Top Ten Scenes of the West Lake-Evening Bell Ringing at the Nanping Mountain
Evening Bell Ringing at the Nanping Mountain is probably the earliest scene presented to the public among the top ten scenes of the West Lake. Early in the later years of North Song Dynasty, the famous painter Zhang Zeduan ever drew the Painting of Evening Bell Ringing at the Nanping Mountain. Nanping Mountain extends and transversely crosses the southern bank of the West Lake. Its height is not more than one hundred meters, however, its whole body extends for more than one thousand meters. On the hill, queer rocks stand majestically and green trees feast our eyes. On a sunny day, the green trees of the whole mountain are really a beauty to feast one's eyes set off by the blue sky and white clouds. On a rainy or fogy day, the clouds and mist hide here and there, and the mountain is just like dancing trippingly. The whole scene is ethereal and the mountain keeps the clouds and mist at arm’s length. In the first year of Emperor Xiande’s reign in Houzhou Dynasty (AD 954), Qian Hongchu, the monarch of Wuyue State, built a temple at the southern foot of Nanping Mountain, which became the Jingci Temple that is one of the two major Buddhism sites (where rites are held) of the West Lake together with Lingyin Temple, and they stand facing each other respectively in the south and north. Inside the Jingci Temple are there historical spots like Zongjing Tang, Huiri Pavilion, Jizu Hall and Yunmu Well, and in front of the main gate (of a Buddhist or Taoist temple) there is a Fangsheng Pool. In 1986, it was rebuilt into building with roof of saddle roof style and triple eaves. Its upper layer is hanged with Dafan Bell and the down layer is Dizang Temple. The Dafan Bell is 3 meters high, with bore of 2.3 meters and weight more than 10 tons. If the evening bell of Jingci Temple rings, its melodious echoes will float in the mountains and forests.