Wansong Academy
Where the Butterfly Lovers shared a book
Wansong Academy keeps a Hangzhou chapter of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai’s story.
A cultural thread
Legends & folklore.
Stories remembered through places and everyday things.
Stories along this thread
Begin with West Lake, then follow the cultural connections.
Broken Bridge, West Lake · 2025
White Snake: An Umbrella, a Marriage, a Tower
A borrowed umbrella begins a life together. Beyond it lie magic, separation and the hope of reunion.
Dreaming of Tigers · sculpture at Hupao
A spring from a tiger’s dream
Two tigers, a sleeping monk, and the water that found its way into Hangzhou’s tea culture.
Qian Kings’ Shrine beside West Lake
The king who faced the tide
On the Qiantang, a sea wall and a flight of arrows share a place in the city’s imagination.
The old timber well, Jingci Temple
The well that brought the timber
At Jingci Temple, a small circle of water opens onto a very large story.
Rock carvings at Feilai Peak
The bride, the monk, and the flying hill
A wedding procession takes a very unexpected turn beside Lingyin.
Jigong image at Lingyin
The monk with the worn fan
A patched robe, an easy laugh, and a habit of noticing the person everyone else has passed by.
Leifeng Pagoda beside West Lake
Fahai: Whose Story Is the Monk Telling?
Fahai’s certainty meets Bai Suzhen’s wish for an ordinary life, and the heart of the story begins to move.
Feilai Peak · the name carved in stone
The Hill That Flew Here
Feilai Feng has a name with a journey inside it—and a rock face carrying centuries of work.
Lingyin Temple roofs among the trees
Lingyin: A Name Hidden in the Trees
A wooded valley, a travelling monk and a name that changes how we enter a place.
Leifeng Pagoda, Hangzhou · 2005
Leifeng Pagoda: The Tower, the Ruin and the Story
Evening light, old brick and a remembered love: several lives share the same tower.
Hangzhou seen across West Lake · 2004
West Lake: Small Details, Deep Stories
An umbrella, a line of poetry, a leaf of tea: discover a lake through the details that make it memorable.
Connected places
One thread, many places.