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West Lake
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Lake creation
West Lake was an inlet until, centuries ago, silting blocked the inlet's entrance. Today, the enclosed body of water is 15 kilometers (9 miles) in circumference. The average depth is only about two meters (six feet).
Artistic inspiration
The lake has inspired writers and painters through the centuries, including the renowned 11th century poet Sun Dongpo who concluded that West Lake was "always alluring."
Setting
West Lake is surrounded by hills except on its east side, where stands the capital of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou.
Name
West Lake's Chinese name is Xi Hu (pronounced she-who). China has dozens of West Lakes, but Hangzhou's is widely considered the nicest.
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