Stories from China (Part 30)

This entry is part 30 of 40 in the series Stories from China

June 13, 2023

Stories from China (Part 30)

By Simon J. Lau

I made it to Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province. Historically, Hangzhou has been celebrated as one of China’s great cultural and economic centers. For centuries it was known for its role in trade along the Grand Canal and for its reputation as a center of art, literature, and learning.

Today, the city is equally famous as the home of many of China’s largest internet companies, including Alibaba (China’s Amazon), Didi Chuxing (China’s Uber), and NetEase (China’s Zynga), among others. Many years ago, I was actually considered for a role at NetEase to lead their North American finance operations. I even interviewed with the company’s CFO. The role didn’t work out in the end, but I still wonder from time to time how different life might have been if I had gotten the job.

That said, the most interesting company headquartered here, in my opinion, isn’t a tech company at all. It’s Nongfu Spring, the most ubiquitous bottled water brand in all of China, and possibly all of Asia. For some reason, that fact always tickles me.

Beyond the corporate offices, Hangzhou is also considered one of the most beautiful cities in China. There’s a saying in Chinese: “上有天堂，下有苏杭,” which roughly translates to “There is heaven above, then there is Suzhou and Hangzhou below.” In other words, these cities are so stunning they’ve long been compared to heaven. Today I’m in Hangzhou, but next I’ll be visiting Suzhou.

I’ve only been here for one night, but based on my walk through the old town and the street food I’ve tried so far, I can already tell I’m in for another treat this week. One of my favorites was ordering lamb skewers straight off the grill. The street food here gets an easy A+ from me.

Finally, I ended the night at a bar called Elephant. As part of my self-guided Mandarin learning program, I try to have at least one meaningful conversation each day. When all else fails, I fall back on the bar scene and rely on the bartender for conversation.

Tonight the bartender was especially chatty and generous with drinks, which made the conversation flow even better. We talked about his hometown, Kunming, which I had recently visited, and about life in Hangzhou. Surprisingly, he wasn’t a big fan of this city.

It wasn’t clear to me why he didn’t like Hangzhou, but he did mention a pretty shocking local law: dogs aren’t allowed outside in public areas between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. I pointed to the Shiba sitting next to me, the owner’s dog, and asked what happens to this little guy. He said the rule applies to him too.

Ruthless indeed. I doubt that’s the real reason the bartender isn’t a fan of Hangzhou, but it would definitely be a major strike against the city for me.