Wenzhou (温州)

1. Introduction

Wenzhou (pronounced in Wenzhou dialect: Iu ciou [ʔy33-11 tɕiɤu33-32]; in Southern Zhejiang Min: Un-chiu) is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China. It is designated by the State Council as an important commercial and trade city and a regional central city along the southeastern coast. Known as a famous hometown of overseas Chinese in Zhejiang Province, it is located in the southeastern part of Zhejiang, on the southern bank of the lower reaches of the Ou River. As a coastal port city, it is also one of China's coastal open cities. In 2019, it was included in the Yangtze River Delta integration plan. Historically known as Ou, its old city was built by the renowned Eastern Jin scholar Guo Pu based on feng shui principles. At that time, Guo Pu ascended the Xiguo Mountain on the southern bank and saw several peaks standing in a scattered pattern resembling the Big Dipper, with Huagai Mountain locking the "mouth of the Big Dipper." Thus, he designed Wenzhou city accordingly. Hence, Wenzhou is praised as "mountains like the Big Dipper, the city like a lock," and is also nicknamed "Doucheng" (Dipper City). Legend has it that during the city's construction, a white deer passed by carrying flowers in its mouth, which people regarded as an auspicious sign. Therefore, Wenzhou is also known as "Lucheng" (Deer City). The municipal government is located at No. 321 Xiushan Road, Lucheng District, Wenzhou City. Wenzhou is referred to as China's Jerusalem and has now become the largest urban Christian center in China. In 2019, the CCTV Comprehensive Channel aired "A Family in Wenzhou," showcasing the innovation and development of Wenzhou's private economy.

2. Etymology

The name "Wenzhou" for Wenzhou City originates from its geographical environment and historical background. According to historical records, the name of Wenzhou City can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, due to its strategic location, the Wenzhou area became an important military stronghold and economic center at the time. The name "Wenzhou" is composed of the two characters "Wen" and "Zhou," symbolizing a "warm place."

3. History

Wenzhou boasts a long history and was known as Ouyue in ancient times. Historically, Wenzhou was renowned for papermaking, shipbuilding, footwear and leather goods, embroidery, and lacquerware. It is also one of the birthplaces of Chinese celadon. During the Northern Song Dynasty, it became a major port city, designated by the imperial court as a foreign trade port. Maritime trade was particularly prosperous during the Southern Song Dynasty, making it one of the four major seaports. To this day, it remains a crucial gateway for goods entering and leaving southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian. The Jin Dynasty scholar Guo Pu described Wenzhou's terrain as "Ou lies within the sea" in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, which is one of the earliest textual records mentioning "Ou." According to research by the late Qing scholar Sun Yirang, it was called "Ou" during the Xia Dynasty, "Ou" (沤) during the Yin (Shang) Dynasty, and "Ou" (欧) during the Zhou Dynasty. The character changed over time, with "瓯" (Ou) originating from the Xia Dynasty.

3.1 Pre-Qin Period

Around 2500 BCE (late Neolithic Age), over 100 Neolithic cultural sites have been discovered within the present-day area of Wenzhou. Excavated labor tools include stone plows, sickles, axes, adzes, knives, chisels, arrowheads, net sinkers, spears, and spindle whorls. Pottery shards mixed with carbon and coarse sand have also been found. The ancient inhabitants engaged in fishing, hunting, and farming. From 472 BCE to 138 BCE: In the fourth year of King Yuan of Zhou (472 BCE), after King Goujian of Yue conquered Wu, he began enfeoffing his sons and brothers as lords. The Duke of Dong'ou was enfeoffed in the Dong'ou Yue territory, establishing the Dong'ou Kingdom, roughly covering present-day Wenzhou City and Wenling in Taizhou, southeastern Zhejiang. Dong'ou remains an ancient name for Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province. In 333 BCE (the seventh year of King Wei of Chu), King Wei of Chu defeated the Yue Kingdom and killed King Wujiang of Yue. Some of the Yue people migrated and settled in Dong'ou.

