Spring Dawn and Su Causeway: History and Landscape Culture of Hangzhou's West Lake

What lies beneath the enduring charm of West Lake? This volume reveals how this iconic Hangzhou landscape evolved from a swamp into a public space and, ultimately, a powerful cultural symbol. Through new interdisciplinary research, it reframes West Lake within long-term landscape formation, showing how interactions between people and nature shaped its preservation, aesthetics, and commodification. Chapters uncover overlooked histories—from water myth to dredging, from material culture to gl...