North Peak and South Peak are on northeast and northwest ends of Hangzhou’s West Lake, in Zhejiang Province. The peaks face each other from a distance of five kilometers. North Peak at 355 meters (1165 feet) is taller than South Peak, which is 256.9 meters (843 feet).
At one time a Buddhist monastery adorned each of the peaks. They became leading tourist attractions in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). After some years the buildings fell down in ruin.
The place was totally forgotten by travelers until the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The emperor Kangxi saw the peaks during a tour of West Lake, and named it “Twin Peaks Embracing the Sky” for posterity and had pavilion with an inscribed stone pillar erected at Hongchun Bridge on Lingyin Road to memorialize the wonderful attraction.
You may relive the moment when the emperor Kangxi saw the twin peaks by taking a boat ride on West Lake in either spring or autumn.
One hears pine trees rustling in the wind while climbing up the winding path. One is rewarded with a commanding view of the city of Hangzhou and West Lake when one reaches the top of either peak. No wonder that artists find it a visitor’s shrine.
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