3.2 Qin and Han Dynasties

In 221 BCE, after Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, he established the Minzhong Commandery. In 192 BCE (the third year of Emperor Hui of the Western Han Dynasty), Emperor Hui of Han, Liu Ying, established Zou Yao as the King of Donghai, with his capital at Dong'ou, commonly known as the King of Dong'ou. In 138 CE (the third year of the Yonghe era of Emperor Shun of the Eastern Han Dynasty), Yongning County was established from the Dong'ou Township of Zhang'an. Its western area still included parts of Chuzhou, with fewer than 10,000 households. The county was initially established on the north bank of the Oujiang River. This marks the beginning of Wenzhou's establishment as a county. In 323 CE (the first year of the Taining era of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty), the area south of Wenqiao Ridge in Linhai Commandery was separated to form Yongjia Commandery. The administrative seat was set at Yongning, governing four counties: Yongning, Angu, Hengyang, and Songyang. The commandery city was built on the south bank of the Oujiang River. Legend has it that a white deer passed by carrying flowers in its mouth, hence the later name Lucheng (Deer City). This marks the beginning of the establishment of Yongjia Commandery.

3.3 Post-Han to the Five Dynasties Period

In 422 CE (the third year of the Yongchu era of Emperor Wu of the Liu Song Dynasty, Southern Dynasties), Xie Lingyun was demoted to Yongjia. He traveled extensively through the counties, composing many poems, becoming the originator of landscape poetry. Several years prior, Zheng Jizhi compiled the Yongjia Jun Ji (Records of Yongjia Commandery), the earliest local gazetteer of Wenzhou. A one-volume compilation edited by Sun Yirang survives today. In 589 CE (the ninth year of the Kaihuang era of Emperor Wen of Sui), the four counties of Yongning, Angu, Hengyang, and Lecheng were merged into Yongjia County, belonging to Chuzhou. Three years later, Chuzhou was renamed Kuozhou. The prefectural seat was set at Kuocang (present-day Lishui City). In 607 CE (the third year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang of Sui), Kuozhou was changed to Yongjia Commandery, with the commandery seat still at Kuocang. It governed four counties: Yongjia, Kuocang, Songyang, and Linhai, totaling 10,542 households. In 621 CE (the fourth year of the Wude era of Emperor Gaozu of Tang), Yongjia Commandery was changed back to Kuozhou. The following year, Dongjia Prefecture was established from Yongjia County of Kuozhou, governing four counties: Yongning, Angu, Lecheng, and Hengyang. In 624 CE (the seventh year of the Wude era of Tang), Lecheng was merged into Yongning, called Yongjia County. In 675 CE (the second year of the Shangyuan era of Emperor Gaozong of Tang), it was re-established as a prefecture. Due to its warm climate, "even in midwinter it is constantly warm" ("sui long dong er heng yu"), it was named Wenzhou (Wen meaning warm). In 724 CE (the first year of the Tianbao era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang), Wenzhou was changed to Yongjia Commandery, governing four counties, with a total of 42,814 households and 241,690 people. In 758 CE (the first year of the Qianyuan era of Emperor Suzong of Tang), Yongjia Commandery was changed back to Wenzhou. That year, Li Xu was appointed as the Salt Supervision Official. In 914 CE (the fourth year of the Qiandai era of Emperor Mo of Later Liang, Five Dynasties), Hengyang was renamed Pingyang County.

3.4 Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties

In 997 CE (the third year of the Zhidao era of Emperor Taizong of the Northern Song Dynasty), Wenzhou was again elevated to a prefecture, belonging to the Liangzhe Circuit, administering four counties: Yongjia, Yueqing, Pingyang, and Rui'an. In 1127 CE (the second year of the Jingkang era of Emperor Qinzong of the Northern Song Dynasty), the "juan paper" produced in Wenzhou, which originated in the Tang Dynasty, was white, clean, strong, and smooth, and was listed as a tribute item during the Northern Song. Additionally, its lacquerware was renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship; by the Southern Song, it was called "the finest under heaven." In 1166, a flood disaster struck Wenzhou, where "boats capsized and over 20,000 people drowned," inferred to be caused by a typhoon. In 1130 CE (the fourth year of the Jianyan era of Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty), in the first month, Emperor Gaozong arrived in Wenzhou by sea, using it as the temporary capital for sixty-three days. In August 1265 CE (the first year of the Xianchun era of Emperor Duzong of the Southern Song Dynasty), Wenzhou was elevated to Rui'an Prefecture. In 1276 CE (the thirteenth year of the Zhiyuan era of Kublai Khan of Yuan), Rui'an Prefecture became Wenzhou Route, under the Zhejiang East Circuit Pacification Commissioner's Office. In 1368 CE (the first year of the Hongwu era of Emperor Taizu of Ming), Wenzhou Route was changed to Wenzhou Prefecture, governing four counties: Yongjia, Yueqing, Rui'an, and Pingyang. In 1369 CE (the second year of the Hongwu era of Emperor Taizu of Ming), the Wenzhou Guard was established, comprising five thousand-household battalions: Front, Rear, Left, Right, and Center.

