Couples have their wedding photos taken on the West Lake, in Hangzhou.

 

Many Beijingers are curious to find out where I come from because of my southern accent. When I tell them my hometown is Hangzhou, they look puzzled and ask: "Why did you come to Beijing?"

 

According to a famous Chinese saying, heaven is above; below are Hangzhou and Suzhou.

 

The capital of East China's Zhejiang province, two hours' drive from busy Shanghai, is green and beautiful. Its most famous scenic spot is the West Lake. Actually, there are 36 West Lakes across the country, but Hangzhou's West Lake is undoubtedly the best.

 

There is a classical saying in Chinese, that says a rainy West Lake is better than a cloudy one, it looks splendid with snow and even better at night. This means, whatever the weather, you won't be disappointed by the scenery.

 

The most remarkable era of the city's history was during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), when the capital was moved from Kaifeng in Henan province to Hangzhou, after the defeat of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) at the hands of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234).

 

The emperor was so comfortable among the natural beauty of Hangzhou that he lost his appetite for fighting. To make things worse, he spent thousands of gold bars to trade peace with the Jin Dynasty. Consequently, Hangzhou was blamed for what happened. In my opinion, you shouldn't blame a beautiful place or woman for your own failings.

 

The city may not be good for fighters, but it is ideal for intellectuals. This is why many historical men of letters were buried around the lake, to "live in heaven forever". If they were alive now, they might also feel blessed, as the real estate value of their funeral plot has soared over the past few years.

 

Lakeside apartments, the most expensive ones, were selling at 122,000 yuan ($16,865) per sq m in November.

 

Hangzhou is also famous for beauty. As another famous saying goes: Beautiful women come from Suzhou and Hangzhou. Taiwanese director Ang Lee obviously realized this when he cast Hangzhou's Tang Wei in Lust, Caution.

 

A male friend once confided to me he would tour Hangzhou to find a beautiful wife when he had made enough money. I wish him good luck, but what I do know is the city is an ideal destination for lovers.

 

Delicious food is another tourist attraction. Thanks to the many rivers and lakes, local chefs have devised many famous fish dishes over the years, such as xihu cuyu (West Lake sour fish) and songsao yugeng (Mrs Song's fish soup).

 

Lou Wai Lou is a must-visit restaurant in many guidebooks. But if you want to try something local, try Gao Yin Xiang, a famous dining street in the city.

 

Zhi Wei Guan serves excellent traditional dim sum. It has many branches across the city, but the one located on Dong Po Road is the best. Steamed mini dumplings are my favorites, costing 10 yuan ($1.4) for 10. I missed the dumplings so much when I studied abroad I used to cry for them.

 

(China Daily January 24, 2008)