Heavenly Hangzhou One Day Tour (SIC Tour)

The Red Carp Pond Locats west of South Su Causeway, Flower Harbor dates back to the South Song Dynasty. Originally it was a private garden near Huajia (Flower) Hill, hence the name Flower Harbor. In the year 1699 Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty visited West Lake and wrote "Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor," which was later inscribed on a stone stele standing near the pond. Emperor Qianlong also wrote a poem about Flower Harbor.

West Lake is a small freshwater lake situated close to the city of Hangzhou in the southeastern coastal area of China. The scenery of the lake has been famous for its picturesque interfusion of hills and water since the age of Tang Dynasty (618 907 A.D.)West Lake is not only famous for its picturesque landscape, it is also associated with many scholars, national heroes and revolutionary martyrs, thus embracing many aspects of Chinese culture.

On the Qing Dynasty Hefang Street sits the Hu Qing Yu Tang Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The museum was established in 1989 on the site of the famous Hu Qing Yu Tang pharmacy which was founded in 1874 by Hu Xueyan (1823 - 1885). His business wisdom and personal charisma made him successful as both a businessman and a high official in the imperial court. As you know, it was unusual at that time when business people were not respected and state officials were held in high esteem.

Hangzhou's most famous product is Dragon Well Tea (called Longjing Tea in Chinese), an invigorating, bitter-tasting green tea highly prized by Chinese and foreigner all over the world. Dragon Well Tea is grown in the Longjing mountain area of Hangzhou, southwest of the West Lake. Reputed to be the "Empress of Green Tea," Dragon Well tea is primarily planted in Longjing village, 20 KM from downtown Hangzhou. Perching on a mountain southwest of the West Lake, and endowed with lingering clouds and mists as well as abundant rain and dew, Longjing offers favorable conditions for growing tea. Longjing tea has a history of more than 1,200 years. Excellent walks circle around the village and into the surrounding tea gardens and hills. The village is best reached by taxi or hotel bus or a lovely stroll.