Perhaps many Hangzhou residents do not know that there is a river older than the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in the northeast of Wulin Square in the center of Hangzhou. This is the Shangtang River.

Today's Shangtang River starts at the mouth of Yingyueqiao Canal at Genshanmen in the south, extends north to Banshan, east to Haining in Jiaxing, and flows into Qiantang River in Yanguan Town, with a total length of 48 kilometers. On the Shangtang Riverside, there are Huanxiyongning Bridge, Yijin Bridge, and other historical sites as well as newly-built sites such as Yingyue Bridge, Chengbei Sports Park, and Qiantao Park.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the local people, the Shangtang Riverside has become a picturesque riverside landscape zone integrating the functions of riverside ecology, leisure tourism, entertainment, and fitness. As you can see, a retired uncle comes to the river to fish early while it is not raining. What a happy life he is living!

Executive Editor: Ye Ke

Translation: Ye Ke, Chen Wenjing