City (pop., 2003 est.: 2,059,800), capital of Zhejiang province, China. It lies at the head of Zhejiang Bay and is the southern terminus of the Grand Canal. Its buildings and gardens are renowned, and some of China's most famous monasteries are located nearby.
As Lin'an, it was the capital of the Nan (Southern) Song dynasty &AD; 1127–1279. A prosperous centre of commerce with an estimated population then of 1–1.5 million, it was visited in the late 13th century by the Italian traveler Marco Polo, who called it Kinsai. Its importance as a port decreased as the bay silted up, but it remained a commercial centre and was opened to foreign trade in 1896. In addition to its cultural importance, it is also the centre for an industrial area.
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