Hangzhou 杭州

Hángzhōu 杭州 Other names include: Lín'ān 臨安, Qiántáng 錢塘, Wǔlín 武林; Hangchow, Hang-chow (historical romanization)

Nearby Locations: Shàoxīng 紹興 Jiāxīng 嘉興 Shànghǎi 上海

Jiāngnán 江南 Region

Article editor: Gregory Adam Scott

Geography Portal

The history of Hángzhōu 杭州 as a settled city spans over 2,200 years, and it has existed as a walled city since the Sui Dynasty. It is an important cultural and economic center in the Jiāngnán 江南 region.

Important Buddhist Sites

• Jìngcí Temple 靜慈寺 is located near West Lake. It was originally built in the Wúyuè Dynasty (吳越國, 907-978 CE), and underwent extensive restoration in the 1980s.
• Língyǐn Temple 靈隱寺, also called Yúnlín Chan Temple 雲林禪寺, is located north-west of the city. It was founded in the 4th century.
  • The Wulin Buddhist Seminary 武林佛學院 was located in the temple from 1946 to 1948
  • Jùzàn 巨贊 studied here in the early 1930s
• Bǎochù Pagoda 保俶塔 is located near West Lake. It was originally constructed in 963 and underwent extensive reconstruction in 1933.
• Léifēng Pagoda 雷峰塔 is also located near West Lake. Built in 975, it collapsed in 1924 and was not rebuilt until 2002.
• Huáyán University 華嚴大學 was located here from 1914 to about 1916
• The Awakening Society 覺社 moved here from Shànghǎi 上海 in 1919

Other Notes

• The Hángzhōu Buddhist Society 杭州佛學社 ran here from 1917

References and Resources

• Blue River (Lower Course of the) map showing railway link between Hángzhōu, Shànghǎi and Nánjīng in 1912.