Hangzhou history

A scenic city of historic culture and one of the seven ancient Chinese capitals, Hangzhou is named a major tourist destination by the state council. 180 Kilometers south of Shanghai, it lies in the northeast part of Zhejiang province which sits along the southeast coast of China. Its history can be dated back to 2200 years ago when it was first named a county in Qin Dynasty. Now it serves as provincial government seat and a center of politics, economy, cu Itu re, transportation and tourism. The whole city is 16596 sq. kilometers populated by 5, 969, 700 while the city proper is 699 sq. kilometers with 1, 630, 000 citizens.

Celebrated for its charming scenery, Hangzhou was once praised by Italian traveler Marco Polo to be the greatest city which may be found in the word. it boasts two closely adjacent state-level scenic areas (West Lake, Fuchun River-Xinan River), the magnificent Qiantang River Bore, the southern terminal of the Grand Canal, and the state-level nature preserve Mt. Tianmu. Across its boundary in the south stand the Mt. Huangshan, water town Shaoxing, Ningbo, Xikou and Mt. Putuo off the coast. In its southern neighborhood are Mt. Yandang and Mt. Tiantai. No wonder Hangzhou has been an ideal tourist resort.

Gifted with such picturesque beauty, Hangzhou is also a dynamic city rich in cultural heritage and advanced in science and technology. With West Lake as the scenic center, the surrounding land is scattered with state-treasured stone cave- carvings, steles, and ancient architectures. Presently Hangzhou boasts more than 10 institutions of higher learning and over 300 scientific organizations enjoying a vigorous overseas communication.

With a prosperous economy, Hangzhou ranks among the best of the mid-large scale cities in China in terms of total industrial and agricultural production value. A "City of Silk", it has a long history producing silk and offers a rich variety of quality products. Reputed as the land of fish and rice, Hangzhou is also the home of the famous Dragon Well green tea. Hangzhou sees a yearly tourist arrival both domestic and international in its city proper 21 million. Hangzhou belongs to the world as well as China. Welcome to our city of hospitality.