Lanting is located in the southwest of Shaoxing, about 13 kilometers away from the city. Although this simple and elegant garden is not large, it attracts the attention of Chinese and foreign tourists. According to historical records, in 353 AD, that is, on March 3, the ninth year of Yonghe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Wang Xizhi, his friends Xie An, Sun Chuo and other celebrities, as well as 42 relatives and friends gathered in Lanting to perform the ritual of praying for evil spirits, drink wine from a meandering stream, and Compose poetry. Later, Wang Xizhi compiled the poems and essays of everyone into a collection and wrote a preface. This is the famous "Preface to the Lanting Collection". Legend has it that when Wang Xizhi was intoxicated with wine, he quickly wrote this preface with silkworm cocoon paper and a mouse-whisker pen. There are 28 lines and 324 words in it. Every word with repetition has different variations and is exquisite. It's a pity that when such a treasure of calligraphy came into the hands of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, he couldn't bear to let it go. When he died, he ordered someone to use it for burial. From then on, the world could no longer see the original "Preface to the Lanting Collection". In the Orchid Pavilion, there is a triangular stele pavilion with two large cursive characters "Goose Chi" engraved on the stele inside the pavilion. It is said that these two characters were written by Wang Xizhi. It is said that Wang Xizhi liked geese very much and raised a flock of geese at home. Now there are several white geese raised in Lanting's goose pond.
There are also other buildings in the Orchid Pavilion such as the Qushuishui Shang Pavilion, Youjun Temple, and Mochi. The Liushang Pavilion is three rooms wide and surrounded by corridors on all sides. There is a winding ditch in front of the pavilion. Water flows slowly in the winding ditch. This is the famous Qushui. At that time, Wang Xizhi and others were sitting on the bank of Qushui. Someone placed a wine cup on the upper reaches of Qushui. The wine cup was held by lotus leaves and floated along the current. Wherever they stopped, they wrote poems. Anyone who fails to compose a song will be punished with a glass of wine. Now the Orchid Pavilion scenic spot has a performance of "Qushui Banquet". Visitors who participate can imitate the ancients, burn incense, perform music and drink wine, and experience the fun of the Qushui invitation in those days. Youjun Temple in the Qushui River is an ancestral hall commemorating Wang Xizhi. At that time, Wang Xizhi served as General Youjun and Internal History of Kuaiji, so people often called him Wang Youjun. There are many inscriptions in the temple, and a portrait of Wang Xizhi hangs in the middle. The couplets on both sides are "I will leave my traces in the mountains and rivers throughout my life, and I will sit in the rows and say something ancient and modern." There is a pool in the temple, called the "Ink Pool". It is said that Wang Xizhi used the water in this pool to dip his pen in to practice calligraphy, and the entire pool of water was dyed black.