Shrouded in mist and legend, West Lake stretches like liquid silver across Hangzhou, a place that has inspired poets, Emperors and travellers for centuries. What began as a humble lagoon more than 1800 years ago was transformed by human hands into a shimmering masterpiece. Today, as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the lake’s serene surface hides centuries of ambition, artistry and whispered secrets.

In 1974, farmers digging a well unearthed a hidden world, the Terracotta Army. Thousands of life sized soldiers, horses and chariots stand frozen in silent formation, crafted around 247 BC to guard China’s first emperor in the afterlife. This colossal underground army offers a mesmerising glimpse into the ambition, artistry and power of an ancient civilisation.