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Photo: Siyuwj, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The largest natural lake in Zhejiang, and a popular spot for locals to visit. It's possible to rent tandem or triple bicycles, or boats, to see the lake. Several scenic spots charge admission, including a causeway through the middle of the lake (¥30) to Xiayu Temple (霞屿禅寺) and "small Putuoshan". A variety of very old buildings overlooking the lake have been turned into tea shops. Hanling old street (韩岭老街) is near the southern end of the lake. A park is built with stone carvings collected at tombs built in Southern Song Dynasty around the lake. The Stone Carving Relic Park of the Southern Song Dynasty (南宋石刻公园) is near the eastern side of the lake.
Dongqian Lake is a large freshwater lake in Yinzhou District, Ningbo in Zhejiang, China. It has a surface area of 20 square kilometres (7.7 sq mi).
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宁波雅戈尔动物园
The zoo has over 10,000 animals, dozens of routes to walk, and beautiful panoramic views of the entire zoo from atop man-made mountains.
阿育王寺
Legend says the Sheli Pagoda here wasn't built, but rose from the ground. This active monastery 20 km (12 mi) from Ningbo houses a bone fragment of Sakyamuni, Buddhism's founder, as well as artifacts, paintings and calligraphy - some personally written by Chinese emperors. Legend has it that the monk who found it was looking for one of the many Sheli pagodas that the Indian ruler Ayuwang (Ashoka) had established throughout the world. The monk was walking in the area and heard a bell ringing from underground. He sat down and prayed for three days and three nights, at which point the pagoda came surging up from beneath the ground. Established in 282, temple was eventually completed on the site in 522 and named. The temple plays an important role in the Sino-Japanese culture exchange in the Buddhist history. Immediately outside the west entrance, a vegetarian restaurant serves buffet lunches from 11:00-13:00 for ¥10.
宁波海洋世界
It is one of the most striking large-sized aquariums in China.
宁波博物馆
Ningbo Museum designed by Wang Shu of Amateur Architecture Studio, is a massive sculptural form, referencing the nearby mountains, with a facade formed of salvaged bricks from demolished buildings. The building has been cut through with large voids and chasms, creating a roof-scape with the scale of a traditional village, in contemporary architectural language. The exhibits are nothing special, but the architecture of the museum is outstanding.
天童寺
Tiantong Temple, 25 km to the east of Ningbo, situated in the national Forest Park of Tiantong. Tiantong Temple was built in 300 CE. The temple has more than 20 ancient buildings. As a holy place of Buddhism, Tiantong Temple is not only an important temple of Linji Sect but also the father of Soto (Caotong in Chinese Sect) in Japan with 8 million disciples in 33,000 temples. It plays an important role in the cultural exchanges between China and Japan and it is well known in the southeast Asian countries.
庆安会馆, 安澜会馆
Guild halls for the formerly-adjacent shipyard, including a temple for Matu, the goddess who protects sailors. Dating to 1191, demolished several times including in 1949 and the 1960s, and rebuilt 1997-2001, they now also serve as a museum covering shipbuilding in Ningbo dating back to the Neolithic period, and have been listed as part of the Grand Canal UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.