East Lake is around 6km east of the city center, and is an attractive place to wander amongst naturally sculpted rock formations. The steep cliffs make a magnificent scene near the lake. But it was not always this way. In the seventh century, the area was home to a hill. Local people started quarrying the rock for building, and when the hill streams were dammed, the quarry became a lake. Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty, a causeway was added for picturesque effect. Today, there are nine of Shaoxing’s signature arched bridges on the lake and many pavilions dot the banks.

Over the years, the slopes above East Lake have formed grotesquely shaped precipices, some of which feature deep caves. Among them, Tao Gong Cave is the most famous with cliffs rising 50-60m on each side. Tourists can enter the cave by “pedal boat”.

Cost: RMB15 and RMB20 during the night.
How to get there: Take bus No.1 from the railway station. At the lake, there are plenty of boatmen waiting to take you on a cruise. It is possible to take the boat from East Lake to King Yu’s Mausoleum.