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Hangzhou Brief

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Hangzhou of China Map of Hangzhou

Sub-provincial city: Hangzhou · 杭州市 Coordinates: 30°15′N 120°10′E Country: People's Republic of China Province: Zhejiang Government: CPC Secretary: Wang Guoping (王国平) Mayor: Cai Qi (蔡奇) Area: Sub-provincial city: 16,847 km2 (6,504.7 sq mi) Population: Sub-provincial city: 6,776,400 Density: 402.2/km2 (1,041.8/sq mi) Urban: 3,407,600 Time zone: China Standard Time (UTC+8) Postal code: 310000 GDP: ¥478.1 billion (2008) GDP per capita: ¥70,832 (2008) License Plate Prefix: 浙A City Flower: Sweet Osmanthus City Tree: Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) Regional Dialect: Hangzhou dialect Website: http://www.hangzhou.gov.cn (Chinese)

Hangzhou (Chinese: 杭州; pinyin: Hángzhōu) is one of the important tourism cities in China, famous for its natural beauty and historical and cultural heritages. Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang province. It is the political, economic and cultural center of the province as well. It is one of the 15 vice-provincial level cities in China.

Hangzhou is located on the low reaches of Qiantang river in southeast China, with a distance of 180 kilometers to Shanghai. It is one of the key cities in the Yangzi Delta area.

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Hangzhou History

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The celebrated Neolithic culture of Hemudu inhabited Yuyao, an area (now a city) 100 kilometers south-east of Hangzhou, as far back as seven thousand years ago when rice was first cultivated in southeastern China. The area immediately surrounding the modern city of Hangzhou was inhabited five thousand years ago by the Liangzhu culture, so named for the small town of Liangzhu not far to the northwest of Hangzhou where the ancient jade carving civilization was first discovered.

The city of Hangzhou was founded about 2,200 years ago during the Qin Dynasty, but the city wall was not constructed until the Sui Dynasty (591). It is listed as one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China...

Hangzhou History

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Hangzhou Climate

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In terms of beauty, Hangzhou is picturesque all year round. In spring and summer, the trees turn green and the air is sweet. In winter, the snow falls on the lake creating a picture- postcard atmosphere about the city and in autumn, the temperature is pleasant and balmy and the sky a delightful color of amber.

In terms of comfort however, the heat can be unbearably intense during the summer. Fortunately, the many trees around the lake and in the hills do provide cover from the worst of the sun. The average temperature in the summer months is about 29 degrees centigrade...

Hangzhou Climate

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Hangzhou Silk

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Sericulture (the culture of the silkworm) and the weaving of silk have been practiced in China from a remote period. Legend dates this back to 2640 B.C., to Empress Si Ling-chi, who not only encouraged the culture of the silkworm but also developed the process of reeling from the cocoon. This was a closely guarded secret for some 3,000 years. Silk seems to have been woven very early on the island of Kós, which Aristotle mentions, in a vague description of the silkworm, as the place where silk was “first spun,” In the 1st and 2d cent. A.D. silk fabrics imported to Greece and Rome were sold for fabulous prices.

Up to the 6th cent. raw silk was brought from China, but death was the penalty for exporting silkworm eggs. About A.D...

Hangzhou Silk

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Hangzhou Transportation

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As a capital of Zhejiang province and one of China's premier tourism cities, Hangzhou has regular flights linking flights to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Guilin, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Xi'an, Dalian and other major domestic Chinese cities. Also there are flights to and from Hong Kong and Singapore. The citys airport is situated on twenty-seven kilometers from the town. A public bus costs RMB20 to the center of town, but most major hotels have free shuttle buses to the airport for their guests.

Hangzhou is the starting place for several routes like Zhejiang-Jiangxi, Hangzhou-Ningbo, and the Zhejiang-Changsha lines and the end point for the Shanghai-Hangzhou line. As a large traffic terminal in eastern China, the city is connected with more than thirty large to medium sized cities by direct rail lines. It takes about 10 minutes from the center to the station...

Hangzhou Transportation

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Hangzhou Food

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Hangzhou food is representative of the southern style.

Reminiscent of the romantic scenery around Hangzhou, these dishes are delicate, tender, refreshing and crisp. All ingredients used in the cooking come from the fertile land around the city, known as a land of plenty.

The strict cooking and its exquisite style more than satisfy Shanghai people's demands.

Restaurants of Hangzhou dishes have thrived in Shanghai, mostly for the food, but also for the low prices...

Hangzhou Food

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Hangzhou Tea

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Longjing Tea is one of China's best teas and is one reason for Hangzhou's international fame. The tea is grown in the Longjing mountain area of Hangzhou, southwest of the West Lake. The flat and smooth tea leaves (resembling pine needles with a yellow to dark green color) brew a tea with light to dark green color, a fragrant scent, and a refreshing taste.

Longjing Tea can be bought throughout Hangzhou, but the best place to buy Longjing Tea is the Longjing ("Dragon Well") area of Hangzhou. The tea there is said to be the best Longjing available. Alternatively, the tea can be purchased around other Hangzhou attractions, but the quality of the tea might not be as good...

Hangzhou Tea