Chapter from the book "23 Reasons to Fall in Love with Hangzhou", written by Natasa Vujicic
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This part of the world is rich in insect species. During the summer, you may encounter cicadas the size of a small rat, but also mosquitos (or something else that bites) you cannot see with the naked eye. In general, I was not (and still am not) too impressed with the bugs, while locals seem to be completely at peace with them—not only adults, but little kids, too.
Coming back from a theater performance of Snow White, my middle daughter and I stopped at a traffic light. A family with a little girl wearing a big fluffy white dress stopped right next to us. My daughter, still under the impression of the show, pointed at the girl and said in Chinese: “Mom, there is the princess!” The mother smiled in surprise and started a simple conversation, asking where we were coming from and how long we had lived in China. In the meantime, my not-at-all-shy daughter kept asking the other little girl what she was hiding in her hands. The little girl smiled to my daughter, but spoke to her mom in a low voice. Her mom nudged her toward us, and when the girl opened her hands, we realized she was holding a big dead bug. She kept trying to give it as a present to my daughter, while my daughter inched backward in utter horror. In the end, I picked up the bug from the little girl’s palm, mumbled something about my daughter being a bit shy, and said thank you. It’s not the gift, but the intention, that counts, I thought, praying that the bug was actually dead.
While Hangzhou has massive, scary bugs, it is actually famous for the silkworm and its most precious produce: silk. Even if you are not interested in shopping for silks, visit the silk market. It boasts a magnificent gate and two-story traditional buildings painted in white with windows decorated in wood. For the most part, the market is shaded by trees, which only adds to its charm.
Regardless of what you are buying, do not forget to negotiate the price. Haggling is expected and is part of the overall experience. Depending on how good you are, you may end up with some really nice pieces and loads of fun (especially if you can understand the scolding and cursing of the shopkeepers)!
Once done with browsing or shopping, head out to one of the many restaurants nearby. Most of them are surprisingly good and totally worth the trip. Xin Feng Snacks (新丰小吃), for example, makes a good, unpretentious choice.
The silk market is a nice place for a quick trip, but you can do even better. The China National Silk Museum (中国丝绸博物馆) is way more impressive. It is full of carefully preserved treasures. You can see the history unrolling in front of your eyes. Think lost kingdoms, ancient legends, bound feet, and the Silk Road. Once you are done with the past, head to the other part of the museum to find some of the most outstanding pieces of fashion you have ever seen. Even if you are like me and not interested in fashion at all, prepare to be astonished. Some of the dresses were inspired by ethnic costumes and folk art. The ancient skill of threading the silk combined with romantic shapes is so beautiful that it will leave you wondering if the people who designed them belong to the same species as the rest of us mortals. And this is not all you will see (there are wedding dresses as well!), but don’t let me spoil it for you. Go and explore.
You know what? Why be like everyone else when you can do something really extraordinary? Try to raise silkworms yourself. You can easily order them from Taobao (淘宝, most popular ecommerce platform in China), together with all the necessities for looking after them. After a while, they will turn into fluffy, colorful balls covered in silk threads. After all, aren’t you here for the experience?
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