Day 1: Go to Hangzhou by yourself
All day
1. Today is the gathering day. Tourists from all over the country will go to the designated hotels in Hangzhou city on their own and report "China-Travel Note+Name" to check in.
2. After that, it is free time: it is recommended to visit [Qiantang River Night View], [West Lake], [Chenghuang Pavilion], [Xiaohezhi Street]
If you choose to arrive by plane, you can:
Take the airport shuttle to Hangzhou East Station and then take the subway or taxi to your hotel in Hangzhou.
Or take a taxi to Hangzhou Hotel
Day 2 Hangzhou → Shaoxing
All day
The boat left Guangling and the water flowed into Kuaiji Chang.
9:00 - Xixing Ancient Town
This is the starting point of the East Zhejiang Canal and was once a key ferry crossing along the Qiantang River. The East Zhejiang Tang Poetry Route originated here. Li Bai, Du Fu, and Bai Juyi entered East Zhejiang from this point, and Su Shi, Lu You, and Fan Chengda also left their footprints here. Li Bai, while traveling through Wu and Yue, wrote a poem about the Xiling Ferry: "I ask about the road to Shanzhong, southeast leads to Yue Township. The boat leaves from Guangling, and the water flows into Kuaiji."
Xixing now seems like a forgotten corner. The ancient town is inhabited only by the elderly. In a few years, the original inhabitants will gradually disappear, and perhaps the heritage of the ancient town will also be gone...
We gathered in Xixing Ancient Town, received a book about Xixing's history and a passport, and were led by a cultural tour leader to walk around Wuzi Bridge, Zifu Bridge, and the Wharf Exhibition Hall. It is also a check-in point for cultural photography enthusiasts.
At the same time, we will also officially start our Tang Poetry Road after Xixing Ancient Town...
·afternoon
Around 13:00 - Hike to Kuaiji Mountain
During the Kaiyuan reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, the young Li Bai left Shu, embarking on a journey of "leaving his country with a sword in hand, bidding farewell to his family and traveling far and wide." He journeyed eastward along the Yangtze River, drawn to Mount Kuaiji (southeast of present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang)—a sacred mountain steeped in legends of Yu the Great's flood control and Goujian, King of Yue's restoration of his kingdom.
Kuaiji Mountain is a mountain of peaks and shrouded in clouds and mist. Li Bai climbed to the top of the mountain and looked out at the Ruoye River and the misty Mirror Lake. He could not help but feel proud and wrote:
I have heard of the beauty of Kuaiji from afar, and now I am crossing the Ye River. Thousands of ravines and rocks are reflected in the majestic Mirror Lake.
This time we hiked to the main peak of Kuaiji Mountain.
Xianglu Peak, located at the northern foot of Kuaiji Mountain in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, stands at an elevation of 354 meters. It gets its name from its resemblance to an incense burner. Whenever clouds and mist linger, smoke rises from the peak, resembling a column of heavenly incense curling upwards. Hence the name "Lufeng Misty Rain," and it is one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Kuaiji" in ancient Yue.
The Xianglu Zen Temple (also known as the "Lufeng Zen Temple") at the top of Xianglu Peak was first built during the Southern Song Dynasty (around the 5th century AD), with a history of over 1,500 years. The temple is nestled against the mountain, nestled among verdant pines and cypresses. The morning bells and evening drums blend harmoniously with the mountain wind and clouds, making it a truly "peaceful place on earth."
We climbed to the top of Xianglu Peak and prayed at Xianglu Zen Temple. Standing before the main hall perched atop a cliff, we felt like Li Bai ascending the mountain, looking out over Shaoxing. (The entire loop from Dayu Mausoleum to Xianglu Peak is approximately 8km, with an elevation gain of over 300 meters.)
·night
Around 17:00 - Night tour of Keqiao Ancient Town
Standing on the bridge and overlooking the old street under the sunset glow has a unique charm. At night, the flowing water reflects the lights and moonlight, which is even more beautiful.
We took a night tour of Keqiao Ancient Town on our own. The lights along the river were brilliant, the water was misty, and the houses were reflected in the water. It was a unique experience to stroll through it.
Near Keqiao Ancient Town lies the Shaoxing Ancient Canal (also known as the "Canal Bridge"), one of the most distinctive ancient water conservancy projects on the East Zhejiang Canal. Built during the Tang Dynasty, it was once a necessary route for canoeists. During his travels through Wu and Yue, Li Bai witnessed the early canoeists pulling the canoe on his numerous boat trips through the East Zhejiang Canal. Interested parties are welcome to explore the area on their own.
Day 3 Shaoxing → Xinchang
·morning
A golden statue blooms on the stone wall, and Fragrant Mountain is surrounded by an iron fence. When Maitreya is born, he will see it and return to his home with all his heart.
Around 10:00 - Xinchang Museum
As a must-see on the Tang Poetry Route of Eastern Zhejiang, the Xinchang Museum integrates Yue culture, the Tang Poetry Route, and Buddhist culture (such as the heritage of Dafo Temple). It is the best window into the history and culture of this "Pearl of Eastern Zhejiang." We personally experienced the dreamlike journey to Tianmu Mountain described in Li Bai's poem.
