Full coverage: G20 Hangzhou Summit

Aside from its silk and scenery, Hangzhou is also well-known for its culinary delights. Also known as Mizong, Hangzhou cuisine has existed since the Song Dynasty, more than 1,000 years ago.

As one of the eight major culinary schools of Chinese cuisine, Mizong dishes are renowned for being "fresh, tender, soft and smooth, with a mellow fragrance."

Strictly selected seasonal ingredients and meticulous, elaborate cooking methods. Each of these Hangzhou dishes look like a piece of art. The chefs try their best to preserve a fresh mouthfeel.

Want a taste of the most authentic Hangzhou delicacies? There are 36 representative dishes, including "West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy", "Sister Song's Fish Soup",  "Beggar’s Chicken", and "Crab Roe Steamed Bun."

"Dongpo Pork" is also another quintessential Hangzhou dish, and it is undoubtedly the most popular one. It is named after the great poet of the Northern Song Dynasty Su Dongpo, who used to be the magistrate of Hangzhou. The mouthwatering dish is made from the best cuts of pork belly. And to achieve the right tenderness, the dish takes over two hours to stew. 

Most of Hangzhou's cuisine are just as exquisite as the city's cultural symbols. The snack, "Longjing Green Tea", is perhaps the best example. These green leaves are not real Longjing tea leaves, but are actually artfully made from vegetable juice, green tea and flour dough.

All the ingredients from the 36 time-honored dishes are from the city itself, such as the seafood from "West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy" and "Longjing Shrimp".

And Hangzhou city is lucky enough to see seasonal ingredients -- bamboo shoots are the gift of spring, and lotus roots is the best during summer. The locals in Hangzhou can defintiely treat their tastebuds all year round with the best and freshest.