| Hangzhou Overview |
| Hangzhou Overview |
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Geography and Physiognomy |
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Capital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou is situated at the south end of Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal  and 151 Km away from Shanghai. It is the central city in the southern wing of Yangtze River Delta where is the 6th largest city circle in the world.
Its mid-west and south belongs to the Zhongshan Hilly Area with rolling mountains, while its northeast belong to the plain area with flat lands. The major rivers are the east-west Qiantang River, the north-south Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and Tiaoxi River |
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Climate |
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Hangzhou belongs to the subtropical monsoon climate, with four distinct seasons and warm and mild weather. Its average annual temperature is 16.2c, its average annual precipitation is about 1500mm, with the average rainy days about 155 days. Its spring(March-May) and fall(September-November) are optimal travel seasons with agreeable and comfortable weather. |
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History |
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One of the eight ancient capitals in China, Hangzhou is famous for its tourism, history and culture. Hangzh ou enjoys a culture of 8,000 years, the city was built more than 2200 years ago, when Qianshihuang, the first emperor of Qin Dynasty, set up Qiantang County here 222 BC(or 25th year of Qinshihuang); During the period of the Five Dynasties, the kingdom of Wuyue founded its capital in Hangzhou in 893, which existed for 86 years. In the 3rd year of Jianyan(1129) in the Southern Song Dynasty, the capital was moved southward to Hangzhou and "Hangzhou" was changed to "Lin'an Prefecture". In the 8th year of Shaoxing(1138), the Southern Song Dynasty had its capital formally founded in Lian'an, which existed for 152 years.
The Hangzhou people's government was established on May 24, 1949. Hangzhou now is the center of politics, economy and culture of Zhejiang Province. |
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Administrative Area |
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Currently Hangzhou has under it 8 districts: Shangcheng, Xiacheng, Jianggan, Gongshu, Xihu, Gaoxin(Bingjiang), Xiaoshan, and Yuhang; 5 counties or county-level cities: Fuyang, Lin'an, Jiande, Tonglu, and Chun'an. The total area of Hangzhou is 16,596 sq.Km, among which the urban area is 3,068 sq.Km. |
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Economy |
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Hangzhou is a fast-growing economy. Its GDP has maintained a double-figure increase for 14 years continuously and its aggregate economy has been ranked for many years continuously second among provincial capitals, third among sub-province sities and eighth among medium and large-sized cities in China. |
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Tourism Resources |
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Endowed with a unique natural environment along with a culture accumulation of thousands of years, Hangzhou is home to a large proportion of southeastern China's wonders. There are two national scenic area: the West Lake Scenic Area and the "Two Rivers and One Lake" (Fuchun River - Xin'an River - Thousand-islet Lake) Scenic Area, the longest canal of the world, Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal which is equally famous with the Great Wall; and 14 units of national key cultural relic sites and 3 national museum.
Now a tourism pattern of the great Hangzhou area has been formed, which is centered around the West Lake, threaded by "Three Rivers, Two Lakes, One Mountain, and One Canal" (Qiantang River, Fuchun River, Xin'an River, the West Lake, Thousand-islet Lake, Tianmu Mountain, and the Grand Canal), with its focus on Zhijiang National Holiday Resort radiating the entire city. |
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Population and Nationality |
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The total population of Hangzhou(registered population) was 6,516,900. Most residents are of Han nationality, and others are of 23 minorities, including Hui, Mongolian, Man, Urgur and Korean, etc. |
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Education |
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Hangzhou now has 30 high educational institutions, including famous Zhejiang University and China Academy of Art. |
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Religion |
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Hangzhou is a city of multi religions, as Taoism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity are well represented in the city. The Chinese government implements a policy of religious freedom and all normal religious activities are protected by the Constitution. |
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Language |
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China(Putonghua) is the official language and the Hangzhou language is the local dialect. Bilingual signs of both Chinese and English are provided at major roads, airport, scenic areas, hotels of four stars or above, and speciality streets. As long as you can understand a little Chinese, you CAN go around the city with a map of Hangzhou. If you do not understand any Chinese at all, an interpreter would be a wise choice or you can have your destinations written down in Chinese beforehand. |
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Name |
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There are 200-300 common Chinese surnames, the most common surnames being Zhang, Wang, Li, Zhao and Liu. Generally people's name are composed of two or three characters, with the family name after the surname. Women retain their surnames and family name even after marriage and children usually follow their fathers' surname. |
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Security |
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China is one of the most secure travel destinations in the world and Hangzhou is one the most secure cities in China. |
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Hangzhou Profile |
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Oriental Capital of Leisure |
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The beautiful West Lake has brought forth the name of "Heaven on  Earth" to Hangzhou. It also provides a lesurely life style with a peace and comfort.
The 2006 World Leisure Expo was held in Hangzhou, which is a good remark: no cities in China other than Hangzhou can be the most suitable for leisure. With the name "International Garden City", Hangzhou was born as the "Oriental Capital of Leisure". |
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A History City and a City of Love |
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Hangzhou was one of the eight ancient capitals in China. Today, with historical remains of the Imperial City, Royal Temple and Guanyao Kiln( the official kiln) of the Southern Song Dynasty, it extends before us a panorama of the city's prosperit in the history, as described in a few lines:"( Hangzhou), a wonderful shape in the southeast, the center of Three Wu region, has been prosperous since ancient times."
The ancient culture is alwayss accompanied with beautiful love stories; the Scholar Xu Xian and the Lady Snakewhite, Liangshanbo and Zhu Yintai( the eastern Romeo and Juliet), and Su Xiaoxiao at Mucai Pavilion( romance of a beautiful and gifted girl)... all these romances and legends have lent the name of "City of Love" to Hangzhou. |
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Dragon Well Tea and City of Silk |
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Home to Dragon Well tea, Hangzhou was awarded the name "China Tea City" at t he 2005 China(Hangzhou) West Lake International Tea Culture Expo. Hangzhou West Lake Dragon Well Tea is on top of the ten renowned teas in China for its "green color, fragrant aroma, nice shape and sweet taste". "The tea is the national drink and Hangzhou is the city of tea". The tea picking, tea tasting, teaism, tea and tea culture are the historical cultural vein for Hangzhou to exist.
Hangzhou has the reputation of "City of Silk" due to its 5000 years of silk weaving. Now silk has been widely used in craftwork and fine arts, such as Dujinsheng Brocade, West Lake Parasols, and Hangzhou Embroidery. China Silk Museum and China Silk Town exhibit the brilliance of China's silk culture. |
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Hangzhou Style Cuisine and Women's Garments |
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Hangzhou has long been acclaimed as a land flowing with milk and honey. It has a long cuisi ne history and ruch culinary resources. Hangzhou-style dishes are the main stream and typical of Zhejiang Dishes which is one of the eight dish styles in China. Today, the Hangzhou-style has been renovated. It is no longer the cooking simply, but a combination of the history and the modern, the south and the north, representing culinary culture of borrowing from others.
Hangzhou-style women's garments also highlight the Hangzhou style. Wulin Road Fashionable Women's Garment Street has been the focus. What the Hangzhou-style garments try to creat is an urban cultural atmosphere of "leading fashions and romantic classics". |
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Information collected by inhangzhou.com | | |
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