Directory_and_Chronicle_1925 — Page 996

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HANGCHOW

speed with the immense pressure of the ocean behind it, thus forcing its volume into the ever-narrowing waterway, the bore occasionally attains, at a favourable spring- tide, a height of as much as 15 feet as it rushes, with a roar like thunder, along the sea-wall on the northern shore of the Bay, at a rate sometimes reaching 12 miles an hour.

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Before the Taiping rebellion Hangchow shared with Soochow the reputation of being one of the finest cities in the Empire on account of its wealth and splendour, but it was almost destroyed by the rebels. Since then it has recovered to a considerable degree, and is once more populous and flourishing, though it has not yet regained its former pitch of prosperity. Historically, Hangchow is perhaps the most interesting city in the Republic. The earliest reference to it in the annals dates back to B.C. 2198. The great Shih huang-ti visited the place in B.C. 210, and the kings of the Wu-Yueh dynasty made it their capital. It was, however, under the Sung dynasties (circa A.D. 960-1200) that Hangchow became most famous as a capital. Marco Polo spent considerable time in the city, and, to this day, his image may be seen in the famous and picturesque Ling-yin Buddhist Monastery. Hangchow is indeed a great centre of Buddhism, and its temples include some of the most remarkable in China. The famous Yo Wang Temple, on the West Lake, which perpetuates the name of a revered Chinese patriot in the 12th century, has been reconstructed under the au- spices of the Military Governor, who has been successful in raising large sums to meet the expenditure involved.

Hangchow was declared open to foreign trade on the 26th September, 1896, in accordance with the terms of the Japanese Treaty. The population is estimated at 600,000. As a manufacturing centre Hangchow takes place even before Soochow.

Its great trades are silk-weaving-including several kinds of crape and gauze-the production of fans of all kinds, the manufacture of scissors, and the making of thin tinfoil, which, when pasted to a backing of coarse native paper, forms the ingots of imitation silver that are burnt in such immense quantities by the Chinese. In addition, it sends out thread, string, colours, drugs, lacquer, and many other articles in small quantities. Coarse paper is manufactured in great quantity. The communication by water with Shanghai is particularly good, and might be much improved with very little trouble by a small amount of dredging at Shihmên, on the Grand Canal, 20 miles from Hangchow. Ningpo, about 120 miles distant, can also be reached by boat from Hang- chow with several transhipments, but it is quicker to go vid Shanghai. Steam launches ply regularly to and from Shangliai and Soochow, with passenger boats in tow, making the trip in from 18 to 24 hours. Launches ply daily to Huchow and other places en route; also on Ch'ien T'ang river there are daily launches to Fuyang, Tunglu, Linpu, etc.,-a service that started in 1912. Hardly any cargo is carried by the latter between Hangchow and Soochow. These launches go vid Huchow and Nanzin, and a service is also maintained between Keeling, Soochow and several inland places. The Hangchow-Shanghai companies formed a combination some years ago and have a monopoly of the trade. Attempts made by outsiders to come in have always failed after a few trips. The railway, however, is proving a serious rival, and the rapid and up-to-date service provided is an increasing attraction to all classes of passengers. The station adjacent to the Foreign Settlement is known as Konzenchiao, for which passen- gers change at Hangchow city or Kenshanmen stations.

One of the sights of Hangchow is the beautiful Western Lake, dotted with islets crowned with shrines and themorial temples. Several of the islands are connected by causeways. The general picturesque effect is heightened by temples, pagodas, and similar monuments judiciously placed in effective spots; while the slopes of the hills bordering the lake on the west are bright with azaleas, honeysuckle, and peach-blossom at various seasons of the year; and clusters of bamboos, several kinds of conifers, tallow and camphor trees, and maple, in rich profusion, all enhance the grandeur of the scene. Foreign-style houses and villas are also springing up along the lake shore, and a motor scenic road around the lake has been completed as far as Linying temple. The west- ern wall of the city has been pulled down to some extent, and a broad lake shore promenade, about two miles in length, with spacious gardens has been constructed. Indeed, the whole of this district has been laid out with a series of imposing tree- bordered thoroughfares, all of great length and width, comparable with the principal I streets of any large city in the world. In this area the buildings are chiefly foreign- style, many of the Government offices and other premises being well constructed and of impressive size. Several hotels, in semi-foreign-style, have been opened, including one s