To mark China’s 20th annual Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, reporters visited three of Hangzhou’s UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites—West Lake, the Grand Canal (Hangzhou section), and the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins—to explore how the city is innovating in the protection, inheritance, and revitalization of its cultural heritage.
For centuries, West Lake has enchanted visitors with its poetic charm, famously captured by Song dynasty poet Su Shi: “The shimmering lake delights on sunny days; the misty mountains enchant in the rain.” Today, this storied landscape continues to inspire. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, West Lake draws over 20 million visitors each year.
West Lake at dusk, bathed in evening light
According to Chen Yunfei, Director of the West Lake World Heritage Monitoring and Management Center, West Lake has become a model for smart heritage tourism by leveraging technologies such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence.
For instance, to safeguard water quality, the West Lake Water Authority has deployed automated monitoring systems at key locations including the Mid-Lake Pavilion (湖心亭), Prince Bay (太子湾), and Shengtang Sluice (圣塘闸). These devices issue real-time alerts to detect anomalies and ensure that water clarity is maintained at an average annual transparency of more than 80 centimeters—allowing visitors to see the lake’s famed “underwater forest.”
“We’ve capitalized on Hangzhou’s leadership in the digital economy to build an integrated and intelligent public data platform,” said Chen. “Our IoT sensing hub, intelligent computing center, operations management center, and spatial-temporal geographic information system now support more than 20 functional applications—including heritage protection, ecological monitoring, and emergency response. Together, they form a comprehensive digital governance system that we call the ‘West Lake Model.’”
Scenery of West Lake in Hangzhou
Recently, the reporter boarded a boat to experience the lake at twilight. As the evening breeze brushes across the lake, carrying with it the coolness of the water and the scent of surrounding greenery, visitors feel their minds ease and spirits lift. Indeed, many say that the magic of West Lake lies in its ability to soothe life’s daily stresses.
As the boat glided across the water, it was easy to imagine historical scenes: Bai Juyi overseeing the construction of the Bai Causeway, Su Shi composing verses along the shore, and countless scholars and poets leaving behind their cultural imprints over the ages.
According to Zhao Yun, Director of the China World Cultural Heritage Center at the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, “The West Lake Cultural Landscape has pioneered heritage impact assessment practices. Its experience serves as a valuable model nationwide and provides meaningful references for future conservation work.”
“Cultural heritage is the soul of a city. To protect it is to safeguard our roots and spirit,” said Gao Xiaohui, Party Secretary and Director of the Hangzhou Bureau of Gardens and Cultural Relics. He expressed hope that Hangzhou can work hand-in-hand with fellow cities across China to serve as guardians, inheritors, and storytellers of cultural heritage—contributing more of Hangzhou’s practices to the nation’s efforts in heritage protection.
West Lake at dusk, bathed in evening light
Today, Hangzhou is actively sharing its conservation successes with the world, helping foster mutual understanding and dialogue between civilizations.
On this special Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, West Lake once again affirms a timeless truth:
True cultural heritage carries the weight of history—and shines with the vitality of the present. (End)
