There is a Chinese saying: Born in Suzhou, live in Hangzhou, eat in Guangzhou, die in Liuzhou. The inhabitants of Hangzhou are said to be some of the most fortunate in all of China because of the city’s rich cultural history and stunning natural beauty.

The city of Hangzhou is located in northern Zhejiang province, in Eastern China, at the southern end of the Grand Canal of China, on the plain of the mid to lower portions of the Yangtze River. The prefecture-level region of Hangzhou extends west to the border with the hills of Anhui Province, and east to the flatlands surrounding Hangzhou Bay. The city center is built around the eastern and northern sides of the West Lake, just north of the Qiantang River. The summers are hot and humid summers, and the winters are relatively cool and dry, In July the average high temperature is 33 degrees Celsius; in January the average high is 8 degree Celsius. The region receives an average annual rainfall of 1450 mm.

Hangzhou was founded about 2,220 years ago, during the Qin Dynasty. It is one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China, though the city wall itself was not constructed until 591, during the Sui Dynasty. It was the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom for over 200 years, during the period in Chinese history known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period.

Celebrated capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou reached the zenith of its power and prestige in the years of the early part of the 12th century. The city was known as Lin'an and reigned supreme over the region until the Mongol invasion of 1276, which forced the court to flee to Guangdong. It was a very cosmopolitan city, with a population of around 200,000 in the year 1100 and may have numbered approximately 450,000 by 1170. During the 1200s, commercial expansion and an influx of refugees from the conquered north led to a drastic population increase, spreading the cith well beyond its original 9th century ramparts. It is estimated that there were well over one million inhabitants by 1276, making it the most populous city in the world at the time. For a historical comparison, the population of Paris was estimated at 11,000 at the time.

The famous explorer Marco Polo visited Hangzhou in the late 13th century. His opinion of the city was as follows: “[It is] beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world. The number and wealth of the merchants, and the amount of goods that passed through their hands, was so enormous that no man could form a just estimate thereof."

Because of the large population and densely crowded wooden buildings, the city was particularly vulnerable to fires. Major conflagrations destroyed large sections of the city in 1132, 1137, 1208, 1229, 1237, and 1275. Smaller fires were a constant menace to the population. The 1237 fire alone was recorded to have destroyed 30,000 dwellings. To combat this threat, the government established an elaborate system for fighting fires. They erected watchtowers, devised a system of lantern and flag signals to identify the source of the flames and direct the response, and charged more than 3,000 soldiers with the task of putting out fires.

The city remained an important port until the middle of the Ming Dynasty when its harbor slowly silted up. In modern times, Hangzhou was conquered by Chiang Kai-shek during the 1911 revolution which overthrew the Qing Dynasty, and ended China's last period of dynastic rule. Today, the city is served by the Xiaoshan International Airport for flights and the Hangzhou Railway Station, from which one can catch a train to Shanghai and almost anywhere in China. The city remains a popular tourist destination.

Famous Landmarks:

The West Lake (Xi Hu): There are many named “west lakes” in China, but this one is undoubtedly the most famous. It is largely artificial and was renown in ancient times for its beauty. In middle of the Tang Dynasty (785-804), the governor of the city, Bai Juyi, found that the farmland of the surrounding countryside depended on the water of West Lake, but due to negligence of former governors, the old dyke had collapsed. Thus, the water level receded and the local farmers suffered a severe drought. He ordered the construction of a stronger and taller dyke, with a dam to control the flow of water, and thus solved the drought problem. The livelihood of the local people improved over the following years. The governor then ordered the construction of a causeway, to facilitate foot travel around the lake. He also planted peach trees and willows trees along the dyke, making it a beautiful landmark.

Over two hundred years later, in the beginning of Song Dynasty, the poet Su Shi came to Hangzhou to serve as her governor. By that time, an overgrowth of weeds at the bottom of the lake had clogged the irrigation channels that carried water to the farmers’ fields. Su Shi ordered the lake to be dredged; he piled up all the mud into another causeway, but this one was wider and longer than his predecessors, and was crisscrossed by many bridges, most of which are still standing today. Citizens and visitors alike to the modern city can enjoy the same natural beauty that so captivated the ancient Chinese.

Xi Hu Longjing Tea Plantations ( Dragon Well Tea): This is a famous variety of green tea hailing from the region around Hangshou, and other areas of the Zhejiang Province. Unlike other green teas, Longjing tea leaves are pan fried to stop their fermentation process. Unlike grapes, which ferment when combine with various microorganisms, tea ferments as the leaves dry, resulting in an enzymatic oxidation. This oxidation is stopped by frying or steaming the leaves before they completely dry out. When steeped, the tea produces a yellow-green color, gentle pure aroma, and a rich flavor, which is much prized by conniseurs. It is high in Vitamin C, amino acids, and high concentrations of catechins. The highest grade of Longjing is called Xi Hu Longjing, taking its name from the shores of the beautiful lake. It is grown in a designated area of 168 square kilometers, and only leaves from this small area can be called Xi Hu Longjing. This tea has more than a thousand years of recorded history and was mentioned in the first ever tea book (Cha Ching) by Lu Yu during the Tang Dynasty. It’s so popular that famous personages such as Queen Elizabeth II, Richard Nixon, and Henry Kissinger made sure they had a sip before they left the shores of China.

Temple of the Soul’s Retreat: Also called Lingyin Si, this is one of the largest Buddhist temples in China. Founded in 326 AD, it has been rebuilt sixteen times, over the centuries! For more information and photos, follow the Wikipedia link: Lingyin Si.

Famous Citizens:

Yui Fei: He was a Chinese patriot and nationalist military leader who fought for the Southern Song Dynasty against the Northern Jurchen Jin Dynasty. According to legend, his mother tattooed four characters on his back meaning “serve the country loyally" before he left home as a young man. Today, visitors may see his masoleum in Hangzhou. (Article from Wikipedia)

Su Shi: He was a former governor of Hangzhou and renowned poet. (Article from Wikipedia)

Resources:

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