3.5 Qing Dynasty

In March 1661 (the eighteenth year of the Shunzhi era of Qing), to sever connections between coastal residents and Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong), the Qing court issued a Coastal Evacuation Order: Yueqing's administration was moved to Dajing; Yongjia abandoned lands east of Maozhu Ridge; Rui'an set a boundary 5 li from the sea; Pingyang was moved inland by 10 boundaries. The benefits from fishing and salt were lost, and overseas trade was interrupted. In 1670 (the ninth year of the Kangxi era of Qing), the Wenchu Circuit was established under Zhejiang Province, administering Wenzhou and Chuzhou Prefectures. In October 1685 (the twenty-fourth year of the Kangxi era of Qing), the Zhejiang Maritime Customs was established in Ningbo, with 15 customs sub-ports including Wenzhou, Rui'an, and Pingyang. The Wenzhou sub-port had four branch ports: Zhuangyuan Bridge, Ningcun, Huanghua, and Puqi. In 1728 (the sixth year of the Yongzheng era), the Yuhuan Subprefecture was established, including the Dongtou Islands. From then on, Wenzhou Prefecture administered five counties and one subprefecture.

3.6 Modern Era

In June 1840 (the twentieth year of the Daoguang era of Qing), the Opium War broke out. On July 5, British forces invaded Dinghai, putting Wenzhou on alert. In 1872 (the eleventh year of the Tongzhi era of Qing), ships such as the Guangji, Puji, and Haiyan began operating between Wenzhou and Shanghai. Xu Qichou, Chen Qiu, and others from Rui'an founded the Xinlan Book Society, the earliest library in Wenzhou.

Wenzhou Town Commander Liu Xiangsheng (second from left, front row) On September 13, 1876 (the second year of the Guangxu era of Qing), the Sino-British Treaty of Yantai was signed, opening Wenzhou as a treaty port. On October 4, 1884 (the tenth year of the Guangxu era of Qing), led by Chai Yanrong from Zeya, Wenzhou citizens burned churches at locations like Chengxi and Zhouzhai Ci Lane and destroyed the residence of the British Commissioner of Customs. In February 1896 (the twenty-second year of the Guangxu era of Qing), Sun Yirang, Huang Shaoji, and others founded the Rui'an Mathematics Academy, named Rui'an Xueji Guan. In 1906 (the thirty-second year of the Guangxu era of Qing), Sun Yirang advocated for and established the Wenzhou Normal School. The Yongrui Steamship Company was established, operating small steamers on the Wen-Rui Tang River. On June 21, 1908 (the thirty-fourth year of the Guangxu era of Qing), Sun Yirang passed away. That year, the Daqing Bank and the Siming Commercial Savings Bank established branches in Wenzhou. In 1911 (the third year of the Xuantong era of Qing), after the Wuchang Uprising, the Military Government of the Republic of China, Hubei Army Governor's Office, was established. On November 29, Wenzhou formed a Military-Government Branch, with Xu Dingchao serving as Provisional Governor. In February 1912, circuits and prefectures were abolished. In June 1914, the Ouhai Circuit was established based on the former Wenchu Circuit area, with the Circuit Intendant's Office located at the Prefectural School. In June 1914, the Ouhai Circuit was established, administering Wenzhou and Chuzhou Prefectures. The Circuit Intendant's Office was stationed in Yongjia County, under Zhejiang Province. In June 1919, Wenzhou students responded to the May Fourth Movement, publishing the National Salvation Lecture Weekly, boycotting Japanese goods, and cracking down on smuggling. In 1927, the circuit system was abolished, implementing a two-tier provincial-county system. In January, the National Revolutionary Army of the Nationalist Government occupied Wenzhou, making it territory under the Nationalist Government's administration. In May 1932, county administrative supervision districts were established. The Wenzhou District was initially called the Tenth Zhejiang County Administrative Supervision District, with the Supervision Commissioner's Office stationed in Yongjia County. It was renamed several times later, including the Fourth Administrative Supervision Special District, Third Administrative Supervision Special District, Yongjia Administrative Supervision District, and Eighth Administrative Supervision District. During the War of Resistance against Japan, Japanese forces occupied Wenzhou three times: first from April 19 to May 1, 1941; second from July 11 to August 15, 1942; third from September 8, 1944, to June 17, 1945. In April 1948, it was renamed the Fifth Administrative Supervision District.

