Special Supplement: Hangzhou a gourmets' paradise

Hangzhou cuisine is a pleasure to both the eyes and taste buds.

Hangzhou, the capital city of East China's Zhejiang Province and known worldwide for its natural beauty, is also a gourmets' paradise, even in a country with a cuisine that enjoys international renown for its variety.

Chinese cuisine has a number of well-known variations, thanks to the vast areas in the country that employ particular ingredients and different cooking techniques.

Among them, four regional styles are particularly recognized nationwide: those of Sichuan, Guangdong, Shandong, and of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.