Qiantang River Bore & Six Harmonies Pagoda

 Qiantang River Bore

Qiantang River Bore is China's largest and grandest tidal river stretches. The bore can rise to a height of about eight meters with a surge speed reaching nearly ten meters per second. This spectacular scene resembles thousands of soldiers rushing forward onto a battlefield and could be called a natural wonder of the world. It is even scarier when you are in the water.

The Qiantang River Bore came into being during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220), while people began to view the bore regularly during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420).

The Qiantang River flows into the East China Sea through Hangzhou Bay. Since the estuary of the river is wide but narrows inland, when the incoming tide enters the estuary, the seawater surges into an ever-narrowing bottle neck to forming a wall of water. Thus the spectacular bore comes into being.

The best time to appreciate the Qiantang River Bore is on the 18th day of the eighth Chinese lunar month every year. A few of best places to watch the bore are listed below

Changshan Zha: A pavilion built on a hill near the Changshan Zha for watching the bore.

Babao Longtoujiao: it is a protuberant reef at the seawall with a small bay here. When the tidal waters run here, great waves break on the bank and the angry tide piles up to become a tremendous surge. The scene is quite heart stopping.

Lao Yancang: It is a dam that across the river. When the surge breaks on the dam, the tidewater will run onto the dam along the slope and then return to the seawall. Spray pours down like a rainstorm.

 Six Harmonies Pagoda

To the south of West Lake on the Yuelun Mountain is the Six Harmonies Pagoda (Liuhe Pagoda) built for suppressing the Qiantang River Bore. The present Six Harmonies Pagoda was rebuilt in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). It is an outstanding example of brick-wood-structured architectures in China.

It is an octagonal pagoda at a height of 59.89 meters. It got the name from the doctrine of Buddhism; The Liuhe (Six Harmony) meaning the six stipulations of Buddhism.

The Pagoda has 13 stories and on the tips of the eaves, there hung 104 iron bells. Although repaired many times, the pagoda retains the architectural features of the Southern Song Dynasty. On every storey of the pagoda there is a small space for a Buddha statue to worship. Exquisite brick carvings of flowers, birds, animals and people on the body of the pagoda add vitality to the building. They bear the art essence of the pagoda.

Climbing to the top of the pagoda, tourists can appreciate the Qiantang River at a distance. Now beside the Six Harmonies Pagoda, an ancient Chinese Pagodas Garden has been built. In the garden, over one hundred ancient pagodas bear the characteristics of all dynasties and regions are spectacularly displayed.

Admission Fee: CNY 30 (including CNY 10 for pagoda climbing)
Bus Route: K808, K599, 504, Tourism Bus No. 5