Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 885

HANGCHOW

州杭

Hàng-chau

Hangchow, the capital of the province of Chekiang, is situated 120 miles south- west of Shanghai, and 110 miles south of Soochow, adjacent to the Chien-tang River (the Green River of Robert Fortune's famous journeys to the neighbouring tea districts), at the apex of a bay which is too shallow for the navigation of steamers. The mouth of the river is, moreover, visited by a bore, or tidal wave, which further endangers navigation. The highest bores occur in autumn during the three days after the middle of the eighth moon, and Haining is the best place for observing this famous phenomenon, which is formed by the north-east trade wind heaping up the water of the Pacific on the China coast and causing enormous tides. Hangchow Bay is shaped like a funnel, and the mass of water rushing up, more and more concentrated as it advances, is suddenly confronted by the current of the river. The constriction and opposition, acting in concert, bank up the rising water. Gathering momentum and 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.

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-Yieh 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 latest census taken by the local authorities shows that the population is 426,916.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 scis- sors, 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 Hangchow with several transhipments, but it is quicker to go viá Shanghai. Steam launches ply regularly to and from Shanghai 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 via 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

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