We specially invited professional museum guides to tell us about the history and culture of Xinchang and the Tang Poetry Road.
Around 11:00 AM - Xinchang Food Exploration
We embarked on a carb-fueled food tour in Xinchang, arriving at Wozhou Road and the Carb Kingdom, exploring Xinchang delicacies. Lamb bones, pan-fried tofu buns, steamed taro dumplings, and the signature grass seed rice cake...
·afternoon
Around 13:00 - Xinchang Big Buddha Temple
Xinchang Big Buddha Temple, located in Xinchang County, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, was built in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and is a famous Buddhist holy place in eastern Zhejiang.
As an important node on the Tang Poetry Road in eastern Zhejiang, Dafo Temple is not only famous for its magnificent Buddha, the largest Buddha in Jiangnan, but also for the Tang Dynasty poets who visited and wrote poems there, making it the "Buddhist Kingdom on the Poetry Road".
In 747, the sixth year of Emperor Xuanzong's Tianbao reign, Li Bai, ostracized by the powerful, left Chang'an and began his journey through the southeast. Traveling up the Cao'e River, he journeyed to the renowned Xinchang Dafo Temple (then known as Shicheng Temple) in Yuezhong. Legend has it that Li Bai paused before the Buddha, beholding the majestic image of the 16-meter-tall Maitreya Buddha. Within the stone niche, "the sun and moon illuminated the golden and silver platforms." Inspired, he inscribed on the wall of the guest hall: "Golden statues bloom on the stone wall, Fragrant Mountain surrounds an iron enclosure. To see Maitreya in my next life, I return with a single-minded devotion."
During this trip, we enjoyed a 5-6km walking tour of the Big Buddha Temple, led by a local cultural guide. We marveled at the temple's magnificent beauty, including the Reclining Buddha Hall, Prajna Valley, the Thousand Buddha Pagoda, and other Buddhist statues, along with ancient grottoes and cascading waterfalls. The temple has also been the filming location for over a dozen television series, including "Nine Layers of Purple," "Chow Sang-yu," and "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils."
In the Big Buddha Temple, we calmed down and experienced the charm of copying sutras and folding amulets for blessings (the experience lasted about 1 hour)
·night
Climbing Tianmu Pavilion at night
Gushan is the gateway to Xinchang County and a famous historical and cultural mountain. It was the retreat of Wang Xizhi, a famous scholar in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, in his later years. It has relics such as the Youjun Temple, Zizhi Temple, and Liandan Pond. It was also a must-visit place and pilgrimage site for Tang Dynasty poets who traveled to the famous mountains in Shanzhong. It is the essence of the Tang Poetry Road in eastern Zhejiang.
We toured Gushan Mountain at night and climbed to the summit of Tianmu Pavilion. This towering pavilion, perched atop Gushan Mountain, not only embodies Li Bai's dream of "releasing white deer among the green cliffs," but also serves as a cultural landmark connecting classical poetry with modern life.
The 108 steps at the end of Tianmu Pavilion correspond to the 108 characters in the poem "Dreaming of Wandering on Tianmu Mountain and Chanting a Farewell Chant"; the 24 pillars symbolize Li Bai's 24 visits to eastern Zhejiang.
4th Tianmu Mountain → Tiantai
All day
Tianmu Mountain stretches across the sky, its might surpasses the Five Mountains and covers Chicheng.
Around 9:00 - Dreamwalking to Tianmu Mountain and Chanting a Farewell Poem
We arrived at Banzhu Village, which is the place where Li Bai wrote "Dreaming of Wandering on Tianmu Mountain and Chanting a Farewell Song" and is also the starting point of the Tianmu Mountain Tang Poetry Road.
In the sixth year of Emperor Xuanzong's Tianbao reign (747), Li Bai sailed down the Shanxi River and passed through Banzhu Village, a key post station on the "Road of Tang Poetry in Eastern Zhejiang." Named for the mottled bamboo shadows lining the ancient post road at its entrance, the village was once a vital link between Mount Tianmu and Mount Tiantai. On the stone pillars of the ancient stage at the village's "Zhang Family Ancestral Hall," remnants of the three characters "Qingyunti" (Blue Cloud Ladder) remain, likely carved with a sword by Li Bai while drunk.
Under the guidance of our cultural team leader, we started to explore the ancient buildings in Banzhu Village.
Walking up the bluestone arch bridge, Luoma Bridge, we discover that according to the Ming Dynasty's "Xinchang County Chronicles," Li Bai, while watering his horse at the stone bridge at the entrance to Banzhu Village, heard the sound of the stream below like a tiger playing a zither. He immediately dismounted and began singing wildly, accidentally dropping the imperial jade pendant into the stream. To commemorate this event, villagers renamed the bridge "Luoma Bridge." During river dredging in 2016, a Tang Dynasty jade pendant with cloud patterns was unearthed. It is now in the Xinchang Museum, with a label stating it is "suspected to be a relic of Li Bai."
