 |
| Wenzhou, a historic coastal city in southeast China. (Photo source: China Daily) |
Wenzhou, a historic coastal city in southeast China, is a fascinating place to visit.
Its history can be dated back to the Neolithic Age, when a primitive people lived there and made pottery named ou – the reason it was called Dong'ou in ancient times.
In the first year of Taining in the eastern Jin Dynasty (323 AD), the city of Wenzhou was built. Due to its southern location the city has a mild climate throughout the year and earned the name "Wenzhou" because "Wen" in Chinese, means "warm and mild."
The city has a total area of 11,784 sq m, about one third that of Switzerland. According to estimates in 2008, the population was 7.99 million, the biggest in Zhejiang province.
In the past, Wenzhou was famous for its handicraft industry. Delicate blue china was born there. During the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), Wenzhou was opened up to foreign countries as a trade port.
Today Wenzhou is known for business. But it is not simply a commercial city. It also has a rich culture and is the hometown of Nanxi Opera - the earliest form of Chinese opera.
Several distinguished people hail from the area, such as the doctor Chen Yuanze in the Post Song Dynasty, the painter Huang Gongwang in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and the educator Xia Nai in modern times.
