Tonglu enthralls ancient poets

An aerial view of Tonglu, a county administered by Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With its great mix of natural scenery and historic sites, Tonglu county in East China's Zhejiang province is renowned for being extolled by ancient poets.

According to historical records, more than 1,900 poets, including Li Bai, Bai Juyi, Wang Wei, Meng Haoran, and Fan Zhongyan,  visited Tonglu and created over 7,000 poems since the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Historically, Tonglu is a stop that must be passed for dignitaries travelling to places like the eastern and middle parts of Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Fujian via the Qiantang River.

They lavished praise on the captivating scenery of places in Tonglu, including the Tongjiang River, Qililai, or Seven-mile Beach, as well as Yan Ziling Angling Terrace.

The Tongjiang River refers to the section of the Fuchun River that passes through Tonglu.

Yan Ziling, a hermit in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD25-220), was a classmate of the emperor. He declined the latter's summons to assist him in his royal court and led a plain life, amusing himself by angling in Tonglu. Later generations would worship him as an intellectual who gave up personal fame and material pursuits.