The historic district

There are indeed quite a few historic districts in Hangzhou, but since we are already standing by the Drum Tower this evening, we decide to visit the Qinghefang district. The typhoon is now relentlessly pouring water over the city with its outer bands, but that doesn’t deter us from our walk. Just behind the unlit Drum Tower is the 'Southern Song Dynasty Bookstore', which we enter through brightly lit glass blocks. The extravagant architecture continues with a video projection on a wide staircase leading to the upper floor. We turn around, and there is also a gigantic video projection greeting us. A large glass front allows the colorful spectacle to be viewed from outside as well. We continue along the pedestrian zone. The tea seller has set up some tea leaves in sorting bowls and is sitting by a preparation machine. I can’t shake the impression that this is just a facade for a sales show. Nevertheless, my wife has the tea freshly packed, and I take a few photos. A little further, it gets quite surreal. A mystical cave-like entrance in bright colors is enveloped in white smoke. A plastic girl points with a sign to free admission. Boldly, we walk along the plastic imitation wooden planks with flowing water towards the stairs and look up. A turnstile announces that there is no going back beyond it. However, the 'beyond' is shrouded in mysterious white smoke. I climb the stairs, pass through the turnstile, and expect that suddenly a ghost will jump out, as in a haunted house. Indeed, I now stand on the second floor of the building on a balcony, looking down at the rainy pedestrian zone. What happens next? I don’t know, because white smoke again obscures my view. I cautiously move forward on the balcony and spot a door that is draped with plastic ribbons. Carefully, I open the curtain, and suddenly... I find myself in a shop filled with trinkets and souvenirs. The whole cave and haunt theater was just to lure customers into the store on the second floor. I exit the shop via a back staircase and am funneled through a candy store on the ground floor before I find myself back in the pedestrian zone. A nice and original marketing idea. Finally, towards Wushan Square, we discover a large laughing Buddha entwined with a snake. There it is again, the white snake from the folk legend, which appears to us repeatedly as a motif.