Ningbo

Author: Editorial Committee of "China Travel Guide"
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-06-01
Features: This book introduces the harmonious coexistence of profound historical and cultural heritage with modern deep-water ports, and the perfect blend of beautiful natural landscapes with rich humanistic landscapes. It also covers Ningbo's scenic spots, urban landscapes, and attractions that increasingly captivate visitors with their splendor. Ningbo, a city nurtured by 7,000 years of civilization, is a historic and cultural metropolis. It is a port city that gave birth to marine civilization, pioneered the Maritime Silk Road and the porcelain route. Here lies the world's oldest bone instruments symbolizing humanity's pursuit of spiritual and physical elevation; the world's oldest textile tools marking the journey of human clothing civilization; the world's oldest oars symbolizing humanity's conquest of the sea; and the country's oldest library, the Baoye Pavilion, a treasure trove of Chinese culture. It is also the birthplace of the romantic legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, where beautiful love is forever frozen in the Liang Shanbo Temple. It is also the hometown of the Jiang family, a living witness to the history of the Republic of China. Ningbo, abbreviated as "Yong," is located at the southeastern corner of the Yangtze River Delta on the coast of the East China Sea. It administers six counties (cities) and five districts: Yinzhou, Xiangshan, Ninghai, Yuyao, Cixi, Fenghua, Haishu, Jiangdong, Jiangbei, Zhenhai, and Beilun. With a total area of 9,365 square kilometers and a population of 5.26 million, the urban area covers 1,038 square kilometers with a population of 1.14 million. Ningbo is one of China's 14 coastal port cities open to the outside world and one of the state-planned independent cities. It is not only one of the first batch of open cities renowned both domestically and internationally but also a historic and cultural city. Since ancient times, it has been honored as the "prosperous commercial port and the pearl of the East Sea." The history of Ningbo is long and profound. The Hemudu Site was discovered in 1973. This site is unique for its rice cultivation and plow agriculture, black pottery, and raised-floor architecture, as well as for its 7,000-year history, proving it to be one of the cradles of the Chinese nation. Ningbo was established as Mingzhou in the 26th year of the Kaiyuan era (738 AD) during the Tang Dynasty and has a history of over 1,170 years. The urban framework and layout of today's central Ningbo were largely shaped during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279 AD). Ningbo became a famous international trade port in the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), alongside Yangzhou and Guangzhou, as one of China's three major foreign trade ports. During the Song Dynasty, it was listed alongside Guangzhou and Quanzhou as one of the three major hubs for foreign trade. As the main production area of Yue ware celadon, Ningbo was the eastern starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, engaging in close and friendly exchanges with Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and Arab countries. After the Second Opium War (1842), Ningbo became one of the five treaty ports. Numerous historical sites, such as ancient maritime docks and customs offices, remain well-preserved. As a national historical and cultural city, Ningbo is home to numerous cultural relics and historical sites. Currently, the city has 215 protected cultural heritage sites, including 5 national key protected sites and 20 provincial-level protected sites. There is one provincial-level historical and cultural city (Yuyao) and five provincial-level historical and cultural protected areas. Ningbo has long been a gathering place for scholars, with high-level, locally distinctive writings and schools of thought such as the Siming School, Yangming School, and Zhejiang School of Learning. Prominent cultural figures like Yu Shinan, Gao Zecheng, Wang Shouren, Zhu Shanshui, Huang Zongxi, Wan Sitong, Quanzou Wang, and Zhang Huangyan emerged from this land. It also produced national heroes like Zhang Cangshui, the founder of the Qixi School of Peking Opera, and renowned writers Yin Fu and Roushi, as well as the master of Chinese painting Pan Tianshou. Ningbo's tradition of book collecting is profound, with many famous libraries boasting tens of thousands of volumes. The Baoye Pavilion, the oldest existing library in China with over 400 years of history, is a masterpiece of Chinese book-collecting culture. Ningbo is also a city of breathtaking natural beauty. The mountains and waters of Ningbo each showcase their unique charm. The Siming Mountains have over 280 peaks, while the Fenghua River and Yao River converge to form the famous Three Rivers Estuary. Ningbo is rich in scenic attractions, with the Xikou-Snow Dome Mountain Scenic Area, a national-level scenic area, featuring the secluded Valley with Flying Waterfalls and the thousand-foot-high Qianzhang Rock. The Dongqian Lake, Zhejiang's largest lake, is a provincial-level scenic area known as "West Lake in the East." The Tianquan Forest Park, a national-level forest park, aptly describes itself as "twenty miles of pine trees lead to the end, where green mountains present the temple of the Buddha." Ningbo's Buddhist culture is world-renowned: the Aiyu Wang Temple houses the true relics of Sakyamuni, and the Xuedou Temple is one of China's five major Buddhist mountains. The Baoye Temple, the oldest wooden-structured building south of the Yangtze River, is a masterpiece of ancient Chinese architecture. The ancient water conservancy structure of Itishan Weir, the Nanxi Hot Springs of Ninghai, the Qiming Lake Tourist Resort of Yuyao, and the Shipu Fishing Port of Xiangshan are destinations sought after by countless domestic and international tourists. The coastal defense relics of the Ming (1368–1644 AD) and Qing (1616–1911 AD) dynasties, represented by Zhaobao Mountain in Zhenhai, and the revolutionary history sites of the Eastern Zhejiang Region centered around the Siming Mountains add a profound humanistic dimension to Ningbo. Ningbo is also a famous hometown for overseas Chinese, with over 300,000 Ningbo natives residing in more than 50 countries and regions worldwide. Among them are many successful entrepreneurs and business magnates, making the overseas "Ningbo Gang" a vital bridge connecting Ningbo with the world. Ningbo's merchants have spread across the globe, earning the saying, "There is no market without Ningbo." The traditional crafts of Ningbo, such as bone and wood inlay, Ning-style furniture, gold and silver wood carvings, and colored embroidery, are renowned for their exquisite materials and craftsmanship. Ningbo's tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls), Fenghua water peaches, Yangmei (plum) from Yuyao and Cixi, Xikou layered cakes, Sanbei lotus root sugar, and Feng-style tailoring have become signature products of Ningbo's food and clothing industries, highly favored by tourists. Ningbo boasts excellent port advantages. The Ningbo Port, composed of the Beilun, Zhenhai, and Ningbo ports, is a multi-functional, multi-level comprehensive port. It has 52 berths ranging from 500 tons to 250,000 tons, with an annual throughput capacity exceeding 50 million tons. It has established shipping routes with over 400 ports in 79 countries and regions worldwide.