1. Wulin Water
Hangzhou West Lake was first recorded in "Geography" Volume 28 of Bangu's "Hanshu" of the Eastern Han Dynasty: "Wulin Mountain, where Wulin Water comes from . Entering the sea in the east, traveling eight hundred and thirty miles." It is generally believed that Wulin Mountain is the general name for the mountains in Lingyin and Tianzhu today, and the Nanjian, Beijian and other mountain streams originating from this area merge into Jinshajian, which flows eastward into the West Lake and is the largest natural water source of the West Lake. Therefore, the name "Wulin Water" is the earliest name of West Lake recorded.
The "Shui Jing Zhu" written by Li Daoyuan of the Northern Wei Dynasty records: "On the side of the Nanjiang River in the county, there is Mingsheng Lake. The elders rumored that there is a golden bull in the lake. It has been seen in ancient times. It has been deified in an unpredictable way, so the lake was named." At this time, two other earlier ancient names for West Lake were derived: Mingsheng Lake and Jinniu Lake.
About the Eastern Han Dynasty, a local official named Huaxin built a pond in the area east of the West Lake to resist the salty tide of the Qiantang River, hence the name Qiantang Lake. This was the common name for West Lake before the Tang and Tang Dynasties. Qiantang Lake is often mentioned in Bai Juyi's poems and articles, such as "The mountain is named Tianzhudui Qingdai, and the lake is named Qiantang Green Oil" in "Answers to Hangzhou". The poet Zhang Hu also wrote a poem titled "Early Spring at Qiantang Lake Evening".
The name "West" Lake came about because the former Qiantang County seat was moved from the west of the West Lake to the east of the West Lake after the Sui Dynasty. That is, Qiantang Lake was originally located in the east of the city. Now it is Located in the west of the city. The lake is located in the west of the city, so it is named West Lake. This is the same as the West Lake in other places across the country. As late as the Tang Dynasty, the name "West Lake" has been used frequently. Bai Juyi's poems also often use the word "West Lake". For example, the titles of his poems include "Returning from West Lake at Night and Looking Back at Gushan Temple to Present to Guests", "West Lake" Don't wait.
After the poet Su Shi (Dongpo) of the Northern Song Dynasty sang in his famous poem "Drinking on the Lake at First Sunny and Later Rain", "If you want to compare the West Lake to the West, it is always better to put on light makeup and heavy makeup." West Lake has become famous again. With the reputation of West Lake. Xizi is Xi Shi, a peerless beauty from the Yue Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn Period. Among the dozens of lakes named after West Lake in the world, only West Lake in Hangzhou deserves such a high reputation. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the West Lake became abnormally prosperous and gorgeous. The ruling group who preferred to stay in the south of the Yangtze River did not want to restore their homeland, but indulged in the scenery of the lake and mountains, extravagant enjoyment, and spent thousands of dollars on it. Therefore, West Lake was also known as the "gold-selling pot". Very spot on and very spicy.
The origin of West Lake is due to the changes in landforms along the mainland's coast. West Lake is a lagoon left over from the retreat of ancient seawater and the extension of land. It is also called a "remnant lake". Due to long-term isolation from the sea and long-term sedimentation, the original salt water was gradually diluted and desalinated due to the injection of surface fresh water, forming a It is today's freshwater lake.
2. Jinniu Lake In the past, West Lake was called Jinniu Lake.
At that time, the lake was a vast expanse of white water, and along the lakeshore were black fertile fields. The surrounding people are planting crops in the fields and using lake water for irrigation. The ears of rice are heavy and the grains are round, like strings of pearls, which is really pleasing to the eye. When there is a break from farming, everyone goes to the lake to fish and catch shrimps. People live in harmony and live a happy life.
At the bottom of this lake, there lives a golden cow. As long as the sky is clear for a long time and the lake slowly becomes shallower, the golden bull in the lake will appear: its golden back, raised head and raised horns can be seen from far away. Spitting out mouthfuls of water, the lake immediately filled up again.
One summer, it had not rained for ninety-nine and eighty-one days. It was so dry that the bottom of the lake turned to the sky. The surrounding fields were as hard as rocks, with cracks several inches wide and bright green. The seedlings are withered. The common people were so thirsty that their eyes were sunken and their bodies were exhausted. They look forward to the appearance of a golden bull every day.
This morning, everyone was looking forward to the lake, and suddenly there was a "moo" sound. Ha, we saw the golden bull breaking out of the water from the bottom of the lake. It shook its head, swung its tail, and spit out water. In an instant, the lake filled up again.
When the common people saw it, they all clapped their hands and cried with joy, expressing their gratitude to Taurus. I saw the golden bull raising its head again, with its shining eyes, and with a "moo" sound, it slowly submerged into the lake again.
Such a scene spread quickly. After the Qiantang County magistrate heard this, he held his belly and said with a smile: "This is really a living treasure. If you give it to the emperor, you will definitely be able to file a lawsuit and make a fortune!" Then he ordered his men to catch the golden bull. Come.
Those government officials and land security guards all hurried to the lakeside and looked up, but they saw a vast white lake in front of them. Where are the golden cows? I asked the people nearby and found out that they were from the yamen. Either they didn't see him or they quietly avoided him.
The government officials had no choice but to repay the magistrate. The county official was angry, twirling his mustache, thinking and thinking, and came up with a solution. He said to his men: "Since the golden bull has disappeared and sunk to the bottom of the lake, then you call all the people to go and drain the lake. Anyone who doesn't go will be killed!"
Living in the lake The people on the border, men, women, old and young, were all driven to the lake. Forced by the county lawsuit, they had no choice but to set up waterwheels to transport water from the lake.
Cars and cars drove for ninety-nine and eighty-one days in a row. Everyone was exhausted. On the last day, the lake water truck was finally finished. Sure enough, the golden bull was lying at the bottom of the lake, and the golden light on its body illuminated the sky and the earth.
The county magistrate went to take a look, but was too blinded by the golden light to open his eyes. However, he still shouted to the officials to go down to the lake to grab the golden bull. Strangely enough, the golden bull seemed to have roots and could not be lifted or lifted. The people were secretly happy.
When the county magistrate saw that he could not move it, he said to the people: "Whoever can lift the golden bull will be rewarded with three hundred taels of silver!"
However, the people stood still. Ignoring him angrily.
When the county magistrate saw that the people were ignoring him, he roared loudly: "If you don't lift the golden bull today, I will behead you all!"
The magistrate had just finished speaking. , only to hear the Taurus yell, it was like a thunderbolt exploding on a sunny day. But when he saw flying sand and rocks, the ground was shaking, the county magistrate was so frightened that his face turned pale and his feet became weak. He wanted to leave, but he couldn't move a step.
At this time, the golden bull rolled its round eyes, stood up, looked up to the sky and screamed again, spit out a large stream of white water from its mouth, and rushed straight to the county magistrate and government officials. They were all swept up in the huge waves.
Immediately, the lake filled up again.
From then on, the golden bull in the lake no longer appeared, and the lake never dried up again.
People could not forget the Taurus, so they built a tall tower on the city wall next to the lake. They climbed up the tower every day to look forward to the Taurus. This tower became the later "Yongjin Gate".
3. Shihan Lake
Bai Juyi, a poet of the Tang Dynasty who served as the governor of Hangzhou, built a stone culvert to drain the lake water, so West Lake is also called Shihan Lake. Su Shi of the Northern Song Dynasty traveled to the lakes and mountains of Hangzhou and left a famous saying: "If you want to compare West Lake to Xizi, it is always better to put on light makeup and heavy makeup." From then on, the reputation of West Lake appeared again.