Sitting on the ancient towpath to enjoy the breeze

Yangshang Lake (pronounced "Angsang Lake" by locals), located in Lingzhi Town (formerly Yangshang Lake Township of Shaoxing County) in northern Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, is renowned for its ancient windbreak causeway.

The 3.5-kilometer-long stone windbreak causeway in the lake was built during the Ming Dynasty as a passage connecting the north and south ends, providing shelter for boats during storms.

Designated as a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Unit in 1989 and a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 2013, this 2.4-square-kilometer lake is the largest freshwater lake in Shaoxing.

Before the causeway's construction, sudden storms on Yangshang Lake often capsized boats. During the Tianqi era (1621-1627) of the Ming Dynasty, a stone-laden boat capsized in a sudden storm. The surviving crew became monks and vowed to fund a stone causeway, but died depressed after failing to raise enough money in ten years. Later, a Shaoxing native named Zhang Xianchen was moved by their story and donated funds to complete the 7-li (3.5 km) north-south causeway in 1642 after seven years of construction.

The causeway features five stone bridges and a pavilion, dividing the lake into inner and outer sections to provide shelter during storms. The bridges from south to north are Tianji, Yongji, Zhongji, Puji, and Tongji Bridges.

Today's causeway is only half its original length. In the 1970s, a mudstone dike was built across the lake, reclaiming half of Yangshang Lake as farmland.

🌈Address: Northern Shaoxing (navigate to "Bitang Farmhouse")
🎫Ticket: Free
🍴Dining: Small stalls by the lake (fruits, juices, snacks)
🚢Boat ride: Available (10 RMB/person, negotiable)

⚠️Note:
Hard to find - don't navigate directly to "Yangshang Lake". Search for "Bitang Farmhouse" (not "Bifengtang Farmhouse") to avoid detours. A small road leads to a parking lot; walk northwest for 2-3 minutes to reach the site.

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