Hangzhou, a famous tourist city in east China, is experiencing a new wave of booming tourism during this year’s “Golden Week” holiday. Official data showed that, as of 16:00, Oct. 7, Hangzhou received 18.9537 million tourists during the seven-day National Day holiday, up 6.7 percent year on year. Tourism revenue totaled 16.081 billion yuan, rising 6.02 percent over one year ago, according to Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, TV and Tourism.
The period from Oct.1 to Oct. 7 is China’s National Day holiday each year. Also known as the “Golden Week”, it is a popular time for Chinese people to travel.
When Marco Polo visited the leafy, lakeside city of Hangzhou in the 13th century, he called it “the finest and most splendid city in the world”. Famous Chinese ancient poet Bai Juyi also had one household saying of “Most memorable is Hangzhou”.
History, culture and nature make Hangzhou a unique travel destination. Today this metropolis, under an hour from Shanghai by bullet train, encapsulates a leisurely, mellow way of life. Besides the classically Chinese triptych of green tea, fine silk, and pen-and-ink views, it’s home to three UNESCO world heritage sites, namely the West Lake, the Grand Canal and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City.
It is worth mentioning that during the “Golden Week” this year, the West Lake, the Grand Canal and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City were popular with tourists, fully demonstrating the world cultural heritage’s infinite charm. Statistical data showed that the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City and the Liangzhu Museum received a total of 35,800 and 76,700 tourists respectively during this period, indicating the continuous popularity of Liangzhu culture.
At the heart of the ultramodern city of Hangzhou is West Lake, a place so bewitching it has inspired some of China’s finest artists, writers and poets.
Every season here brings delights. Whichever season one visits, West Lake’s charms are at their height early in the morning.
But Hangzhou’s charms extend to more than just its beautiful lake. The city enjoys scores of culturally and historically important sites, many of which can be dated back to the Neolithic period. Among them, the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City is recognized as an evidence of the Chinese civilization’s history of over five thousand years.
The world’s longest man-made waterway, China’s Grand Canal was started in the 5th-century BC. Not all of it is navigable today, but one can experience this engineering marvel in Hangzhou.
Today, Hangzhou is one of China’s most exciting destinations, a heady blend of nature, wonderfully preserved temples, pagodas and pavilions, and big city hits. It is also home to the headquarters of e-commerce giant Alibaba. From romantic strolls around the lake to meditative moments in the mountains and sci-fi stays in the heart of town, Hangzhou still has the power to inspire.
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