CITY BY THE LAKE

Hangzhou offers history, heritage and an iconic hot beverage next to a wonderful water body. Cedric Tan reports.

The great Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) poets Bai Juyi and Su Dongpo respectively governed Hangzhou, capital of today's Zhejiang province, and are still beloved by residents of the city and people around the world.

It's said Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) emperor Qianlong also penned prose venerating Zhejiang's scenery and personally picked tea leaves in a Hangzhou temple during his southern inspections.