Hangzhou China

15 September, 2010 in B. WRITER'S DIARY by Roger Allnutt by Roger | 1,314 comments

Age is a relative concept in China. The city of Hangzhou, only 180km south of Shanghai, has a history of more than 2200 years. One of China’s six ancient capital cities (it was the capital of southern China from 1127 until the Mongol conquest in 1276) it is now capital of Zhejiang Province.

The southeast coastal province is known for its serene and elegant landscape and its rich cultural heritage; apart from the Qiantang River that divides the province in two its has many mountains and other rivers. The major tourist cities are Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shaoxing and Zhoushan.

Situated on the Qiantang River (it is the southern end of the famous Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal) Hangzhou is regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in China. The explorer Marco Polo visited in the early 13th century and even then he described it as one of the finest and most splendid cities in the world. It is sometimes referred to by the glamorous byname ‘Paradise under Heaven’.

A bustling, industrialised city of over six million inhabitants it is the so-called West Lake Scenic Area (from its location on the western edge of the city) that draws huge crowds to the area and makes it one of the popular resort cities in the country.

Bounded on three sides by forest-covered hills and the city to the east, West Lake Scenic Area is an area of beautiful gardens and parks, temples and pagodas. The lake itself measuring about 3km by 2km is ‘bisected’ by two causeways and also contains three small man-made islands; the islands have evocative names Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, Mid-Lake Pavilion and Mr Yuan’s Mound.

There are numerous temples and pagodas and other pavilions scattered around the edge of the lake and viewing points with names like Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard, Listening to Orioles singing in the Willows and Autumn Moon on Calm Lake. Cruises are available on the lake and for the energetic there are walking paths and jogging trails around the edge and especially across the causeways. Hiring a bike is another excellent way to explore the lake. In the southern corner of the lake Flower Harbour contains trees, a peony garden and an ornamental pool full of huge carp and goldfish. Rest awhile at one of the many teahouses. It is best to visit during the week as the area gets very crowded at weekends.

Hangzhou is noted for two particular temples. The Lingyin (Soul’s Retreat) Temple is an ancient Buddhist sanctuary (construction began in AD326) containing many cultural treasures including over 400 stone Buddhas, many with ‘laughing’ faces.

The Six Harmony Pagoda is a 60m high brick and wood construction on Moon Mountain on the banks of the Qiantang River, a masterpiece of classical Chinese architecture dating from AD970. From the outside the pagoda appears to have 13 levels but inside there are only seven. From the top it offers views of the Qiantang River that is famous for its tidal bore. On the 1st-5th and 15th-19th days of every lunar month there is a major tidal flow and in the 8th lunar month (around mid September) there is a spectacular occurrence when the river ‘reverses’ creating a huge wave (like a huge surf wave) the crest rising over two metres and dropping over six metres. Huge crowds come to witness the tidal bore of the Qiantang River.

The hills around Hangzhou are famous for the production of tea and a tour of the plantations is a great way to see the countryside. Longjinghua Township is the centre of production and the China Tea Museum there details the history of tea production in China. Join the local tea farmers in picking some leaves and sample a selection of the different varieties; green tea is a specialty but is not one of my favourites although it is noted for its health-giving properties.

As well as tea Hangzhou is noted for its silk, porcelain and herbal medicines. Allow time for a visit to the China Silk Museum, the Southern Song Dynasty Place Porcelain Museum and especially the Huqingyu Medicine Museum, the only one of its kind in China. Visitors to the Huqingyu Museum get a ringside view of how patent Chinese medicines are made and traditional Chinese doctors are on hand to provide advice. The China Silk Museum, located beside West Lake, captures the 5000-year-old history of silk-cocoon rasing and silk production in China.

Food is an important element of any visit to China and Hangzhou is known for its cuisine, a mix of Shanghai and Cantonese food. Try the “Beggar’s” Chicken, West Lake Vinegar Fish, ‘Dong Po” Pork and Longjing Shrimp. . Three restaurants in Hangzhou famous for their Hangzhou cuisine are Louwailou Restaurant, Tianxianglou and Zhiweiguan while inside the Lingyin Temple is an excellent vegetarian restaurant.

After indulging in the excellent food you can end the evening with a stroll through the hectic Night Market picking up a few souvenirs of Hangzhou; ties, scarves and other silk goods are good value. Hangzhou is also known for its nightlife and bars.

Apart from products mentioned earlier the province of Zhejiang offers a dazzling array of other native products and arts and crafts including brocade, rice wine, writing brushes, hams, white chrysanthemums, fans, stone carvings and wood sculptures. Among the best known local fruits are melons, peaches, oranges, pomelos, loquats, watermelons and jujubes.

As a popular resort city Hangzhou is well catered for for all levels of accommodation. At the top of the range are ’international’ hotels like the Sofitel Westlake Hotel, Radisson Plaza Hotel, Hyatt Regency and the Shangri-La Hotel. Local hotels worth noting include the Dragon Hotel and the Xianheng Hotel.

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