Causeway

Su Causeway (Suti) is a tree-lined pedestrian embankment stretching roughly 2.8 kilometers across the western portion of West Lake in Hangzhou. Built in 1089 during the Northern Song Dynasty, it was initiated by the celebrated poet and statesman Su Shi (widely known as Su Dongpo) during his tenure as the city's governor. Tasked with clearing the lake of heavy silt and choking weeds, he used the dredged materials to construct a raised crossing that both preserved the waterway and connected the north and south shores.

The causeway is spanned by six stone arch bridges: Yingbo, Suolan, Wangshan, Yadi, Dongpu, and Kuahong. Each bridge provides elevated vantage points over the open water, taking in views of the surrounding hills, the distant Leifeng Pagoda, and lotus ponds. The promenade is shaded along its entire length by alternating weeping willows and peach trees, which blossom in soft pinks and fresh green foliage each spring.

Celebrated in centuries of classical Chinese verse, the causeway is the setting of Dawn on the Su Causeway in Spring, traditionally counted as the first of the Ten Scenes of West Lake. Today, the causeway is entirely closed to motor vehicles and bicycles, making it one of Hangzhou's classic walks, linking the northern lakeside near the Yue Fei Temple with Flower Harbor Park in the south.