Orchid Pavilion (Lán Tíng, 兰亭) commemorates, and seeks to recreate, the most famous poem of Jin Dynasty calligrapher extraordinaire Wang Xizhi (Wáng Xīzhī, 王羲之), "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion" ("Lán Tíng Jíxù," 兰亭集序).

In "Preface," Wang described a gathering of poets coming together to compose works and drink at the Orchid Pavilion. With the invention of beer pong centuries away, Wang and company made do by floating cups of rice wine in Qu Shui (Qǔ Shuǐ, 曲水), a winding manmade stream. Whomever the cup stopped by would have to drink it and compose a verse.

"Preface" would go on to be an extremely popular work, so much so that one Tang Dynasty emperor sought out the original to be buried with him in his tomb. The work was reported lost to keep it safely in the hands of Wang's family, so the emperor dispatched an official in disguise as a scholar to find it. The official found the original and the script was copied onto stone while the original went on to be buried with the emperor.

Chinese tourists today float plastic cups on Qu Shui to recreate the famous poem. Geese are also raised on the property. A famous hobby of Wang's, the calligrapher supposedly learned how to move his wrists by watching the geese move their necks.

While today's Orchid Pavilion is not the original—the exact location of which is today unknown—it remains a great Shaoxing cultural site. On the date of Wang Xizhi's famous gathering, the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar, the Orchid Pavilion Calligraphy Festival is celebrated with exhibitions of calligraphy and calligraphy contests.

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