Relax,keep fit,and feed your soul

If Hangzhou’s known for one thing，it’s peace and quiet.But，let’s face it，trekking up and down mountains，experiencing history firsthand，and hitting the markets is hardly a relaxing endeavor.For those looking to work on their inner self（or their quads and delts），Hangzhou provides a variety of options for every traveler.If it’s your mind you’re looking to soothe，you can spend time taking meditative walks，bike through ancient city streets，pick up a good book，relax in luxury in a spa，or hit up a Green Giants game fora little bit of catharsis.For the body，you might want to get in some long distance running to prepare for Hangzhou’s annual marathon，or perhaps you could slow things down a bit with some golf.Whether you’re taking in some tai chi or indulging in the city’s TCM specialties，Hangzhou will keep your mind and your body in good nick.

Golf in Hangzhou？Of Course！

Whilst it is generally believed that golf began life in Scotland during the Middle Ages，readers might be surprised to learn that chuiwan，a Mandarin word that literallymeans“ball hitting”，was played in ancient China and very much resembles the modern game of golf so widely loved today.It has even been suggested that the game was in fact exported to Europe via Mongolian travelers.

Still skeptical？The rules for chuiwan are apparently very similar to those of modern golf.Players could use up to ten clubs and holes were provided featuring a range of difficulty levels-with holes even marked by colored flags.The popularity of the game was at its highest during the Song Dynasty，and Emperor Huizong himself was apparently a very keen golf enthusiast.

Wherever golf first originated，it is a sport that has become increasingly popular throughout China，and in Hangzhou，one of the best destinations to head to for golf is undoubtedly the West Lake International Golf and Country Club.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus and open since 1998，the course boasts wonderfully lush scenery and very playable terrain for all degrees of expertise.In fact，the club provides two different 18-hole options，providing for all levels of handicap and keeping more experienced players sufficiently challenged.

For people seeking to maintain their level of performance while away from home，or just seeking to let off steam，the club’s practice facilities include a driving range.Visitors are welcome every day of the week，and，as with any reputable golfing establishment，amenities include clubhouse，locker rooms，pro shop，restaurant，and bar.Also，don’t worry about lugging clubs around because there are golf carts on standby.

Definitely in the Running..…

Anyone who lives in Zhejiang and en joys long-distance running will almost certainly have heard of the annual Hangzhou Marathon.Indeed，this race is one of the most famous marathons in China，and surely one of the most scenic routes for city running in the world.

First taking place in 1987，the marathon proved hugely popular，with over 30，000 people registering to take part in 2015，the highest number of participants ever recorded.But it is not just the numbers that are significant；it’s also the sheer scope of the participation that’s impressive.There were 45 different countries represented in the race that took place in 2015，as befits a truly international sporting event recognized by the Chinese Athletics Association，International Marathon，and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races（AIMS）.

For Hangzhou as a city，the marathon is a chance not just to host a premier sporting event，but also a means of giving its unique tourist attractions the opportunity to take center stage. Course highlights including West Lake, the tea gardens, and the Qiantang River. Of course, how much of the picturesque surroundings runners absorb may well depend on concentration and fitness levels-high levels indeed with the likes of 2015’s winners. Daniel Aschenik of Ethiopia won the men’s race with a time of two hours,12 minutes, and 29 seconds, while Ayelu Lemma Geda, also from Ethiopia, won the women’s race, along with two of her compatriots also taking silver and bronze.

Runners will be happy to know that the marathon takes place in November, long after the often intense heat of the summer months has subsided, meaning the conditions and climate prove a lot more comfortable for those intent on hitting the asphalt. One aspect organizers of the event are keen to emphasize is the importance of environmentally friendly recreation, and it is difficult to think of a city in China moresuitable for this type of pursuit than Hangzhou. Taking into consideration rising obesity levels,a phenomenon that arguably goes hand-in-hand with economic development, the marathon is also a welcome opportunity to trumpet the virtues of personal fitness-a cause China is very much striving to take on nationally.

