About the Creative City:
With a history stretching back 5,000 years, Hangzhou is one of China’s seven ancient capitals. Recently Hangzhou has undergone a process of transformation focused on upgrading the city’s secondary and tertiary industries through the development of its cultural and creative industries. Hangzhou’s rich history and culture have proven to be particularly vital in this progress, notably regarding craft industries.
The city is renowned for several handicraft traditions including silk and tea production and porcelain and bronze sculptures. Having long been the historic design, production and trade centre of Chinese silk, Hangzhou has been able to preserve this traditional craft heritage. In addition, Hangzhou is also known as China’s Tea Capital, since the city has always been one of the country’s most famous tea production areas, particularly concerning the production of the West Lake Longjing Green Tea. Furthermore, the stone carvings by the Xiling Seal Engraver’s Society are particularly noteworthy as a witness of the city’s long-lasting crafts and folk arts tradition.
Recognized by the Chinese Government as a “National Cultural and Creative Centre”, Hangzhou is in a strategic position in the country’s overall development. In 2014, the creative industries made up 17.5% of the city’s GDP, with more than 336,000 people employed in the sector.
Added Value:
As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Arts, Hangzhou envisages:
- further formulating and implementing targeted development policies intended to optimize the framework for the cultural and creative industries;
- fostering local human resources and expertise and extending exchanges within the UCCN;
- improving the transmission, protection and innovative utilization of crafts and folk arts, thereby enhancing the global competitiveness of Hangzhou’s creative industries.