into West Lake

3 min read

The history and natural beauty of Hangzhou have made it a crucible for some of the world’s finest artistic achievements.The hills，mountains，and lakes created iconic scenery that has endured through the ages；the wars，dynasties，and economies of the past informed the great poets and thinkers of the nation.Be it copper sculpture or Chinese opera，the people of Hangzhou have been at the forefront of the art world for centuries，creating forms and methods that last even today.Tomorrow’s artists，too，are being created in the city of Hangzhou，where the China Academy of Art，China’s first and possibly finest artinstitution，has set down roots.For many，the battles of ancient emperors and a natural beauty that refuses to bend to modernity have created a perfect incubator for the future of aesthetics.

Musing at the Museum

Hangzhou has had art since before this whole”civilization”thing got started，so you can be sure there are plenty of museums and galleries to keep you interested and entertained.It’s also worth keeping in mind that four of the great ink-painting masters一Feng Zikai，Zhang Daqian，Huang Binhong and Pan Tianshou 一are all to a greater or lesser extent linked with Hangzhou and its history.This city of poets and philosophers has been home to some of China’s greatest art movements，and the fact that Hangzhou is home to the China Academy of Art（CAA）means that this legacy will continue far into the future.

Zhejiang Art Museum

If you’re not an art aficionado yet，go to Zhe jiang Art Museum to get started.Opened in 2009，Zhejiang Art Museum was built for the layman，where people from all over the world can get to grips with the nation’s art history.Exhibitions here might be more for the history buff than the art lover，but both will find the trip well worth their time.A great deal of emphasis（and explanation）is put on traditional Chinese cultural staples like classic paintings，calligraphy，traditional sculpture，folk arts，and handicrafts.But，if you ask the locals，the best part about the museum is the art utilities store，where you can rub shoulders with some of the best amateur traditional painters in town.

Zhejiang Art

Museum

China Academy of Art，Xiangshan Campus

The stunning buildings at Xiangshan Campus at the CA A are masterpieces of Wang Shu，dean of the CAA School of Architecture as well as the first Chinese citizen to win the Pritzker Prize.Wang’s buildings are bravely experimental and echo traditional Chinese architecture，especially the aesthetics of classic gardens and ancient academies.History is literally built into these structures，which use bricks and tiles from the city’s old，dismantled buildings mixed in with modern materials.You can still visit the disused Xiangshan train station，currently a cafe.The campus is an ambitious attempt to establish a new Chinese architectural aesthetic，and a very successful one at that.Other than the architecture，the campus also has a wide variety of exhibition spaces，museums，and galleries that display all kinds of art.