If reciting lessons by the side of the most famous lake in China takes your fancy, how about studying Chinese in Hangzhou. The West Lake is considered a top cultural sight of China, with bridges, winding paths and tea houses all along the banks. Hangzhou, only 180 kilometers away from Shanghai, is a great place to step away from the bustle of the metropolis, but still be within a comfortable distance. That is why Hangzhou has become a popular venue for Chinese study, with great university courses well established and attracting large numbers of international students.

Capital of Zhejiang Province, and situated to the southwest of Shanghai, Hangzhou has a city population of 3.9 million at the last count. Located on the Yangtze plain, the city was built to the north of the West Lake which flows from the Qiantang River. As one of the most renowned and prosperous cities of China for much of the last 1,000 years, Hangzhou is also well-known for its beautiful natural scenery: the lake area includes historical pagodas, cultural sites, as well as the natural beauty of the lake and hills. Beyond Hangzhou, you can easily travel by train or coach to Shanghai, Suzhou and Nanjing.

Traditionally the home of silk and other textile manufacturers, Hangzhou now profits from new electronics factories as well. Along with Suzhou, Hangzhou silk and satin command high prices across the globe, and have been traded since the Tang and Song Dynasties. For business, Hangzhou benefits from its prime location on the Yangtze. Forbes magazine has consistently ranked Hangzhou the number 1 city in China for business for the past 3 years. Tourism and tea are the other main economic pillars of the city. Longjing tea, a delicate hand-baked green tea, is highly prized on the domestic market.

Marco Polo reputedly visited Hangzhou in the late 13th century and referred to the city as "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world." Although historians suggest that he exaggerated the city's dimensions (he wrote that it was over one hundred miles in diameter and had 12,000 stone bridges) he still presented an elegant picture of the place.Today, Hangzhou retains its glamour and charm. The city's pleasant living environment won it the United Nations Human Habitat Award in 2001.

Established in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's leading research institutes. Reputed as "Cambridge of the East" in China's modern history of higher education, Zhejiang University's undergraduate and graduate programs are both consistently ranked as among the best in the nation.