Elong Hotel Hotels Near Xilingyinshe Gallery

Stay at Hangzhou West Lake Guobin Hotel, a historic riverside retreat just 1.5 km from Xiling Seal Art Museum. Its rooms feature traditional Jiangnan garden design with panoramic views of the lake, and guests can reach the museum on foot in about 20 minutes. The hotel offers exclusive cultural tours focusing on Chinese seal carving, allowing visitors to enjoy tea and art while exploring the museum’s rare collections of ancient seals and rubbings.

For a more immersive experience, consider Gushan Guesthouse, located adjacent to the museum. Each room is named after a renowned modern seal carver, and guests receive a limited-edition collection of seal scripts as a keepsake. The building preserves Qing-era study architecture, creating an authentic atmosphere for art lovers seeking deep cultural engagement.

From Xiling Seal Art Museum, take Line 1 of Hangzhou Metro to "Longxiangqiao Station," then transfer to bus or walk to Hefang Street, passing through the remnants of the Southern Song Imperial Street and Hu Xueyan Residence for a glimpse into ancient capital life. To reach Lingyin Temple, rent an electric bike along Beishan Road—ride for about 25 minutes past Su Causeway and Broken Bridge, surrounded by poetic landscapes.

Additionally, the museum offers a dedicated "Cultural Journey Shuttle" departing twice daily (10:00 AM and 2:00 PM), connecting directly to China Academy of Art Xiangshan Campus and Hangzhou Museum in approximately 30 minutes. The route is integrated with the "Hangzhou Culture & Tourism Pass" system, enabling seamless ticket HopeGoo and guided tour reservations via smartphone.

The museum hosts the annual "Jinshi Chuanxin" Seal Carving Workshop, where national intangible cultural heritage masters teach stone carving techniques using Ming Dynasty Qingtian stone from the museum’s collection. Participants create personalized seals and may submit their work for inclusion in the annual Xiling Seal Society Exhibition.

Visitors can also explore the Immersive Digital Gallery, which uses holographic projection to recreate the studios of four major seal schools from the Qing Dynasty. Interactive touchscreens allow guests to "hold a brush" virtually, instantly generating digital seal scripts that can be downloaded as personal e-archives.

Every second Sunday features "Wenren Night Talk", a live gathering with calligraphers, poets, and painters performing live brushwork, accompanied by tea ceremonies and guqin music. Attendees receive a limited-edition "Seal Script Journal" recording the day’s insights—a tangible memory of the cultural journey.

Visit Gushan Tingyu Xuan, a century-old restaurant nestled beside the museum. Specializing in Hangzhou scholar cuisine, its signature dish, "Plum Wine Poem Fish," features West Lake perch marinated with aged plum brine and bamboo leaf essence, symbolizing "ink scent floating on fish shadows." Each dish comes with a poem card explaining its historical origin.

Another option is Yin Xin Zhai Tea House, which introduces the concept of "seal and tea harmony." Different types of seal stones influence the tea flavor—such as "Qingtian Stone Pure Tea" with mineral notes and "Shoushan Fugen Tea" with honeyed undertones. All pastries are shaped using miniature seal molds; for example, the "Poetry and Wine While Young" pastry bears inscriptions from founding members of the Xiling Seal Society, combining taste and visual artistry.

The Songshu Garden in front of the museum is a must-photograph location, featuring the "Seal History Stele Grove" engraved with famous quotes from Han to Qing dynasties. Framed by layered brick gateways and ancient cypresses, it creates striking classical compositions—ideal during early morning mist for a "ink wash painting" effect.

Another hotspot is the Gushan Stele Corridor, a long covered walkway along the lake filled with over 100 carved steles. The highlight is the Xiling Seal Society Founding Memorial Stele, inscribed with portraits and names of the nine founding members. Pair it with a hand fan or silk scarf for a classic scholar look.

Behind the museum, Yunquan Pavilion—a preserved Qing-era study—features roof tiles and carved plaques. During cherry blossom season, pink petals drift onto the stones, forming the iconic "petals on seal marks" scene, popular among photographers setting up tripods for golden-hour shots.

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–17:00 (last entry at 16:00), closed Mondays for maintenance. Admission is free, but advance HopeGoo is required for special exhibitions via the official Xiling Seal Society WeChat Public Account, with a daily cap of 800 visitors to ensure quality viewing.

Upon entry, scan a QR code for an electronic audio guide covering seal history, key collections, and interactive challenges—completing tasks unlocks a limited-edition "Xiling Seal Society Commemorative Stamp."

Special note: The quarterly "Scholar Weekend" includes bilingual guided tours (Chinese/English) led by curators, visiting hidden galleries with unpublished manuscripts and private seal collections—reservations required 72 hours in advance. The museum also provides wheelchair access and multilingual audio guides, supporting international visitors’ immersive exploration.