A City Called “Paradise on Earth”
Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang Province. It is the Yangtze River Delta’s center for politics, economy, culture, science and education, information and finance and a regional transport hub. The city has long been listed among the Top 10 cities by GDP in China’s mainland and repeatedly appeared among Forbes China’s Best Cities for Business List.
Hangzhou’s history goes back over 2,200 years to the Qin Dynasty when the county administration was established. It served as the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom and the Southern Song Dynasty. Known for its picturesque scenery, affluence and livability since ancient times, Hangzhou has a long reputation as the “Paradise on Earth”. Marco Polo lauded Hangzhou as “the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world” in The Travels of Marco Polo, a travelogue about China in the Yuan Dynasty.