Not only did the Hangzhou Marathon enjoy its highest ever number of runners in 2015, the event was also awarded the prestigious honor of “Gold Medal Game”by the Chinese Athletics Association, meaning the race is categorized as an elite-level domestic competition. In addition, Zhejiang Sports Top Ten heaped praise on the marathon both for its mass participation and stunning scenery. So, when it comes to deciding which is the best marathon in China, it would seem that Hangzhou is definitely “in the running”.

Come On You

Green Giants！

Hangzhou Greentown Football Club is a top-tier team in the Chinese Super League.The club’s home ground is Dragon Sports Center，possessing a more than respectable capacity of 52，672，though more likely to be packed to the rafters for a pop concert than a football match.

Why has Hangzhou’s football team been dubbed“Greentown”？Aside from fitting the lush greenery of the city，the club’s main investor is Greentown China Holdings Limited，owned by the savvy billionaire real estate magnate Song Weiping.Hangzhou Greentown FC has a relatively short lifespan compared to the big European clubs，foundedon January 14，1998.The team did not in fact make its actual league debut until the 1999 season，starting out in the less-than-glamorous third tier.

A key turning point was the purchase of the first team of Jilin Aodong in November of 2000，including their league position in the second division，for a reported total of 25 million RMB.From here on in the club made slow but steady progress，finally achievinga promotion to the top tier when they finished runners-up in the 2006 season.WhilstHangzhou Greentown have not yet become a big-name Chinese team，their highest ever league position being fourth in 2010，they play a brand of neat passing football that can be very pleasing to the eye and have also won firm praise for the inherent virtues of their youth setup.

Hangzhou’s standout signing，at the time of writing，is arguably Australian andex-Everton legend Tim Cahill.Another recent notable addition is South Korean manager Hong Myung-bo，considered one of the best ever Asian footballers and the first Asian to play in four consecutive World Cup tournaments.

Never Tired of Tai Chi

There are two main reasons to practice tai chi.First of all it is a discipline that can be employed as a means of self-defense.Second-and perhaps of most relevance here，given that Hangzhou is famously a peaceful city-tai chi is widely practiced due to its benefits to personal health.

For newbies，you might want to take a few classes to get you started.You can，for example，hit up the Dragon Sports Center on Shuguang Road every Saturday and Sunday morning on the second-floor tennis court.Don’t worry，the master speaks English.For a bit more scenery in your tai chi learning experience，head on up to the Chenghuang Pavilion on Wushan Hill to find more classes.

To take a more relaxed approach to tai chi，simply take advantage of the many spots around Hangzhou where enthusiasts participate in the open air，arguably the best way toexperience it like the locals do.Dotted around West Lake，on any given day，it will soon become obvious that the Chinese，as a people，will never tire of tai chi-performing wherever there is a flat surface.

If you’re going to want to hit Hangzhou with enough knowledge to get you started，you can do that in Hangzhou style as well.Taiji Zen，the brainchild of Jet Li and Jack Ma-and you can’t get anymore Hangzhou than Jack Ma-has plenty of online（and ofline）resources to get you started.

While tai chi is now a global phenomenon，its roots，of course，can be traced back to China and to five different sources，or schools:Chen，Yang，Wu（Hao），Wu，and Sun.Tai chi is centered around“taolu”（solo）and“tuishou”（pushing hands）.The former involves a chain of natural motions that proceed slowly and are focused upon achieving astraight spine and the desired abdominal breathing.The latter is based around principles linked to training movements.These have more of a practical application and involve a partner.

Regarding tai chi in its modern incarnation，the allure is arguably based around its perceived contribution to individual wellbeing，relieving the effects of stress on both body and mind and providing a much needed form of physical release.Furthermore，the meditative side of tai chi is also cited as a positive means to retaining optimal health.

qingquang

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