Visit the Zhang Family Ancestral Hall, a three-story quadrangle-style ancestral hall. The entrance hall's stage features a caisson painting titled "A Sea of Clouds on Mount Tianmu." Backstage, a Qing Dynasty opera troupe inscription bears inscriptions, including the four characters "Nichang Yuyi" (rainbow skirt and feathered robe) that are suspected to be an imitation of Li Bai's poetry. The ancestral hall's treasure is the Ming Dynasty mural "Banzhuyi Farewell," depicting a poet resembling Li Bai as he departs on horseback.
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Afterwards, we officially started our hike up Tianmu Mountain along the ancient Tang Poetry Road of Tianmu Mountain (the entire journey is about 12km and takes about 6 hours).
In the 14th year of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty's Kaiyuan reign (726), the 25-year-old Li Bai left Sichuan for the first time, traveling eastward along the Yangtze River and roaming the Wu and Yue regions. When he reached Shanzhong (present-day Xinchang and Tiantai areas in Zhejiang Province), he heard a local woodcutter singing the "Tianmu Mountain Ballad": "Tianmu stretches across the heavens, its might towering over the Five Mountains and shrouding Chicheng. Tiantai, 48,000 feet high, seems to be collapsing to the southeast." These four lines resonated like thunder in Li Bai's ears, igniting his boundless reverie about this mysterious, celestial mountain.
One night, while staying by the Shanxi River, I got drunk and dreamt of entering the fairyland of Tianmu. I saw: Yun Zhongjun, whose "rainbow clothes and wind as horses"; a ceremonial procession of mythical beasts, with "tigers playing harps and phoenixes turning their chariots"; and an abyss that was "vast and bottomless". After waking up, I wrote "Dreaming of Tianmu and Chanting a Farewell Poem".
The emergence of Li Bai's "Dreaming of Wandering on Tianmu Mountain and Chanting a Farewell Song" has made this mountain, which is only 900 meters above sea level, the most dazzling pearl on the "Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang".
During the hike, we followed Li Bai to feel the experience of "I want to dream of Wu and Yue" entering the dream - "I woke up with a start and sighed" - "I only feel the pillow and bed at that time" returning to the reality. When he was in high spirits, he just recited the line: How can I bow my head and serve the powerful, so that I can't be happy!
·night
Around 16:00 - Go to the rooftop
Drive to Tiantai, the terminal of Tang Poetry Road
We arrived in Tiantai in the evening and walked along Yingtai Street, along Zhongshan Old Street. We visited the old county government office, built in 1932 (a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles from the Republican era, with the main hall, back hall, and wings still intact), and the Miaoshan Hualou residential complex. Walking through these areas felt like stepping back into the 1980s and 1990s. Among the shops along the way, the many fortune-telling shops were particularly interesting, which is not surprising considering Tiantai is a hub of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.
Day 5 Tiantai → Shiliang Waterfall → Guoqing Temple → Hangzhou
All day
The rooftop is 48,000 feet high, and it is about to fall to the southeast.
Around 9:30 - Shiliang Waterfall
Shiliang Waterfall is located at the end of the "Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang". A natural stone beam (granite bridge) spans the waterfall, about 7 meters long and 2 meters thick. Li Bai's painting "Seeking Cui Shanren's Picture of Baizhang Cliff Waterfall" with the line "spraying from the dragon pool, thunder and lightning day and night" was also inspired by Shiliang Waterfall.
We visited Shiliang, brought a copy of the Complete Tang Poems, and felt the poetic echoes of a thousand years ago amid the roar of the waterfall (the tour lasted about 1-1.5 hours).
·afternoon
Around 12:00 - Guoqing Temple, an ancient temple from the Sui Dynasty
Guoqing Temple, a Sui and Tang dynasty temple that remains a "living legacy" on the Tang Poetry Route, is one of the "Ten Famous Temples" of the Tang Dynasty. Forty-three Tang Dynasty poets, including Li Bai, Meng Haoran, Liu Changqing, and Jia Dao, left poems related to Guoqing Temple. Strolling through the temple, we experience the millennia-old cultural heritage of "the abode of the immortals of Tiantai" as described by Liu Zongyuan.
For those interested, there's also the Xiake Ancient Trail near Guoqing Temple. In 1632, the 45-year-old Xu Xiake journeyed into the mountains of eastern Zhejiang for the third time. Starting from Ninghai, he journeyed through Tiantai Mountain and Yandang Mountain, charting a path through Zhejiang and Fujian. Xu Xiake's expeditions were a cultural extension of the Tang Dynasty poetic route.
You can choose to hike the Xiake Ancient Trail (10km in total) and visit the small temples Zhizhe Pagoda and Gaoming Lecture Temple along the way.
Around 16:30 - Return
We ended this trip to Eastern Zhejiang Tang Poetry Road under the four big characters of "Ancient Temple of Sui Dynasty" at Guoqing Temple, and issued certificates, bringing this journey to a complete end.
On the return trip, you will be dropped off at Tiantaishan Station (approximately 30 minutes by train. We recommend purchasing a return train ticket after 17:30, which may be extended by half an hour during holidays). The bus will then depart for Hangzhou East Station (approximately 3 hours by train).
