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Interesting Facts
- Located near West Lake, The Peak That Flew From Afar, is a collection of Buddhist carvings on a hillside. The sight is quite breathtaking as it includes over 380 carvings and four caves carved almost 600 years ago. The oldest carving is noted to be the Buddha of the Future, a laughing figure rejoicing in the state of the world's ultimate end.
- The tea of Longjing or Dragon Well Village is revered as some of the best tea in China. It’s especially noted for its sharp green color, velvety look, redolent smell and excellent taste. Locals continue to pick and process top varieties by hand.
- Located at the southern end of the Grand Canal, Hangzhou completes the impressive man-made structure that connects Beijing to the southeast with a stretch of over 1764 kilometers of canalway. The city also borders the Qiantang River and stands only 180 kilometers from Shanghai.
- Hangzhou has long been touted for its natural beauty, including the becoming attributes of its famous West Lake. After visiting this fair city, world renown 13th-century traveler Marco Polo attested that Hangzhou was "the most splendid and luxurious city in the world."
- Rather large in scope, Hangzhou encompasses 8 different districts, 3 county-level cities and 2 counties. The total land mass of these areas numbers at 16,596 square kilometers with the city proper spanning 3068 of those square kilometers. The population count for the broader area stands at almost 6.5 million.
- The alluring osmanthus flower is the official flower of Hangzhou. This lovely blossom is known as one of the ten top prized flowers in the nation. The flower is favored for its fragrance and beauty, but it also used in tasty foods and savory teas.
- The official city tree is the aromatic camphor tree. The trees can be seen growing throughout the city and provide a sense of the old world to modern day Hangzhou. These scented beauties are cultural elements that span time, connecting the present to the past.
- Hangzhou has four distinct seasons, boasting generally mild temperatures for each. During the summer months of June, July and August, temperatures can climb as high as the low 90s (F), and during the coldest winter months of December, January and February, they can drop to the low 30s (F).
- Over 2200 years old and favored by rulers throughout the years, Hangzhou was founded by the Qin dynasty. It was also the capital of the Wu and Yue kingdoms for five dynasties during the 10th century. Additionally, it was selected as the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty in the 12th and 13th centuries.
- Conventionally, Hangzhou's primary industries have been that of textiles, silk and machinery. Although these industries still dominate the area, additional industries such as electronics are becoming important players in the Hangzhou economy, especially since the advent of an open economy in 1992.
