Hangzhou

Synopsis

Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang Province, renowned worldwide for its West Lake. As the saying goes, "Above is paradise, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou." West Lake was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. As one of China's Seven Ancient Capitals and the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou is famous for Longjing tea, silk, and Lingyin Temple. It was also the host city for the 2023 Asian Games.

Overview

Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, is one of China's seven ancient capitals, renowned worldwide for its West Lake. It is celebrated as "Heaven above, Suzhou and Hangzhou below" and was described by Marco Polo as "the finest and most splendid city in the world." In 2011, the West Lake Cultural Landscape was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 2023, Hangzhou successfully hosted the 19th Asian Games, showcasing the modern charm of this millennia-old city to the world.

West Lake is located in the city center, covering an area of approximately 6.39 square kilometers. It is about 3.2 kilometers long from north to south and 2.8 kilometers wide from east to west, with a perimeter of roughly 15 kilometers. The average depth of the lake is 2.27 meters, with a water volume of about 14.29 million cubic meters. The Ten Scenes of West Lake, including Spring Dawn on Su Causeway, Melting Snow on Broken Bridge, Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard, and Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake, each carry profound cultural significance.

Hangzhou served as the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty (1138–1279), when Lin'an (its name at the time) was a grand metropolis. Two great literary figures, Bai Juyi and Su Shi, both served as local officials in Hangzhou. They oversaw the construction of Bai Causeway and Su Causeway respectively, leaving timeless tales associated with West Lake.

Must-Visit Attractions

Longjing Tea — The Foremost of China's Ten Famous Teas

West Lake Longjing Tea is the foremost of China's Ten Famous Teas, celebrated for its four unique qualities: green color, rich aroma, sweet taste, and beautiful flat shape.

Hupao Spring water is renowned for its sweet and mellow quality. Together with West Lake Longjing Tea, they are known as the "Two Wonders of West Lake," earning the reputation "West Lake Longjing Tea with Hupao Spring Water."

Cultural Heritage

Hangzhou boasts an extremely rich cultural heritage. Lingyin Temple, founded in the first year of the Xianhe era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (326 AD), is one of the famous ancient temples in Jiangnan. The Feilai Peak grotto statues within the temple complex form the largest collection of grotto statues in Zhejiang Province. Liuhe Pagoda was built in the third year of the Kaibao era of the Northern Song Dynasty (970 AD) and is an excellent spot to view the Qiantang River Tidal Bore. The Qiantang River Tidal Bore is hailed as the "World's Number One Tide." It is most spectacular around the 18th day of the eighth lunar month each year, with wave crests reaching up to 3.5 meters high.

The Song Dynasty poet Su Shi praised West Lake in his poem: "The shimmering ripples delight the eye on sunny days; The dimming hills present a rare view in rainy haze. West Lake may be compared to Beauty Xizi at her best; It becomes her to be richly adorned or plainly dressed." This poem compares West Lake to the ancient beauty Xishi, earning the lake the nickname "Xizi Lake."

Travel Information

References

1. UNESCO — West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1334
2. Wikipedia — West Lake: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/西湖
3. Zhihu — Hangzhou Travel Guide: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/63649719