Hangzhou
CHINA · HANGZHOU
Amanfayun, 22 Fayun Lane, Xihu District, Hangzhou
The Tang Dynasty was China’s age of poetry. Poets wrote about moonlight and exile, about wine and longing — the particular sadness of being far from somewhere beautiful. Bai Juyi came to Hangzhou as governor in 822. The mist on West Lake. The osmanthus in autumn. The path through the tea fields toward Lingyin Temple at dawn. He wrote. And kept writing. Two years passed. He left. Thirty years later, exiled in the north, he was still writing about Hangzhou — asking himself if he could ever forget the south. What I remember most, he said, is this city. Marco Polo arrived six centuries later and called it the city of heaven.
Stand in the mist above West Lake at dawn and you understand both of them.
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The Village
Amanfayun takes its name from Fayun — an ancient village in the valley below Northern Peak, its path toward Lingyin Temple walked by pilgrims for over 1,700 years. Aman arrived in 2010 and restored. Forty-seven dwellings, some over a century old, tucked between winding stone pathways and shaded courtyards, surrounded by tea fields, bamboo forest and ancient trees. No two rooms are identical. No televisions. Underfloor heating in the cold months, the courtyards open to whatever weather the valley brings.
Fayun Place — the cultural heart of the village, a two-storey building dating from the 1800s — is where the village gathered before Aman arrived and where guests gather now. Calligraphy, paper-cutting and traditional music take place here. Complimentary snacks throughout the day. Ask for the schedule on arrival.
The Stay
The stay includes entry to Lingyin and Yongfu temples outside visitor hours — before the gates open to the public, the temples belong to the morning and to you. A blessed prayer bracelet is left at turndown. Breakfast is included, Chinese or Western, served beside the village pathway.
The tea plantation on the property produces Longjing — Dragon Well tea, the most celebrated in China — grown on the hillside above the village. The Aman Spa sits among bamboo groves and magnolia trees, surrounding a 20-metre heated pool. Seasonal baths and scrubs using local ingredients, traditional Chinese acupressure massage, moxibustion.
Inside the temple complex adjacent to the village, a café serves noodles for a few yuan. Go at least once.
The Particulars
The Fayun Pathway at dawn — the path to Lingyin Temple, walked by pilgrims for 1,700 years. Leave before the gates open.
Temple access — entry to Lingyin and Yongfu temples outside visitor hours, included in the stay.
Longjing tea — grown on the hillside above the village. The most celebrated tea in China.
Calligraphy at Fayun Place — the cultural centre of the village, dating from the 1800s. Ask for the daily schedule.
The Silk Museum — Hangzhou has been the silk capital of China since the Tang Dynasty. A short drive away.
West Lake at dawn — six kilometres away, UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The pool — 20 metres, heated, surrounded by bamboo and magnolia.
Who it’s for
For anyone drawn to places that make you want to write.
Photography courtesy of Amanfayun
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