Solitary Hill (Gu Hill)

Rising to 125 feet (38 meters) above sea level Solitary Hill (Gu Hill) is the tallest, largest and only naturally occurring island located in Hangzhou’s picturesque West Lake. A popular stop for old style cruise boats, this 50-acre island is also home to Sun Yat Sen Park, an ornately manicured common area which was opened in 1927 to commemorate the Chinese revolution.

Covered in a sea of plum blossoms, Solitary Hill is historically known as the home of Lin Bu, a famous poet and solitary hermit who made the island his lonely residence during the Song Dynasty. As a writer with a deep connection to the beauty of Solitary Hill, Lin Bu is said to have lacked a family but was instead happily married to the plum trees, and the cranes he raised served as his children. Given the lonely nature of Lin Bu’s existence and the profusion of plum trees on the island, the flowering plum blossom became synonymous with Lin Bu and the idea of his chosen seclusion.

With this history and with the abundance of plums on the island, it is still occasionally referred to as Plum Island. Though many come to Solitary Hill (Gu Hill) to witness the classic scene of the autumn moon reflected on the calm lake, many consider winter and early spring to be the nicest times to visit in order to enjoy the winter snows clinging to the plum blossoms; an enduring symbol of seclusion and thought.