Zhejiang Province, also called Zhe for short, is named after the Zhejiang River (another name of the Qiantang River), the longest in the province. Lying in China's southeast coastal region, the province boasts of numerous gulfs and bays and more than 2,100 islands, accounting for one-third of the total islands in China. It has a population of 43.35 million. Hangzhou is the provincial capital.

Zhejiang is known as a "famous tourist center and a land with rich historical relics," featuring mountains, the sea, rivers and lakes, and caves, a landscape typical in regions south of the Changjiang River. There are 11 national scenic areas and 22 provincial scenic areas. Of which the better-known are the picturesque West Lake in Hangzhou; Shaoxing, a city of waters and bridges; Putuo Mountain, a center of Buddhism; the charming Fuchun River; Qiandao Lake, a landscape of mountains reflected in water; Mogan Mountain with a cool, comfortable climate; and the magnificent Yandang Mountain. There are 28 national units of historical relics under key protection, including the unsophisticated Pagoda of Six Harmonies, the Temple of Yue Fei, Lanting Pavilion to the memory of Wang Xizhi, a master calligrapher of the Jin Dynasty (265-420), the Guoqing Temple, a famous place of Buddhism, and Tianyi Pavilion in Ningbo, one of the four major libraries in ancient China.

Zhejiang is a land endowed with the fine spirits of the universe and has brought foward many statesmen, thinkers, men of letters, educators, scientists, and artists who made outstanding contributions and left behind them many famous historical sites.

The capital of Zhejiang Province is poised on the lower reaches of Qiantang River and the southern Terminal of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Hangzhou is also regarded as one of China's seven ancient capitals-it was the capital of the states of Wu and Yue of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Southern Song. A mesmerizing landscape and a rich cultural legacy combine to earn Hangzhou, a famed scenic and historical and cultural city, the glamorous byname, "Paradise under Heaven".

The Tomb of General Yue Fei (1103-1142), a celebrated national hero who performed meritorious deeds in countering the invading Jin army during the Southern Song, lies at the northern side of the Qixialing Hill and on the northern shore of West Lake. A sitting statue of the general is found in the temple by the tomb.

Strewn with 1,078 isles of breathtaking beauty, the Thousand-Island Lake is actually a titanic reservoir in the upper reaches of the Xin'an River and part of the National Fuchun-Xin'an River Scenic Resort.

Shaoxing Located in the western part of Ningshao Plain, the city of Shaoxing is 58 kilometers from Hangzhou in the wpm. I 10 Kilometers from Ningbo in the east. The city has a history of 2,400 years and is a well-known historical and cultural city in China. Shaoxing is dotted with lakes and crisscrossed by rivers with stone bridges over them. It presents a unique watery landscape. The better-known scenic spots include East Lake, Lanting Pavilion, the tomb of Yu the Great, and the Memorial Hall of Lu Xun.

Built in 326 during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420), it is one of the famous Buddhist temples in China. Its main structures are Tianwang (Heavenly King) Hall and Mahavira Hall.