Of course, trendy districts come and go; that's the pattern of gentrification around the globe. But it applies here only on the surface. Houhai has been hip for centuries.

Houhai and adjoining lakes Xihai and Qianhai- collectively known as the Back Lakes were dug out in the Yuan Dynasty (14th century) to berth barges from the Grand Canal, bringing goods from around China and beyond to the Emperor in his nearby Forbidden City. The proximity to the palace explains much of Houhai's still-evident charm - the arched stone bridges, intricate animal sculptures on canal walls.

However, the distance from the palace was just as important in shaping life around the lakes. These Back Lakes rapidly became a retreat, for courtiers, poets, painters. And a favorite of the masses.

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