3.7 Contemporary Era

On May 7, 1949, the Ye Fang unit of the People's Liberation Army entered Wenzhou and established the Wenzhou City Military Control Commission. On August 26, the Fifth Special District was established, along with Wenzhou City. After the establishment of the People's Republic, the Fifth Special District was renamed the Wenzhou District Commissioner's Office. Subsequently, its name and administered counties underwent changes. In September 1981, the Wenzhou Prefecture and Wenzhou City were merged to establish Wenzhou City, implementing a city-administering-counties system. In May 1985, the "Wenzhou Economic Model" first gained nationwide recognition, and the development of rural household industries in Wenzhou became popular. 1986 was called the "Year of Wenzhou." The unique model of Wenzhou's commodity economy development attracted many outsiders for observation and study. In 1984, Wenzhou was designated as a Coastal Open City of the People's Republic of China. The development of the West Coast Economic Zone in 2009 brought new development opportunities for Wenzhou. Wenzhou, along with Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Xiamen, and Shantou, was designated as one of the five leading cities in the West Coast Economic Zone. In May 2016, with the approval of the State Council, Wenzhou officially became a National Historical and Cultural City.

Throughout history, Wenzhou has been the site of the Dong'ou King's capital, the old Yongning County town, the new Yongning County town, the Yongjia Commandery town, and the Jinxiang Guard town.

3.8 Dong'ou King's Capital

The "Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of the Eastern Yue" states: "(In the third year of Emperor Hui's reign) Yao was established as the King of the Eastern Sea, with his capital at Dong'ou." The "Collected Explanations" cites Xu Guang: "This is present-day Yongning." The "Suoyin" cites Yao Shi: "Ou is the name of a river. The 'Yongjia Records' note: 'The river originates from Yongning Mountain, flows for over thirty li, and enters the river five li from the commandery city. In ancient times, there was the capital city of the King of Dong'ou, with pavilions and stone-paved roads, which still exist today.'" The Qing Dynasty's Qianlong-era "Yongjia County Gazetteer," Volume 17, "Historic Sites," states: "The ancient city of the King of Dong'ou: [According to the old prefectural gazetteer] located at Oupu in the twentieth district." The Guangxu-era "Yongjia County Gazetteer," Volume 2, "Geography, Part I: Oupu Ridge," states: "Oupu to the north of the western mountains, where the ancient city of the King of Dong'ou was located. The ridge has two pavilions, with the tomb and temple of the King of Dong'ou nearby." Based on this, the capital of the King of Dong'ou was located at Oupu, five li west of the Wenzhou Prefecture city.

3.9 The Eastern Han Yongning County City

• The Old City of Yongning County

The Ming Dynasty's Hongzhi-era "Wenzhou Prefecture Gazetteer," Volume 6, records: "Pingshi Ward: The moat of the Han Dynasty Yongning County city was located here, with a dam facilitating transportation in all four directions, still referred to as the Longevity Dam today." Present-day Yongning Lane extends northward beyond the western entrance of North Street to Longevity Li (Dam), while the eastern entrance formerly housed the Temple of the King of Dong'ou (the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing-era "Wenzhou Prefecture Gazetteer" notes: "The Temple of the King of Dong'ou... is located at the foot of Haitan Mountain"; Qing Dynasty Guo Zhongyue's "Oujiang Bamboo Branch Songs" mentions it at the entrance of Yongning Lane). Within the lane, there has long been a Yongning Temple. Both Yongning Temple and Yongning Lane derive their names from the county seat. Ming Dynasty Jiang Zhun's "Miscellaneous Talks of Qihai" records that during the Wanli period, "the area along the main street in front of Jianqian (in front of Jian Lane), from north to south," witnessed "people erecting pillars by digging into the ground, reaching depths of three to five chi, where the old brick-paved streets still remained." This "old street" was clearly the "street" of the old Han Dynasty Yongning County city.

