About 13 km from Shaoxing, the Lanting (Orchid Pavilion) is famous for “The Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Anthology” (the opening words to A Collection of Works Written in Lanting), written by Wang Xishi, the well-known calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, in 353 AD. The anthology is regarded one of the most treasured pieces of calligraphy in existence.

The garden is covered with luxuriant trees, crystal-clear streams and dense bamboo groves. There are also several relics on view, such as the Qushui Liushang Pavilion, Goose Pond Pavilion, the Youjun Ancestral Hall, the Lanting Tablet and the Ink Pool.

Cost: RMB10.
Opening hours: 07:30 - 17:00.
How to get there: Take bus no 3 from Jiefang Lu, around 45 minutes.