Part One History
I Looking for the Lost Empire: The “Delta of Beauty” /022
II Beauty and the Trophy: The Chinese Version of the Trojan War /046
III Sailing Through a Prosperous Millennium Aboard an Emperor’s Dragon Ship /068
IV The Tale of Two Poets / 086
V Flowers Blooming in a Troubled World /110
VI The Helplessness of a Grand Empire /128
VII Did Marco Polo Really Speak of the “City of Heaven”? /156
Part Two Landscape
I Lingyin Temple: Relocation or Reincarnation? /178
II The Ten Views of West Lake /190
III The Xixi Wetland: An Emperor’s Wisdom and Choice /220
IV Where Love Flourishes: The Long Bridge and the Broken Bridge /228
V Towers of Hope: The Three Pagodas of West Lake /238
VI Memories of the Southern Song Dynasty: Deshou Palace /254
VII Lin Bu’s “Walden” /262
Part Three Art
I Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains: A Painting by Huang Gongwang /270
II “Watching the Snow at the Mid-Lake Pavilion”: An Essay by Zhang Dai /286
III The Palace of Eternal Life: A Play by Hong Sheng /292
IV The Cultural Asian Games: Organized by the Xiling Seal Society /298
Part Four Famous Cuisine
I Laba Congee: A Buddhist “Holy Communion” /306
II West Lake Vinegar Fish: A Bittersweet Tale /312
III Dingsheng Cake: A Cake for Victory /316
IV Pan-Fried Shallot Pancakes: A Dish Born Out of Hate /322
V Sister Song’s Fish Chowder and the Emperor’s Homesickness /326
VI Longjing Shrimp: A Taste of Spring in Hangzhou /332
Part Five Craftsmanship and Sports
I Longjing Tea /340
II The World’s First Paper Money /348
III Chu Zai and the Art of Silk Weaving /356
IV The Official Kilns of the Southern Song Dynasty /364
V Yuan Shu Paper: The Art of Bamboo Paper Making /370
VI The Invention of Moveable Type Printing: Who Got There First? /380
VII The Song Dynasty Publishing Legend Chen Qi /388
VIII Wangxingji: The Legend of a Fan /394
IX Cuju: China’s Answer to Soccer /402
X Chuiwan: When Golf Meets Croquet /410
XI Lüqiu: Chinese Mini Polo Played atop Donkeys /416
Part Six Local Heroes
I Yan Ziling, the Hermit /424
II Su Xiaoxiao: China’s “Lady of the Camellias” /430
III The Legacy of the Qian Family /440
IV SuShi and the First “Fangcang” Shelter Hospital /448
V Hu Xueyan: A Merchant, Banker, and Industrialist /454
VI The Ding Brothers Save the “Complete Library of the Four Treasuries” /462
VII Zhejiang University /470
