The city of Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province and one of the seven ancient Chinese cities, is a state-level scenic spot. It is a historical and cultural locale sanctioned by the State Council. Hangzhou covers an area of 16,596 square kilometers and has a population of 6,600,000, with 8 districts -- including West Lake -- and five counties (Fuyang, Tonglu, Jiande, Chun'an and Lin'an) under its administration.

Famous for its beautiful scenery, Hangzhou is regarded as 'Paradise on Earth' and was praised by Marco Polo, the well-known Italian traveler, as "the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world".

Hangzhou has two national scenic regions: the West Lake and the Fuchun River. It also has one national nature reserve -- the Tianmu Mountain, and the world wonder, Qiantang River Tide. In addition, as the city is adjacent to various famous scenic attractions, such as Yellow Mountain, historical and cultural relic Shaoxin, Mt. Putuo, Ningbo, Fenghua Xikou, Mt. Yandang and Mt. Tiantai, Hangzhou makes itself a wonderful destination for travelers, as well as being a convenient transportation junction.

Hangzhou boasts not only a picturesque environment, but also a blossoming cultural landscape. The city is home to vast amounts of historical heritage, poetry, paintings and calligraphy, as well as an abundance of well-known grottoes, sculptures, steles and ancient buildings that circle West Lake, making Hangzhou a precious artistic gem in China.

And along with its rich culture, Hangzhou also boasts a booming economy whose industrial and agricultural output ranks it among the best-performing provincial capitals in China. What's more, when people think about Hangzhou, they consider it to be the 'City of Silk' or 'a Land Flowing with Fish and Rice' and even 'Tea Town', as Longjing Tea, the famous Chinese green tea, is also produced here.