Hangzhou, where lakes and mountains embrace, and the charm of the Song dynasty runs deep, can be hot and humid in midsummer. Yet the locals of Lin'an have their own refined way to keep cool.

Visit Qiantang to try your hand at silk crafts of intangible cultural heritage in the morning, listen to a graceful Yue opera performance, study Song-style tea whisking in the afternoon, and stroll by the lotus ponds at dusk to enjoy the summer scenery...

Silk Handcrafting

The China National Silk Museum preserves a textile heritage that spans thousands of years. Its various experience workshops are open to the public year-round, allowing even visitors with no prior experience to get started with ease. At the Women's Work Training Center, for example, visitors can try activities such as sericulture, silk reeling, and weaving. With a bit of luck, they may even join national-level representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage in making floral hairpins, brooches, and other accessories, transforming decorative materials as thin as cicada wings or as pure as white jade into wearable works of art. Beyond the hands-on experiences, the museum's exhibitions and collections on silk culture are also well worth exploring!

Pattern creation using the gold appliqué technique

Photo by China National Silk Museum

Silk-reeling experience

Photo by China National Silk Museum

Yue Opera Appreciation

Yue opera is the gentle singing tradition that spread from Hangzhou. Public-benefit Yue opera performances are held at Hangzhou Grand Theatre, Qiantang Opera Society, and West Lake. Familiar classics include The Butterfly Lovers, Dream of the Red Chamber, and He Wenxiu.

A waterside stage, lake breeze, and willow-lined scenery set the scene. The soft, lingering melodies unfold through each act, telling stories of West Lake's romance and the joys and sorrows of the human world.

Performance scene
Photo by Hangzhou Yue Opera Theatre

West Lake Longjing Experience

Tea is the cool undertone of Hangzhou's summer. As one of the city's iconic cultural symbols, West Lake Longjing carries the tea charm of Jiangnan that has endured for more than a thousand years.

In the Longjing production area, visitors can enjoy an immersive and authentic tea experience. Core production areas such as Longjing Village, Meijiawu, and Longwu Tea Town all offer one-stop tea culture programs.

Tea farmers picking tea leaves in the West Lake Longjing tea production area of Hangzhou
Photo by Tuchong Creative

In the early morning, put on a bamboo-woven conical hat, carry a tea basket on your back, and stroll through layers of tea gardens. Follow local tea farmers as they pick tender shoots, and feel the fragrance nurtured by the misty tea mountains.

After picking tea, step into an intangible cultural heritage tea workshop to observe the century-old Longjing pan-roasting technique up close. Watch fresh green buds transform into flat, even leaves of this famous tea, and try your hand at steps such as hand-roasting, rolling, and shaping the tea.

Hangzhou West Lake Longjing tea

Photo by Tuchong Creative

To round off the experience, sit quietly in a teahouse and brew the Longjing you picked and made yourself with mountain spring water. Observe the tea liquor, take in its aroma, and savor a sip to dispel the heat of midsummer.

In addition, there are seasonal tea culture experiences, Song-style tea whisking, tea painting, and other special programs. Amid the lingering fragrance of tea, visitors can unlock a soothing, slow-paced summer experience unique to Hangzhou.

Healing Boat Rides

A boat ride on the lake is a must in Hangzhou in summer. The view is filled with lush green lotus leaves and blooming lotus flowers. Boatmen will deliberately slow down to allow visitors to pause for photos, and you can even prepare delicate tea snacks in advance to enjoy afternoon tea along the leisurely journey.

There are many types of boat rides to choose from, including West Lake sightseeing boats, hand-rowed boats at Turtle Pond, and sculling boats in Xixi Wetland, each with its own charm. There is no need to search deliberately for scenery. Simply sit quietly in the boat, and you are already part of a vivid Jiangnan summer painting.

Boat ride in Hangzhou Xixi Wetland
Photo by Tuchong Creative