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History & Evolution
The history of Hangzhou began with the Qin dynasty. The city of Hangzhou is regarded as one of the seven ancient capitals of China. The city was founded by Qin dynasty more than 2000 years back. During the 10th century, Hangzhou became the capital of the Wuyue kingdom. Named Xifu at that time, it became a major cultural center, boasting fascinating Buddhist temple architecture. It also had diplomatic connections with neighboring countries. The Grand Canal which became a major transport link between South and North China, was built by the Sui dynasty. The canal has been a major reason for the city's economic developement and rapid growth.

The creation of the West Lake on the western edge of Hangzhou during the Tang period added to Hangzhou importance. From the early 12th century onwards, Hangzhou, then called Lin’an, reached the peak of its prosperity as the capital of the Southern Song dynasty. The Southern Song dynasty fell with the Mongol invasion but Hangzhou continued to flourish due to its naval trade and commerce. Hangzhou has been a major port of China. The city fell into the hands of communists in the year 1949. Hangzhou with its famous West Lake is now a major tourist attraction of the People’s Republic of China.

Site-Seeing
West Lake:
The west lake located in the Hangzhou Province is an encroachment of the sea. The lake is covered by lotuses and other flowers and aquatic plants and is very shallow and narrow. The avereage depth is only 5 feet. The lake is 6 km long. The shallowness of the lake is mainly because of the silt deposits in the lake. The West Lake in Hangzhou is divided into 5 parts: the Outer Lake, the North Inner Lake, the Yuehu Lake, the West Inner Lake and the Lesser South Lake.

The West Lake is situated in the lap of dreamy hills and misty peaks, there is an exotic Chinese garden around the lake that bursts into bloom in spring. This West Lake in Hangzhou also houses a man-made wonder: the Island of Little Oceans in the south of the Outer Lake. This island wraps 4 small lakes within its folds. Also from the island, the “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon”, can be seen. The other two attractions in the West Lake in Hangzhou are the Solitary Hill Island, which is positioned mid-way between the Outer Lake and the Inner Lake, and the Two Peaks Embracing the Sky.

Location: West of Hangzhou Province

Xixi National Wetland Park:
The Xi Xi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou is located at the southern tip of the Hangzhou Beijing Canal. Xi Xi covers an area of 4 square kilometers and it not only has a rich cultural heritage but also abounds in natural ecological resources. The wetland park includes many ponds, streams, rivers and reed beds. There are plenty of interesting things to see around Xi Xi National Wetland Park. The bo temple is an attraction of the park. The temple was originally the house of Zou Xiaozhi who led a simple life in this manor and never craved for fame or worldly glory. Another attraction of the park is Angling Club is a fishermen's paradise, one can catch various kinds of fishes.

The park also has a bird conservation area called Xialongtan Ecological Conservation Area. This is a very large area that consists of various water plants, land plants and birds. The place is excellent for bird watching. Each year the popular dragon boat festival is held in the Deep Pool Mouth of the park. The Xixi National Wetland Park also houses science lab, restaurants, accommodation and is a major center for wildlife preservation and educational research.

Hupao Spring (Tiger Running Spring):
The Hupao spring is located at the foot of the Daci Hill. The spring attracts visitors not only from China but from all over the world. Itis famous in China and all over the world for the wonderful quality of its water. Many great poets have sung in praise of this beautiful and unique spring. The specialty of the place is the Longjing tea that is made from the spring water.

The unique taste of the water has won the praise of all the visitors who have sipped the tea. The spring has a high percentage of radon and is therefore both good to taste and healthy at the same time. The spring originally had three wells that were later transmuted into two pools. There is a stone niche beside the main pool where a stone statue of the legendary monk is seen to lie in a reclining pose and standing beside him are two stone tigers. The spring and the surrounding valley has now become a part of the Tiger Running Spring Forest Park. The park has a grand Li Shutong Memorial erected in honor of the great scholar in the realms of music, drama, painting and calligraphy.