East Lake (Dong Hu)

East Lake, or Dong Hu, is a scenic lake area in Yuecheng District, east of central Shaoxing in Zhejiang, China. It began as a stone quarry worked since the Han dynasty, and generations of quarrying left steep cliffs and deep pools that were later shaped into a landscaped lake. The area now combines sheer rock faces, caves, stone bridges, pavilions and willow-lined embankments, creating a setting often compared to a classical Chinese landscape painting. The classic activity is a boat ride, in which a boatman poles or rows a traditional black-canopied boat through narrow channels, under low stone arch bridges and past cliff faces and caves. Boat rides cost extra and are usually short. Visitors can also walk the paths around the lake, climb to pavilions for views of the cliffs and water, and explore rock gardens and carved inscriptions. A typical visit takes two to three hours. The area opens around 8:00 AM and closes about 5:00 PM daily. One 2026 guide reports admission at 50 yuan for adults and 25 yuan for children and seniors. Mornings give the stillest water and the best reflections of the cliffs, and are also less crowded. Weekends and holidays bring tour groups, and boat queues can be long in peak season. The best photographs come from the stone bridges looking toward the cliffs and from the pavilions overlooking the lake. Spring and autumn offer pleasant weather, while summer can be hot and humid. East Lake is reachable by bus or Didi from the old town in around 20 minutes, and many visitors combine it with other Shaoxing sights in a day.