Hangzhou Highlights Muslim Day Trip: West Lake, Phoenix Mosque & Qinghefang

West Lake is a freshwater lake located in the western area of Hangzhou’s historic centre. The very definition of classical beauty in China, West Lake is utterly mesmerising: pagoda-topped hills rise over willow-lined waters as boats drift slowly through a idyll of leisurely charm. Walkways, perfectly positioned benches, parks and gardens around the banks of the lake offer a thousand and one vantage points for visitors to admire the faultless scenery. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, West Lake has influenced poets and painters throughout Chinese history for its natural beauty and historic relics, and it has also been among the most important sources of inspiration for Chinese garden designers. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, described as having "influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries" and reflecting "an idealized fusion between humans and nature".

Six Harmonies Pagoda, is a multi-story pagoda located at the foot of Yuelun Hill, facing the Qiantang River. The name of Six Harmonies comes from the six Buddhist ordinances and it is said that the reason for building the pagoda was to calm the tidal bore of the Qiantang River which is one of the world's largest tidal waves and served as a lighthouse. It was originally constructed in 970, destroyed in 1121, and reconstructed fully by 1165, during the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279). After the current pagoda was constructed of wood and brick during the Southern Song dynasty, additional exterior eaves were added during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing Dynasties (1644–1911). The pagoda is hexagonal in shape, some 59.89 metres (196.5 ft) in height and it has 13 stories, each embellished with beautiful paintings and wall carvings.

Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque is one of the four greatest mosques in the coastal area of Southeast China. Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque is also called Zhenjiao Mosque. Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque was built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and was ruined in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In 1281, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque was reconstructed again on its original site. Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque was repaired and expanded during the period from 1451 to 1493 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the current complex of the Phoenix Mosque was formed. At present, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque covers an area of about 2,600 square meters, and consists of the entrance hall, the auditorium and the prayer hall, etc. The prayer hall of Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque was built without any girder during the Yuan Dynasty. Many cultural relics and artworks, including some wooden couplets with Arabic calligraphy inscriptions on them and stone steles, are preserved in the mosque.

Qinghefang Ancient Street is one of the oldest streets and is the only well persevered antique historic street in Hangzhou. It derived from the Southern Song Dynasty and became prosperous in the Qing Dynasty. The buildings in the street were mostly constructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Qinghefang is a crowded and bustling pedestrian street, with makeshift puppet theatres, tea houses, and gift and curio stalls selling everything from stone teapots to ginseng and silk. It’s also home to several traditional medicine shops, including the Huqing Yutang Chinese Medicine Museum, which is an actual dispensary and clinic.