Moving westward on our globetrotting adventure, we arrived in Hangzhou. The city was bustling with people out celebrating the first day of the Autumn Moon Festival, when the moon is at its fullest, but we were soon welcomed to the calm serenity of Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake.
I began my first morning at West Lake with Master Fan, who has been practising Tai Chi for nearly 30 years. In the gardens at the Hotel we worked on balancing my yin and yang for an hour. Dressed in light blue silks, he moved like a strong swan, gliding effortlessly from one pose to the next. Next to him, I felt incredibly clumsy! But I’m not giving up. Master Fan told me there was hope for my Tai Chi practice, and it felt great to have that bit of extra energy flowing through my body for the rest of the day.
I could have easily stayed at the Hotel, working on my Tai Chi, enjoying the garden and Chinese pagodas, and drinking oolong tea, but I decided instead to check out the China National Silk Museum, which many of my fellow travellers had recommended. The display room showcased a number of grand silk garments, along with the impressive history of the silk trade. China has been a centre for silk production for thousands of years; the mulberry tree—whose leaves are the only thing the silkworm eats—thrives in Hangzhou’s subtropical climate. One silkworm cocoon can contain silk threads up to a mile long. I appreciated the garments on display even more after learning about the extensive, intricate process.
West Lake is serene during the day, and at night the magic is not any less. Hidden below the surface of the lake is the stage for Impression West Lake, an amazing piece of choreography created by Zhang Yimou, who directed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The show, which seems to float above the water, draws on the classical legends and myths of West Lake. Featuring mesmerizing music paired with a wonderful performance, Impression West Lake is a definite must-see for anyone visiting Hangzhou.
Later that night, with my yin and yang balanced, I dozed off in my newly purchased silk pajamas, the moon still shining brightly over beautiful West Lake.