An old Chinese saying declares, "There is heaven above, Suzhou and Hangzhou below." Centuries later, Marco Polo called Hangzhou the most enchanting city in all the world. This is most evident in the West Lake area--the effective, if not geographic, center of Hangzhou. Hills embrace the lake on three sides; the city proper lies to the east. Ancient Chinese people praised the West Lake area as a land of intoxicating beauty. Su Shi, a poet from the Song Dynasty, likened the lake to Xizi, a Chinese Cleopatra, for its allure.Ten of the most beautiful sites include:

• Spring Dawn at Sudi Causeway
• Melting Snow at Broken Bridge
• Sunset Glow over Leifeng Hill
• Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard
• Autumn Moon on Calm Lake (a lakeside park at the west end of the Bai Causeway)
• Listening to Orioles Singing in the Willows
• Viewing Fish and Lotus Ponds at Flower Harbor
• Evening Bell at Nanping Hill
• Three Pools Mirroring the Moon
• Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds

Hangzhou is one of the seven ancient capitals of China, and a famous historical and cultural city. It has more than 2,200 years of history since the establishment of county administration in the Qin Dynasty. It was capital both in the Wuyue Kingdom of the Five Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty for more than 230 years. That was a period of great prosperity in the history of Hangzhou, known as the No.1 Southeast China city. The culture of Hangzhou has cultivated numerous statesmen, writers, artists, scientists, national heroes and virtuous officials who had made remarkable contributions to the political, economic, cultural and social development of Hangzhou. Therefore, Hangzhou is reputed as "a land of culture" and "a famous historical city". The West Lake has long been admired by renowned poets and painters. What they left behind is profound and glorious poems and paintings. Around the West Lake, t here are a lot of ancient grotto carvings, steles and ancient buildings, which are world-famous precious art treasures of the nation, such as over 300 pieces of vivid rock carvings on the Peak Flown from Afar, Six Harmonies Pagoda, Baochu Pagoda, Lingyin Temple, Yue Fei Temple and etc. Many museums representing Chinese civilization were established in succession in Hangzhou, including China Silk Museum, China Tea Museum, Huqingyutang Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum, Southern Song Guan Kiln Museum, China Liangzhu Culture Museum, Zhangxiaoquan Scissors Museum, etc. This helps Hangzhou retain the complete appearance of an ancient historical city during its modernization process.

My home town is Hang Zhou city in China, I am pround of her. Welcome to Hang Zhou, Please. You will get surprise.