As　one　of　the　rapidly-developing　mega　cities　in　China,　Hangzhou　has　experienced　great　land　use　change　during　the　past　three　decades.　By　analyzing　land　use　change　in　designated　period,　it　is　beneficial　to　understand　urbanization　process　in　Hangzhou,　and　undertake　further　urban　management　and　urban　planning.　In　this　study,　the　land　use　change　from　1990　to　2017　in　Hangzhou　urban　area　was　detected　by　a　method　of　supervised　classification　with　Landsat　TM　images　from　1990,　1997,　2004,　2010　and　2017,　and　analyzed　by　a　Markov　matrix.　The　results　show　that　from　1990　to　2017,　a　great　deal　of　rural　areas　transformed　into　built　up　areas　in　the　Hangzhou　urban　area.　Consequently,　the　urban　area　of　Hangzhou　increased　eight　times　over　the　period　from　1990　to　2017.　This　may　imply　that　such　a　change　should　be　directly　related　to　the　Chinese　government　policy,　of　which　the　main　factor　is　rapidly-developing　urbanization　in　China,　such　as　in　Hangzhou.　Thus,　it　is　believed　that　China＇s　land　use　change　is　going　to　be　small　in　the　following　decades.　This　may　indicate　that　China＇s　urban　construction　is　slowing　down,　while　its　urban　planning　is　being　shifted　from　construction　to　management.