Golden Jixian Pavilion Sunset, West Lake, Hangzhou

Perfect harmony

With seemingly numberless gardens, ornaments, artificial islands, and pagoda-style pavilions like this one, West Lake (also called Xi Lake) is hailed as one of the most beautiful sights in China. A symbol of the city of Hangzhou, just southwest of Shanghai, the lake formed from a gulf that was cut off from the sea as sediment washed down from the adjacent mountains. Then, over thousands of years and more than a dozen dynasties, engineers further altered the lake's layout by adding dams, wells, and causeways. Innovative garden designs helped harmonize the artificial changes with nature, and techniques developed here centuries ago influenced horticulture across Asia, earning West Lake a spot on UNESCO's World Heritage list.