The city of Hangzhou is one of China's great cultural and historical treasures, having played a vital role in the nation's history and maintained a reputation for beauty, wealth and cultural achievement that is matched by few of China's cities. Its status as a port and trading center established its importance as early as the Tang Dynasty, and it was the capital of a powerful kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. During the Southern Song dynasty it served as the imperial capital, and it maintained its influence and reputation over the succeeding centuries. Historically, Hangzhou was an important center of religious learning as well, which has bequeathed to it a remarkable range of Buddhist and Taoist monuments and places of worship.

The Hangzhou authorities have worked hard to protect the aesthetic and cultural values of the city during the economic boom of the last 25 years, with the result that Hangzhou has continued to attract countless visitors each year to its scenic sites while rising to the top ranks of China's industrial cities.
The pearl of Hangzhou's attractions is West Lake. Its elegant vistas, bridges, pavilions and gardens have been the subject of countless poems and paintings over the centuries, and most of the artists who have immortalized it followed the age-old "menu" of The Ten Scenes of the West Lake. These sights were given poetic four-character names rich with literary allusion, such as Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, and Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow. Modern improvements and landscaping have prompted the authorities to create a list of present-day attractions dubbed the Ten New Scenes of the West Lake, each carrying its own poetic name. Attractions in and on the shores of the lake which are not included in the Ten (traditional or new) include the Mausoleum of General Yue Fei and Solitary Island, on which lies one of Hangzhou's best restaurants. Further away from the city center and the lake lie such cultural treasures as Lingyin Temple, with a history stretching back to the 4th century AD, and the elegant Six Harmonies Pagoda.

As you would expect in a city as culturally rich as Hangzhou, there are a number of excellent museums. Among them are two that reflect the city's history and culture (the Zhejiang Provincial Museum and the Hangzhou Historical Museum), and two devoted to products that have made the city famous: the China National Silk Museum and the National Tea Museum.

Aside from the lush landscaped urban greenery that makes Hangzhou famous, the city also has a number of beautiful parks within easy reach of the downtown area. Xixi National Wetland Park, just west of the city, is popular with visitors interested in how Hangzhou preserves its ecological resources. Twenty kilometers outside of Hangzhou is Dongming Mountain Hill Forest Park, known for its beautiful forests. The Hangzhou Botanical Garden, the venue for Hangzhou's Osmanthus Festival, is landscaped with over 4,000 plants and loved for its bubbling streams and peaceful setting.

Hangzhou's mild climate and gentle terrain make leisurely touring on foot or bicycle a pleasure. However, visitors with limited time may prefer to join one of the many day tours on offer in the city, or look through the list of local travel agents for another source of advice.

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