Speaking of admiring the moon, people are inclined to think of Three Pools Mirroring the Moon in the West Lake. It is in front of a pavilion at Lesser Yingzhou Isle in the lake. Part of the outer West Lake, the site is well landscaped, creating an impression of "an islet in a lake and a lake on an islet."

A stone pagoda stands some two meters high. The hollow stupa has five round openings in it. When candles are lit inside at night, the light seen through the openings looks like tiny moons, forming a delightful contrast with the bright moon reflected in the lake. This is how comes the scene of "one moon in the sky,three shadows on the lake."

The three pools actually refer to the three gourd-shaped stupas in the lake. It was said that the Three Stupas that were built centuries ago along the shoreline to ward off evil spirits. In the evening, candlelight from the stupas recessed window combines with the reflected moonlight to create magical images on the water's surface. The long picturesque Zig-Zag Bridge keeps evil spirits at bay. As everyone knows, evil spirits travel only in a straight line.