Garden City
This morning we headed out to our meeting with the Hangzhou Creative Design Centre, debating whether being outside was turning us into baked potatoes or steam buns. The acclimatization process is slowly but surely underway.
The Design Center is a business complex where we were introduced to an array of innovations and display of the arts. Some of these included a hand held translator, which our host used to communicate with us, a ceramic studio with traditional Chinese tea sets-we learned how the type of clay affects the flavour of the tea, we were enamoured by a silk shop with intricately designed scarves printed using over 20 layers of colour, a lifesaver for hot days-an umbrella with UV protection and a built in fan, and cups and mugs that are impossible to accidentally knock over. Creativity was definitely in the air. After a whirlwind tour of Hangzhou Creative Design Center we headed to Zhong Lun Law firm….Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately...we didn’t have time to do much shopping at the design center.
After a tour of the law office we broke into groups to speak with various employees to learn about practicing law in China. Not going to lie, when I walked into the office I thought "Suits". But as we chuckled together with Lydia, a paralegal, she assured us that working at Zhong Lun Law firm was nothing like the TV show Suits. We learned that studying law in China focuses on understanding and memorizing the rules of law, whereas in Canada, law involves studying and understanding many cases. The culture, politics and business management in China are so intertwined. It is a very rules based system and not so much based on the honour system, giving people the freedom to decide between right and wrong, or use analytical skills. Lydia also talked about potentially moving into the Canadian market. Zhong Lun Law Firm currently has law offices in the USA, Japan, and England and are considering investing in Canada.
This afternoon we took a walk through the Hangzhou Eco Park. Situated on the outskirts of the city, this business park is home to 30 enterprises and the families of the employees working there. The park boasts superior air quality and connects nature with the office space. The park is designed to preserve traditional Chinese culture and one of my friends said it reminded her of the mountain village her father came from in China.
In the evening we finally had some time to explore Hangzhou. We headed straight for West Lake, the main attraction in Hangzhou, and strolled along the lakeside paths, marveling at the beautiful scenery around us. Hangzhou is guarded on one side by mountains, laced with waterways, and built around West Lake. During the day we admired the lush greenery around us and at night we admired the lights of the city reflecting off the lake.
I think I might have to come back to China so I can have a chance to explore Hangzhou more! Next stop: Chengdu....Well actually next stop Hong Kong, but due to several circumstances I am slightly behind in blogging!