Hangzhou: Losing Its 'Human Touch'?
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This kind of low-quality, soulless commercialization is even worse than a small town's main square.
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As a Hangzhou local, I don't get why people are dissing the OP (original poster). I think he's spot on. Real Hangzhou natives are inherently unhurried, you could even say 'laid-back.' I remember riding double-decker buses with my family around West Lake as a kid, and Congbaohui and Youdongdong were our go-to snacks after school. In77 used to have a cinema and an arcade where we'd hang out on weekends. It's not that Hangzhou's development is bad; it's just become too restless and superficial. Wherever a place gets hyped online (
), everyone rushes there – like 'Wangwei Mountain' or 'Longwu Reservoir.' As soon as Xiaohongshu or Douyin promotes a spot, influencers flock there, leave their trash, and then the place gets shut down. Hangzhou has fewer and fewer places to enjoy, and even finding a good breakfast spot is getting harder. —A perspective from someone born post-2000. -
So true! For me, a key indicator of that 'authentic local vibe' is simply having places to grab breakfast.
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Actually, what the author is trying to say is that, for instance, when you go out for breakfast now, you can't find those old-school, locally-run breakfast stalls anymore. You're often stuck with chain places like Babimantou. Hope this clarifies it for everyone.
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Spot on.
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It's really about reminiscing about the past. I'm a local, from what you'd call the south side of the city. Our area, near the Drum Tower, used to be the part of Hangzhou with the most 'authentic vibe.' There's still a lot of foot traffic now, but many of these new 'influencer check-in' spots just have this... indescribable feeling. After reading your post, I get it. It truly feels more superficial now.
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The Hangzhou of the past truly had a special charm.
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I visited Hangzhou during the National Day holiday and fell completely in love with the city, all thanks to West Lake. It's incredibly beautiful. During my four days there, I cycled around West Lake every day. The lush green mountains and the clear, sparkling water truly soothed my soul. BTW, the Longxiangqiao area was packed with people, and I love people-watching, so just standing there watching the lively crowds go by made me incredibly happy. I absolutely adore Hangzhou!
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Ten years ago, when I first visited Hangzhou, my boyfriend's hometown, I was completely captivated by the fragrance of its osmanthus flowers. It was an indescribable feeling; I found myself longing for Hangzhou, believing it to be a truly wonderful place. Now, I'm married to that same boyfriend (now my husband), we've settled down and had children here in Hangzhou, yet I can no longer find that same sense of leisurely peace I once felt strolling by West Lake.
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But you know, many of the things you mentioned from the past are still around; they haven't vanished. During the day, if you go boating near the Broken Bridge, you'll still see seniors engaging in friendly kite-flying 'battles.' Stroll along the canal in the evening, and you'll find elderly men playing the saxophone, and 'square dancing aunties' are a common sight. And those nighttime street food stalls in various spots? They haven't diminished at all.