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Hangzhou

Hangzhou is famous historical and cultural city in China, reputed as one of the 7 major ancient capitals in the Chinese history. Hangzhou has a long history and it has been found that fifty thousand years ago the "Jiande people", one of the ancient homo sapiens, lived in this area. In the late Neolithic Period more than five thousand years ago, ancestors of Hangzhou people inhabited the area around the Liangzhu, the northern suburb of the city, and were engaged in primitive agriculture, livestock raising, fishing and hunting. From the Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States Period, the area was occupied as the territory of Wu, Yue and Chu successively. When Emperor Qin Shihuang defeated all the princes and unified China, this area was established as Qiantang County. The name was changed to Hangzhou during the reign of Emperor Sui Kaihuang and lasted to this day. Established as capital in the periods of the Five Dynasties and the Southern Song Dynasty, and lasting for more than 200 years, Hangzhou saw its height of power and splendor in its history, and was called the "first city in the Southeast China". During the period of Yuan Dynasty, Hangzhou was established as a town of strategic importance, with flourishing economy and beautiful scenery, being, in the words of the Italian traveler Marco Polo, the "most beautiful and luxurious city in the world". In the period of Ming and Qing Dynasties, Hangzhou was still leading the way in economic, social and cultural development in China. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Hangzhou became the capital of Zhejiang Province, functioning as the political, economic and cultural center, as well as a transportation hub in the province. With the renowned sight-seeing spot, West Lake, being trimmed and harnessed on an unprecedented scale, Hangzhou has become a famous city for scenery tourism in the world.

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Shopping and Food

• Tourist Shopping
  The Yan'an Road is most prosperous commercial area in Hangzhou City, with shopping centers standing in great numbers and a great variety of goods on sale, catering to the demands of Chinese and foreign visitors at different levels. There are 155 shopping centers (stores) on the Yan'an Road, with 11,561 employees and a floor space of 352,901.4sq. meters. Of the ten major retail shopping centers in Hangzhou, 7 are located on this road, and also they have convenient and complete facilities for transportation and service. A round the Wulin Square there are large shopping facilities such as the "Bada", "Guoda", the shopping center of the Hangzhou Mansion, and the Wanjiawu Supermarket, forming a facility concentrated block for visitors to go shopping. In designated shopping centers, special counters have been set up for local products. In those major attractions in the West Lake scenic zone and the Song City, there are more than 10 kinds of tourist souvenirs reflecting features of these spots.
  
  Designated International Tourist Shopping Centers in Hangzhou

• Excellent Restaurants
  Hangzhou adopted a system of management by designation to ensure that both Chinese and foreign tourist groups can enjoy good restaurant services. The "Yuanhua food Street" and the middle part of the Stadium Road has become a "food street" with comparatively intensive service facilities for food and drinks. The Louwailou Restaurant and some other restaurants have been designated as local-style restaurants, the Haifeng Western Food Service as a western food restaurant, and the Phoenix Muslim Restaurant as a Muslim restaurant. All of them are famous restaurants in Hangzhou, Known for their excellent cooking techniques, good service, and clean surroundings.
  Food Street on the Stadium Road
  About 1km long, the middle section of the Stadium Road is a flourishing area with the greatest stream of people in the city of Hangzhou. There are 25 different restaurants in this area, with more than 8,500 seats, forming a fairly concentrated "food street" in the city, providing Hangzhou dishes, Guangdong dishes, South Korean cooking, KFC fast food, hotpots, snacks, refreshment and so forth, with various prices suitable for both visitors and local residents.
  
  Food Street of the Yuanhua Plaza
  Along the food street of the Yuanhua Plaza, Shangcheng district of Hangzhou, there are 27 restaurants, teahouses and bars, with more than 800 seats. Having business hours as long as 12 hours or more, they primarily provide Hangzhou dishes, Zhejiang dishes, snacks with various flavors, along with Dragon's Well green tea, wines and soft drinks.
  
  Hangzhou Haifeng Western Food Service
  The Hangzhou Haifeng Western Food Service is an old place with a history of more than 80 years. It is the largest Western food restaurant with complete facilities and a special grade in the city of Hangzhou, with a business area of 1,700 sq. meters. On its three floors there are cold drinks, café, pastry center, Western food restaurant, Chinese restaurant and box room with special decoration.
  
  Restaurants of Louwailou and Zhiweiguan
  The two restaurants of Louwailou and Zhiweiguan are the places where the local features and local food are best displayed. The Louwailou is a 150-year old restaurant, being both the most famous and oldest in the city. Premier Zhou Enlai dined at the restaurant for 9 times, entertaining many state leaders and foreign VIPs, and the restaurant also has an international fame. Built in 1913, the Zhiweiguan is also a famous old restaurant with reputed refreshments and dishes. It is a restaurant with the highest grade, the largest scale and the most advanced facilities in the city, with more than 1,000 seats, providing snacks, refreshments, major dishes of Beijing, Hangzhou, Sichuan, Guangdong, and more than 500 special flavor dishes.
  
  Hangzhou Phoenix Muslim Restaurant
  he Hangzhou Phoenix Mushlim Restaurant, jointly run by the Hangzhou Islamic Association and the Hangzhou Office of the Yinnan Regional Government, Ningxia Hui Autonomous region, is a Muslim restaurant open to both Chinese and foreign visitors. It is at 223 Central Zhongshan Road, near the Phoenix Mosque, one of the four internationally reputed major mosques along the southeast coast of China. Having a business area of China. Having a business area of 200 sq. meters with seats in balcony or gallery and box rooms, the restaurant manages all its facilities and businesses in strict accordance with the rules of processing Muslim foods.
  
  Hangzhou River Holiday Village's Yuexiu Show and Banquet Hall
  Located on the Qiantang River bank, opposite to the Six Harmonies Pagoda, one of the famous historical sites of Hangzhou, the Hangzhou River Holiday Village's Yuexiu Show and Banquet Hall is a banquet hall with Hangzhou folk decoration, local features and stage shows. With 268 seats in total, the hall provides visitors from all over the world with dishes of rich Hangzhou flavor, such as the West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce, Beggar's chicken, Dragon Well Shrimp Meat, Pot Roast Pork with Dried Turnip, Crispy Spring Pigeon, Tendon Fried with Bamboo Shoots, Stewed Old Duck with Dried Bamboo Shoots. It also provides a colorful night life program consisting of fashion shows, Zhejiang local opera, juggling conjuring tricks, singing and dancing.
  
  Hangzhou Jinsha Habor Holiday & Cultural Village's Qianyue Palace Restaurant
  Located on the bank of the West Lake against beautiful landscapes, the Hangzhou Jinsha Habor Holiday & Cultural Village's Qianyue Palace Restaurant is a restaurant in the form of a theater, with 360 seats in total, with 4 box rooms and 300 theater seats. To accompany various Hangzhou flavor dishes, the restaurant has created feature dramas such as Qianyue's Life, West Lake Scenery, along with delicious dishes and touching stories.
  
  List of Agencies
   

Hangzhou Designated Restaurants for the Program of the "One-day West Lake Tour"

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  Information provided by China National Tourism Administration.

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