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Winning choices on site of athletics meeting
By Wu Huixin |
April 8, 2013, Monday
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Print Edition
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TIYUCHANG Road, considered Hangzhou's artery combining tourism, commerce, culture and entertainment industries, runs between Kaixuan Road in the east and Baochu Road in the west.
Tiyuchang in Chinese means stadium, however, the name of the road has changed several times in its history.
Before 1946, it was named Dacaochang (big playground) as there was a military parade ground nearby, where a national athletics meeting in 1929 attracted more than 130,000 spectators.
The road acquired its current name when the military training ground turned into a civil stadium in 1946.
At the time, Tiyuchang Road was comparatively quiet and unfashionable. To develop the area, the then Hangzhou government widened the road and improved conditions in the 1970s.
Then residential buildings, commercial high-rises, exhibition halls and theaters were erected around Wulin Square.
Wulin Square, named after the Wulin City Gate, is the symbol of Hangzhou's prosperity. This garden-style mini square marks the intersection of Tiyuchang Road and Yan'an Road.
In the square is a group of white limestone statues. Though these works may look unsophisticated in people's eyes today, they have special significance to Hangzhou locals.
The flower-shaped statue composed of eight girls was the first music fountain in Hangzhou. It was sculpted in 1984 to commemorate the liberation of Hangzhou on May 3, 1949.
Today, a couple of large-scale and luxury shopping malls are situated around Wulin Square, making it the top commercial zone of Hangzhou.
Tiyuchang Road is also a rendezvous of media industry. Zhejiang Daily Press Group, Hangzhou Daily Press Group and Xinhua News Agency Zhejiang Station are all located here.
Shanghai Daily took a walk along Tiyuchang Road last weekend, visiting four gems along the way; two cafes, a Taiwanese eatery and a bookstore.
Xiaofeng Bookstore
As one of Hangzhou's most famous bookstores, Xiaofeng enjoys a unique status in the city - and even China.
Qianjiang Evening News and Du Shi Kuai Bao, two most influential newspapers of Hangzhou, always take the Xiaofeng bestseller list as a weather vane for the city's book industry.
The bookstore was established in 1996 and after 10 years of development it made the "top 10 Zhejiang Province private bookstores" in 2006.
Xiaofeng has eight branches in Hangzhou, and the one on Tiyuchang Road is the headquarters.
Books available cover everything from art and social sciences to finance.
And its list of registered members already exceeds 8,000.
As well as selling books, Xiaofeng creates its own style by virtue of holding cultural lectures. There is a cozy reception room inside the bookstore, where scholars and readers gather here every now and then, discussing artistic and cultural topics and exchanging ideas.
Also, Xiaofeng values its younger customers, with special facilities for the under-12s.
The bookstore sets aside a space as the parent-child reading area, where there are cartoon and animation books, toys and stationery for sale.
Address: 529 Tiyuchang Road
Tel: (0571) 8511-6671
Zhengdian Restaurant
Though hidden among residential buildings, this eatery attracts an steady stream of customers eager for its authentic Taiwanese dishes.
The boss is a Taiwan native and he brings snacks, drinks and desserts from the island to Hangzhou.
Zhengdian has a range of drinks combining the zing of fresh fruit with milk. The watermelon milk and pawpaw milk are especially recommended.
Nori sushi is popular with diners. The chef replaces the fish with crab meat, which perfectly fuses the flavor of nori and the fragrance of rice.
Other recommended dishes include fish fillet porridge and barbecued pork with fried rice.
Address: 299 Tiyuchang Road
Tel: (0571) 8506-5925
Cappuccino Cafe
Just as the name implies, cappuccino is the most popular caffeine option here. Opened more than 10 years ago, the cafe is a popular haunt of journalists from the nearby media groups, who swear by its coffee.
The decor and setting here is a little old and unfashionable, but this doesn't affect business, as its tasty lunches - which range from Southeast Asian specialties to standard Hangzhou cuisines, bring in customers from across the city.
Cappuccino Cafe also sells porcelain items and accessories, with exquisite earrings and bracelets and delicate chinaware there to tempt customers.
Address: 145 Tiyuchang Road
Tel: (0571) 8509-2182
More Cafe
Customers at More Cafe are often enchanted by its vintage knickknacks - such as French-style boxes and European lamps.
These have all been collected by the boss Ying Li from around the world.
The cafe also features the classical style of the lower reaches of Yangtze River - embroideries hung on walls and celadon cups on the counter.
The decor also reflects the boss's religious faith.
The porch connecting the lobby and boxes features many artificial lotus flowers. Ying is a Buddhist and the lotus symbolizes Buddhism in China.
