Experience living cultural heritage by the Grand Canal

Located on the banks of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the Qiaoxi Historical and Cultural Block is the perfect place for visitors to gain first-hand experience of China's rich cultural heritage.

The area is known as "Qiaoxi," which means to the west of a bridge, because of its location on the western side of Hangzhou's famous Gongchen Bridge, an ancient structure straddling the Grand Canal.

Once a prosperous market for local commercial trade in ancient times and an industrial area in modern times, the Qiaoxi Block has now been transformed into an immersive tourism district where visitors can experience Chinese culture up close through a blend of business and culture, scenic spots and residential areas, where almost all of the shops have adopted unique cultural themes.

Home to several museums, such as the China Knives, Scissors and Swords Museum, the China Umbrella Museum, and the China Fan Museum, the Qiaoxi Block offers visitors an insight into the local culture, history, handicrafts and arts.

Walking through the alleyways of the area, visitors can encounter street performances featuring traditional Chinese musical instruments or local folk arts, or take their children to a traditional Chinese medicine workshop set in an old pharmaceutical shop, or try their hand at gaining cultural heritage skills at the Handicraft Dynamic Museum housed on the site of a former textile factory.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014, where the two heritage sites of the Gongchen Bridge and the Qiaoxi Historical and Cultural Block were also included in the project.