Hiking Hangzhou's Phoenix Hill

 The Trails that Led to Beijing: Hiking Adventures on Hangzhou's Phoenix Hill

by

James Manley

Phoenix Hall via Google Maps

 

The Palace on Phoenix Hill, in Hangzhou, has lain fallow for 700 years - since the time of Marco Polo, when the last Sung King was defeated by Genghis Khan. Cultural taboo has mostly prevented the building of houses on the old palace grounds. Hiking and gambling there, however, appear to be perfectly ok, and on most days, these pleasant pastimes can be seen happening within the palace wall's historic footprint. Mao Tse Tung knew of the old Palace, too, and took steps to make his presence felt there. In 1949, he placed a military medical facility on one edge of the old Palace grounds, which remained until at least 2005. 

How will the languishing of the Palace be met by future Presidents and Party Secretaries? What about the throwing out of the "old"? The Chinese have done this with the canals in Hangzhou - building very nice houses along them, and leaving the older houses in ruins.  So will the "old" Palace grounds meet the same fate? 

I don't think so. I've checked recently, and there doesn't appear to be any current plans related to the Palace. But in the long term I speculate there will be a resurgence of historic interest in the Palace. The Beijing Archaeological Survey is active in the area - this hints that a project could be in the works. And one could imagine a very impressive, very Chinese, historical replica of the Palace there in the future.

I am fascinated by the Palace's past and its possible future. So much so, in fact, that I was inspired to share my findings with anyone who'd listen - including a presentation to members of Beijing's North China University of Technology in 2005, and another talk at Cal Poly Pomona upon my return. 

What follows are snippets of some favorite encounters I had on this quest, on and around Phoenix Hill, circa 2001-2005.  I hope you'll be "swept" into it, too!