The cafe is a popular meeting place for blind dates and for singles hoping to meet Mr or Ms Right there.
Address: 53 Tiyuchang Road
Tel: (0571) 8898-4852
Tiyuchang in Chinese means stadium, however, the name of the road has changed several times in its history.
Before 1946, it was named Dacaochang (big playground) as there was a military parade ground nearby, where a national athletics meeting in 1929 attracted more than 130,000 spectators.
The road acquired its current name when the military training ground turned into a civil stadium in 1946.
At the time, Tiyuchang Road was comparatively quiet and unfashionable. To develop the area, the then Hangzhou government widened the road and improved conditions in the 1970s.
Then residential buildings, commercial high-rises, exhibition halls and theaters were erected around Wulin Square.
Wulin Square, named after the Wulin City Gate, is the symbol of Hangzhou's prosperity. This garden-style mini square marks the intersection of Tiyuchang Road and Yan'an Road.
In the square is a group of white limestone statues. Though these works may look unsophisticated in people's eyes today, they have special significance to Hangzhou locals.
The flower-shaped statue composed of eight girls was the first music fountain in Hangzhou. It was sculpted in 1984 to commemorate the liberation of Hangzhou on May 3, 1949.
Today, a couple of large-scale and luxury shopping malls are situated around Wulin Square, making it the top commercial zone of Hangzhou.
Tiyuchang Road is also a rendezvous of media industry. Zhejiang Daily Press Group, Hangzhou Daily Press Group and Xinhua News Agency Zhejiang Station are all located here.
Shanghai Daily took a walk along Tiyuchang Road last weekend, visiting four gems along the way; two cafes, a Taiwanese eatery and a bookstore.
Xiaofeng Bookstore
As one of Hangzhou's most famous bookstores, Xiaofeng enjoys a unique status in the city - and even China.
Qianjiang Evening News and Du Shi Kuai Bao, two most influential newspapers of Hangzhou, always take the Xiaofeng bestseller list as a weather vane for the city's book industry.
The bookstore was established in 1996 and after 10 years of development it made the "top 10 Zhejiang Province private bookstores" in 2006.
Xiaofeng has eight branches in Hangzhou, and the one on Tiyuchang Road is the headquarters.
Books available cover everything from art and social sciences to finance.
And its list of registered members already exceeds 8,000.
As well as selling books, Xiaofeng creates its own style by virtue of holding cultural lectures. There is a cozy reception room inside the bookstore, where scholars and readers gather here every now and then, discussing artistic and cultural topics and exchanging ideas.
Also, Xiaofeng values its younger customers, with special facilities for the under-12s.
The bookstore sets aside a space as the parent-child reading area, where there are cartoon and animation books, toys and stationery for sale.
Address: 529 Tiyuchang Road
Tel: (0571) 8511-6671
Zhengdian Restaurant
Though hidden among residential buildings, this eatery attracts an steady stream of customers eager for its authentic Taiwanese dishes.
The boss is a Taiwan native and he brings snacks, drinks and desserts from the island to Hangzhou.
Zhengdian has a range of drinks combining the zing of fresh fruit with milk. The watermelon milk and pawpaw milk are especially recommended.
Nori sushi is popular with diners. The chef replaces the fish with crab meat, which perfectly fuses the flavor of nori and the fragrance of rice.
Other recommended dishes include fish fillet porridge and barbecued pork with fried rice.
Address: 299 Tiyuchang Road
Tel: (0571) 8506-5925
Cappuccino Cafe
Just as the name implies, cappuccino is the most popular caffeine option here. Opened more than 10 years ago, the cafe is a popular haunt of journalists from the nearby media groups, who swear by its coffee.
The decor and setting here is a little old and unfashionable, but this doesn't affect business, as its tasty lunches - which range from Southeast Asian specialties to standard Hangzhou cuisines, bring in customers from across the city.
Cappuccino Cafe also sells porcelain items and accessories, with exquisite earrings and bracelets and delicate chinaware there to tempt customers.
Address: 145 Tiyuchang Road
Tel: (0571) 8509-2182
More Cafe
Customers at More Cafe are often enchanted by its vintage knickknacks - such as French-style boxes and European lamps.
These have all been collected by the boss Ying Li from around the world.
The cafe also features the classical style of the lower reaches of Yangtze River - embroideries hung on walls and celadon cups on the counter.
The decor also reflects the boss's religious faith.
The porch connecting the lobby and boxes features many artificial lotus flowers. Ying is a Buddhist and the lotus symbolizes Buddhism in China.
The cafe is a popular meeting place for blind dates and for singles hoping to meet Mr or Ms Right there.
Address: 53 Tiyuchang Road
Tel: (0571) 8898-4852
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