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Hangzhou grew to prominence as the southern terminus of the Grand Canal and has been one of China's most renowned and prosperous cities for much of the last millennium. It is a major economic and e-commerce hub within China, and the second biggest city in the Yangtze Delta after Shanghai.
Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang Province and the political, economic and cultural center of the region. It is known for its scenic West Lake, historical and cultural sites, local dishes and shopping. Find out how to plan your trip, where to stay, what to do and more.
- Overview
- History
- The contemporary city
Hangzhou, city and capital of Zhejiang sheng (province), China. The city is located in the northern part of the province on the north bank of the Qiantang River estuary at the head of Hangzhou Bay. It has water communications with the interior of Zhejiang to the south, is the southern terminus of the Grand Canal, and is linked to the network of can...
The county of Qiantang was first established at this site under the Qin dynasty (221–207 bce) but did not start developing until the 4th and 5th centuries ce, when the Yangtze River delta area began to be settled. A prefecture named Hangzhou was created there in 589, during the Sui dynasty (581–618), which is the source of the city’s name. It became a major local centre with the completion of the Jiangnan Canal (then the southern section of the Grand Canal) in 609. During the Ten Kingdoms (Shiguo) period (907–960), Hangzhou was the capital of the state of Wu-Yue. In the later Song period (960–1279), northern China fell to the Jin (Juchen) dynasty (1115–1234); from 1127 the Song rulers were confined to southern China, and they made Hangzhou (then known as Lin’an) their capital. A centre of commerce, it was visited in the late 13th century by the Venetian traveler Marco Polo, who called it Kinsai, or Quinsay; it then had an estimated population of 1–1.5 million.
Although it never again reached the peak of importance that it had achieved as capital of the Nan (Southern) Song, Hangzhou remained important. Under the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911/12) dynasties, it was a superior prefecture, in addition to being the provincial capital of Zhejiang. It became immensely wealthy, being at the centre of a fertile rice-growing area as well as being the site of the most important silk industries in China. It also was famous as a centre of culture, producing numerous writers, painters, and poets. Its importance as a port dwindled, however, as Hangzhou Bay gradually silted up and as its outport, Ganpu, became useless. From the 14th century its trade gradually shifted to Ningbo to the southeast on the southern shore of the bay and, in the 19th century, to the new city of Shanghai, some 100 miles (160 km) to the northeast at the mouth of the Yangtze. In 1861, during the Taiping Rebellion (1850–64), the city fell to the rebels and suffered severe damage.
Since 1949 Hangzhou, though it has been carefully preserved as a scenic district and tourist attraction, has also developed into an industrial centre. The textile industry, originally confined to silk production, now produces both silk and cottons. In addition to thermal electric-generating plants, the city is connected via the regional power grid to the large Xin’an River hydroelectric project to the southwest and to Shanghai and Nanjing. A chemical industry has also been established. In the late 1950s a major tractor plant was built in Hangzhou, and a machine-tool industry subsequently developed. Electronics manufacturing has also become a major component of the city’s economy.
Hangzhou is an economic centre of and export base for east-central China. A railway network connects Hangzhou to Shanghai and Ningbo as well as to Xuanzhou in Anhui province (northwest) and Nanchang in Jiangxi province (southwest). A Shanghai-Ningbo expressway via Hangzhou was completed in the 1990s, and a Nanjing-Hangzhou expressway opened in the early 21st century. There are scheduled flights to Singapore and to Hong Kong and other major cities in China from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (opened 2000), 17 miles (28 km) east of the city. With increased growth since the late 20th century, the city has spread to the southern bank of the Qiantang River in recent years, and its metropolitan area includes the city of Xiaoshan to the southeast.
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- West Lake. West Lake is undoubtedly the most famous Hangzhou place to visit and a Hangzhou must visit. The lake scenery is charming in all seasons, including rippling water, green willows in spring, pink lotus flowers in summer, red leaves in autumn, pure white snow scenery in winter, and abundant historical relics scattering around it.
- Xixi National Wetland Park. Xixi National Wetland Park is a natural wetland in the west of Hangzhou. Although it is a popular Hangzhou tourist place, you won’t feel over touristy there for it is quite large with crisscross causeways.
- Longjing Village. Famous for the local specialty Longjing Tea, Longjing Village is encompassed with large areas of tea trees. There, you could see the terraced fields being covered by tea trees layer upon layer, like a waving green ocean.
- Thousand Islets Lake. Although as far as about 150 km (93 mi) southwest to Hangzhou downtown, Thousand Islets Lake is among the worthy places to visit in Hangzhou China.
Hangzhou is one of the Seven Ancient Capital Cities, with a history of about 2,500 years. Take a cruise to explore the World Heritage Site - the Grand Canal. Hangzhou boasts enchanting natural scenery. West Lake, the symbol of Hangzhou, is considered to be one of the most beautiful sights in China.
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China, Asia. One of China’s most enduringly popular holiday spots, Hángzhōu’s (杭州) dreamy West Lake panoramas and fabulously green hills can easily tempt you into long sojourns. Eulogised by poets and applauded by emperors, the lake has intoxicated the Chinese imagination for aeons. Kept spotlessly clean by armies of street sweepers ...
As one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China, Hangzhou is an important tourist destination for its history and culture. Hangzhou is also a beautiful city with numerous "heavenly" attractions. As the saying goes, "Up above is paradise, down below are Suzhou and Hangzhou." 1. Wander in the West Lake Wonderland.
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