wheel Hill) overlooking
the Chlien-t'ang Chiang, south of
Hang-chou. In China, the Six
Harmonies are the four compass points
and up and down. The present 200-
foot structure is built of brick and
faced with wood.
two tigers running to his aid. The tigers clawed
the ground and a spring gushed forth from the
spot. The water from the spring is noted for its
purity and flavor that is imparted when mixed with
the famous lung-ching tea.
38. The Liu-ho T'a (Six Harmonies Pagoda)
overlooks the Ch'ien-t'ang Chiang (river) near the
combination railroad-highway bridge. The Liu-ho
T'a is some 200 feet tall, an octagonal brick
structure faced with wood. From the outside it
appears to be 13 stories tall, but within there are
- 18 -
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
C NFIDENTIAL
but seven. The only access to the top is via a
set of steep stairs, but the view from the top is
awesome. The pagoda was originally built to give
warning of the Hang-chou tidal bore and to serve
as a lighthouse. The tidal bore at Hang-chou -- a
crested wall of water reaching heights of from 6
to 20 feet and speeds upwards to 15 miles per
hour -- is caused by the sharp constriction and
shallowness of the bay. The bore is highest and
most spectacular at the time of the equinox, when
the moon is new or full.
39. South of Hang-chou and the lake are a
series of three low hills covered with trees and
bamboo. Wu Shan (City Hill), the northern hill,
is immediately south of the built-up area; the
middle hill, Feng-huang Shan (Phoenix Hill), is
the former site of the Sung Emperor's palace which
was razed by the Mongols; and the third and highest
hill, Yu-huang Shan (Jade Emperor's Hill), is
directly south and about midway between West Lake
and the river. A Taoist temple dedicated to the
Jade Emperor and a pavilion still remain. The
pavilion contains seven large metal water kongs
(jars), whose ancient purpose was to protect the
city from fire.
40. Southeast of Yu-huang Shan an irregular
circle can be seen in the fields below representing
the Pa Kua, an ancient Taoist mystic symbol meant
to express philosophical thought by reflecting on
the actions of the eight elements that were believed
to control the world. During the Sung period this
was the site of the Altar of the Southern Suburbs,
the Altar to Heaven standing in the center, where
the Emperor would conduct his rituals. Although
the Pa Kua is now cultivated, the outline of the
symbol is still visible.
- 19
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Figure 13
Pa Kua-8 Character Diagram
(West)
Heaven
Thunder Lakes
(South)
Fire
(North)
Water
Mountains Wind
Earth
(East)
Pa Kua (8 Character Diagram). The design was derived
from the pattern on the back of a tortoise by Fu Hsi,
a Taoist monk. The solid and broken lines symbolize
Yang and Yin respectively, the male and female elements
of nature that in combination produce all things.
512835 1-72
CONF I DENT IAL
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
'Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802'
Hang-chou
kao Fang+
^Tarbkoang Sbn
Lyn
41
Ssu,
tatal Pang
Shang- tben-c
Lung-chins; Sbn,
72
Yugh�I
*Non-haa Pang
Liu-ha T'a.
Tung
Yobth"
Pacashu Shan.
Pagsbu
brary
,,Y,haang Shan
Figure 14
ad Stat tart
g RHrod Station
.y
(Lotus thookdCoUy
Lf 9hIb S tCh n',.h
(I' P?gerfa) S t SotnpU C'
Wet HU �ik4hiriilian.i.
WIw)(VioWix,g fitOT 0 O.
' h ri7 Iv e ,SArk'ari *le-pith
. ' . (Three Poolt.thatliirror,t
6 h 'IA Shuang;feita Clia-(min
(Atrrn Mqn nd CI Pa fTwo Peaks (hat Enter the a.e
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802
Approved for Release: 2022/02/10 C06928802