• The New City of Yongning Commandery

In the first year of the Taining era of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (323 CE), when the commandery was established, Guo Pu selected the commandery city site south of the Oujiang River at its current location. Since it occupied the same city as the Han Dynasty Yongning County seat, the Yongning County seat was relocated north of the river. The Hongzhi-era "Prefecture Gazetteer" cites the Song Dynasty's "Shaoxi Old Records": "It is popularly said that Guo Pu initially intended to establish the county seat at Baishi Huangtang but abandoned the plan due to the unstable soil." Consequently, the county seat was established in Xianzai Township north of the river. The same volume, "Historic Sites: New City," states: "Located six li from the prefecture city, in Xianzai Township north of the river. Guo Pu initially planned the city here but later moved it across the river. The area is now fields, still locally referred to as New City." The Qing Dynasty's Qianlong-era "Prefecture Gazetteer," Volume 23, "New City," notes: "Located six li from the prefecture city, in Xianzai Township north of the river, this was the old city of Yongning County." The "old city of Yongning County" here actually refers to the Jin Dynasty Yongning County seat. Near present-day Huani'ao (Huayan'ao), there is still a place name "Xincheng Aotou."

• Yongjia Commandery City (Wenzhou Prefecture City)

In the first year of the Taining era of the Jin Dynasty (323 CE), the southern part of Linhai Commandery was separated to establish Yongjia Commandery, and the commandery city was built. "Guo Pu initially planned the city north of the river" but changed the location to south of the river due to unstable soil. Ascending Xiguo Mountain, he observed the mountains standing in a pattern resembling the Big Dipper: Huagai, Haitan, Xiguo, and Songtai mountains resembled the Dipper's bowl, while Jigu, Xunshan, and Renwang mountains resembled the Dipper's handle. He believed that "building a city among the mountains would prevent invaders from entering the Dipper, ensuring long-term peace and stability." Thus, the city was built with mountains to the east and west, the Oujiang River to the north, and the Huichang Lake to the south. It was known as the Dipper City, with a circumference of 18 li. Due to an auspicious sign of a white deer carrying flowers, it was also called Deer City. "Twenty-eight wells were dug to symbolize the constellations, and streets, lanes, and canals were arranged in a grid pattern like the well-field system." "It was well-protected and commanded a majestic view in the southeast." (Hongzhi-era "Prefecture Gazetteer") This laid the foundation for Wenzhou as a historic and cultural city.

In the first year of the Kaiping era of the Later Liang Dynasty (907 CE), Qian Yuanjin repaired the Wenzhou city walls. The north gate was called Gongchen Gate, formerly known as Wangjing Gate. During the Tang Dynasty, it had double gates, symbolizing the yin principle of the north. When the Qian family built the city walls, only one gate remained. The city was surrounded by moats: the eastern moat was 576 zhang long, 2 zhang wide, and over 1 zhang deep; the southern side used a large river as a moat, 500 zhang long; the western moat was 670.5 zhang long, over 5 zhang wide, and 2.6 zhang deep; the northern side used the great river as a moat, 571 zhang long. Within the prefectural city, an inner city was added, with a circumference of 3 li and 15 bu, featuring four gates. It protected the prefectural offices internally and was surrounded by water externally, with a square and regular layout. In the second year of the Xuanhe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1120 CE), bricks were used to reinforce the low and thin southwestern city wall for 3,947 bu, raising it to over 3 xun in height and 1 zhang 5 chi in width. During the Jiading era of Emperor Ningzong of the Southern Song Dynasty (1208–1224 CE), Prefect Liu Yuangang rebuilt the outer city walls and constructed ten gates. In the thirteenth year of the Zhizheng era of Emperor Shun of the Yuan Dynasty (1353 CE), the inner city was completely dismantled and converted into civilian residences, leaving only the watchtower. In the seventeenth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1384 CE), Commander Wang Ming reinforced the outer city walls. In the thirty-eighth year of the Jiajing era (1559 CE), Wenzhou repaired its battlements, towers, and turrets, adding eight watchtowers. During the Qing Dynasty, repairs were made to the prefectural city walls in the fifteenth year of the Shunzhi era (1658 CE), the seventh year of the Yongzheng era (1729 CE), the twenty-eighth year of the Qianlong era (1763 CE), the twenty-first year of the Daoguang era (1841 CE), and the tenth year of the Tongzhi era (1871 CE). In the second year of the Xuantong era (1910 CE), August, sections of the city walls were damaged, and the Yongjia County Magistrate coordinated with gentry to raise funds for repairs. The distribution of the city walls is detailed in the 1923 "Surveyed Map of Yongjia City Streets, Lanes, and Waterways" (scale 1:5000). There were seven city gates: east was Zhenhai Gate (East Gate); south were Rui'an Gate (Great South Gate) and Yongning Gate (Small South Gate); west was Laifu Gate (Triangle Gate); northwest were Ying'en Gate (Xiguo Gate) and Yongqing Gate (Maxing Gate); north was Gongchen Gate (Wangjiang Gate, Shuomen). Outside each gate was a semicircular wall called a "moon city." In 1927, to build Zhongshan Park, a section of the city wall near Jigu Mountain was dismantled. The dismantled area is detailed in the February 1937 "Detailed Surveyed Map of Yongjia County City Streets and Lanes." On April 5, 1935, the "Proposal to Repair the City Walls for Defense" was reviewed at the fourth administrative meeting of the Eighth District. However, in December 1938, due to Japanese air raids and the need to evacuate the population, the Yongjia County Government ordered the dismantling of the original prefectural city walls. By 1945, the old city walls in flat and open areas were almost completely removed.

