Hangzhou, capital of the province, southern terminus of the Grand Canal, and one of China's leading tourist attractions, lies in the north of Zhejiang at the head of Hangzhou Bay. The canal has been the instrument of the city's prosperity and fortunes, establishing it for more than a thousand years as a place of great wealth and culture. Apart from the fact that Yu the Great, tamer of floods, is said to have moored his boats here, however, Hangzhou has little in the way of a legendary past or ancient history for the simple reason that the present site, on the east shore of Xi Hu (West Lake), was originally under water. Xi Hu itself started life as a wide shallow inlet off the bay, and it is said that Emperor Qin Shihuang sailed in from the sea and moored his boats on what is now the northwestern shore of the lake. Only around the fourth century AD did river currents and tides begin to throw up a barrier of silt, which eventually resulted in the formation of the lake.

The West Lake is a like a shining pearl inlaid on the vast land of China, reputed for beautiful scenery, a multitude of historical sites, brilliant cultural relics, and a profusion of native products. Legend has it that the West Lake was a heavenly jewel fallen to earth. Pragmatists insist that it is a mere lagoon on Hangzhou's western fringe. In any case, West Lake has inspired painters for centuries.

The Qiantang River is 410 kilometers in length and is the longest river in the province of Zhejiang. Its soaring tides are a marvelous spectacle; only the Amazon River's surging tide can rival it! If you are visiting in September during the autumn equinox, you may be able to see one of the most unusual sights in the world. A tidal bore gathers momentum in the Gulf of Hangzhou, surges through the mouth of the Qiangtang River, and races up the river at a height of up to 30 feet and a speed of more than 15 miles per hour. In ancient times the governors of Hangzhou used to have arrows fired at these waves in an attempt to quell their destructive force. Nowadays more effective methods are used.

The Sung ¡V Dynasty City (Sung Dynasty Theme Park) was established on May 18, 1996, as the first theme park in Hangzhou and the largest of its kind dedicated to Song - dynasty culture. The city embraces scenes built according to the traditional Chinese painting 'Riverside Scenes During the Festival of Pure Brightness', Kowloon Square, Song Square, and Celestial Hills and Jade - Like Pavilions.