Formerly known as Hangchow or Hangchou.
A city of eastern China at the head of Hangzhou Bay, an inlet of the East China Sea. Founded in 606, the city was the capital of a powerful kingdom from 907 to 960. It was later described by Marco Polo as one of the finest and noblest cities in the world. Today it is a modern industrial center and the capital of Zhejiang province. |