In china, there has been a popular and century-old saying is: “Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth.”Hangzhou is well known for its picturesque, West Lake. The famous Italian traveler Marco Polo was so impressed by the beauty of Hangzhou that he described it as “the most fascinating city in the world where one feels that one is in paradise.”Since then, Hangzhou has won admiration domestically and abroad.
As one of the eight big ancient capitals, Hangzhou is the now the capital of Zhejiang Province in the Yangtze River Delta. Qiangtang River and the Grand Canal of China which is the longest man made canal in the world, run through the city, providing a great geographical condition of Hangzhou, making it the “Land of Fish and Rice” and the “Home of Silk.”The hills and foothills in the southeast of the plains make it the “Land of Tea.” Hangzhou has a population of more than 6 million and the climate is mild and moist.
The beautiful natural scenery it boasts enables is to be ranked as one the ten most scenic cities in China. The most popular sight in Hangzhou is West Lake. Covering an area of about 6 square kilometers, there are some of Hangzhou’s most famous historic relics and scenic places around. The scenic areas near West Lake are as follows: “1 lake, 2 peaks, 3 springs, 4 temples, 5 hills, 6 gardens, 7 caves, 8 tombs, 9 creeks, and 10 scenes of West Lake.”
Although Hangzhou is a prosperous city and it developed quickly, it still maintains its historical and cultural heritages. These heritages include Ancient architectures, pavilions, temples, pagodas, springs, caves, mausoleums, stone steels, and so on. Hangzhou, as a world-famous city, has won many awards and titles. For example, it was ranked as the “Happiest City” in China in 2008 and titled as the “Best Tourist City in China” by National Tourism Administration and World Tourism Organization in 2006.
Hangzhou also has a reputation as the “Home of Silk” and the “Land of Tea”, the silk production in Hangzhou has a long history and the exquisite and delicate silk products made in Hangzhou have become a world-famous trademark .The Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea (a kind of green tea) in produced in Hangzhou is believed to be the best type. One can appreciate the silk and enjoy the Longjing Tea from the National Silk Museum and National Tea Museum. Hangzhou is also known for its umbrellas, Chinese folding fans, among other items.
In addition, Hangzhou food represents Zhejiang Cuisine-one of China’s eight largest cuisines. Famous dishes include West Lake Sour Fish, Dongpo Pork, Jiaohua Young Chickens, and are widely known internationally and abroad.
