Zhejiang Province, also called Zhe for short, is named after the Zhejiang River (another name of the Qiantang River), the longest in the province. Lying in China's southeast coastal region, the province boasts of numerous gulfs and bays and more than 2,100 islands, accounting for one-third of the total islands in China. It has a population of 43.35 million. Hangzhou is the provincial capital.
Zhejiang is known as a "famous tourist center and a land with rich historical relics," featuring mountains, the sea, rivers and lakes, and caves, a landscape typical in regions south of the Changjiang River. There are 11 national scenic areas and 22 provincial scenic areas. Of which the better-known are the picturesque West Lake in Hangzhou; Shaoxing, a city of waters and bridges; Putuo Mountain, a center of Buddhism; the charming Fuchun River; Qiandao Lake, a landscape of mountains reflected in water; Mogan Mountain with a cool, comfortable climate; and the magnificent Yandang Mountain. There are 28 national units of historical relics under key protection, including the unsophisticated Pagoda of Six Harmonies, the Temple of Yue Fei, Lanting Pavilion to the memory of Wang Xizhi, a master calligrapher of the Jin Dynasty (265-420), the Guoqing Temple, a famous place of Buddhism, and Tianyi Pavilion in Ningbo, one of the four major libraries in ancient China.