The Impressions of Hangzhou 2 — Hangzhou's pursuit of beauty

A commercial advertisement of cosmetic surgery is shown on the streets of Hangzhou city, capital of East China's Zhejiang province.

Two southeastern cities, Suzhou and Hangzhou, have long been famous for the beauty of their women. This is attributed to the mildly humid climate, which is good for the local women’s delicate skin.

Thecities around the Tai lake, Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Huzhou, also draw their water from the lake, so their crops have the good reputation, as enshrined in the saying, “A rich harvest in SuHang(Suzhou and Hangzhou), a reliable supply for the whole country”. For this reason the two cities have often been a critical source for government taxation. Currently, the Tai Lake area occupies 0.3% acreage of national territorial land, and yet contributes 17% and 20% to China’s GDP and fiscal levy.

Given the high living standards of the prosperous region, success came naturally in the imperial examinations for the scholars of this area. According to the historical records, there were around 130 thousand Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest ancient imperial examinations) since the beginning of the imperial examination, and among them, sixteen thousand Jinshi came from the Tai Lake area. Back then, knowledge and culture were prized above all. This civilized social atmosphere extended to the female population as well, who tended to behave gently and elegantly.

Contrary to my expectations, the number of beautiful ladies in Suzhou and Hangzhou was not appreciably higher than in other cities. Upon reflection, I think this can be attributed to the high degree of migration between cities since the reform and opening-up in 1978. Can you imagine that the number of trips during the Spring Festival Holiday in 2015 reach 2.8 billion? Up till 2012, the registered mobile migration population of Hangzhou was 3.98 million, making up about 45% of its total population. Therefore, the women on Hangzhou’s streets are not guaranteed to be the local females who grow up in Suzhou or Hangzhou.

Strolling down Hangzhou’s streets, you will notice that the advertisements for cosmetic surgery are ubiquitous, on the billboards and in the lifts of offices. And even when I opened my office door in the morning, I found myself inundated with a flood of flyers. I have never seen so much of the same kind of advertisement in any other city. The demand leads to a great supply, boosting the cosmetic surgery industry. Therefore, although there are less local ladies in Hangzhou’s residential population, the pursuit of beauty is embedded in every female’s mind in Hangzhou. This passionate pursuit only fuels the plastic surgery industry of Hangzhou.