• Jinxiang Guard City (Jinxiang County, Wenzhou City)

The Jinxiang Guard City was built during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1384–1387 CE). Within the city, there were four gates: east, south, west, and north. The residents around each gate formed distinct factions, developing unique cultural traditions. The East Gate is renowned for its dragon head culture, with a tradition of parading a large dragon during the mid-September temple fair. The South Gate is known for its martial arts prowess, with a prevailing culture of practicing martial arts. The West Gate excels in activities such as carrying pavilions, dragon boat racing, and theatrical troupes, featuring elaborate costumes and rich cultural activities. Although the North Gate is relatively quiet, its residents are clever and resourceful, known for their unique ideas and creativity, earning praise. Each faction has formed cultural characteristics summarized as "East Gate dragon head, South Gate fists, West Gate costumes, North Gate ideas," a tradition that continues to this day.

3.10 Current Condition

Currently, remnants of the city walls include:

1. Huagai Mountain City Wall: Two sections remain, crossing the mountain ridge. The northern section runs northwest to southeast, with a remaining length of 67 meters, height of 4.3 meters, and width of 7 meters. The existing eastern side is built with granite blocks, filled with gravel and loess between the front and back walls. The wall narrows towards the top, with a noticeable batter. The southern section runs north-south, with a remaining length of 30 meters, height of 2.5 meters, and width of 9 meters. The western side leans against the mountain, while the eastern side is built with granite blocks, with rammed earth consistent with the northern section.
2. Haitan Mountain City Wall: One section remains, running along the northeastern mountainside. The remaining length is 100 meters, height 3.5 meters, and width 2.5 meters. The southwestern side leans against the mountain, while the northeastern side is built with granite city stones, filled with gravel and loess.
3. Watchtower Inner City Wall: A section on the eastern side remains, connected to the watchtower platform base, running southeast. The remaining length is 34 meters, height 3.5 meters, and width 5 meters. Both the northern and southern sides of the wall are built with granite blocks, filled with gravel and loess.
4. Shuomen Street, adjacent to the prefectural city, still retains two "Jincheng Gonggu" (Golden City Consolidated) fireproof wall gates. The gates span the street, approximately 70 meters apart. Their structural design is essentially the same, built with blue bricks, 6.1 meters high, with walls 0.6 meters thick. The gate arches are 5 meters high and 2.8 meters wide. The brick inscription "Jincheng Gonggu" remains on the gate lintels.

The site selection for the Yongjia Commandery City followed the principles of leaning against the river, backing onto mountains, and connecting to waterways, demonstrating rigorous scientific planning and distinct local characteristics. The city's location and style have remained unchanged for 1,600 years, making it a rare example.

4. Geography

Wenzhou is located in the southeastern part of Zhejiang Province, bordering the East China Sea to the east, Fujian Province to the south, Lishui City to the west and northwest, and Taizhou City to the north and northeast. Its entire area lies between 27°03'–28°36' north latitude and 119°37'–121°18' east longitude. The city's land area is 11,786 square kilometers, with a sea area of approximately 11,000 square kilometers. The urban area covers 1,187 square kilometers.

4.1 Topography

Wenzhou is situated in the Zhejiang-Fujian hills. The terrain within its borders slopes in a step-like manner from the southwest to the northeast. It is traversed by mountain ranges such as the Donggong, Kuocang, and Yandang Mountains. The Yandang Mountain is a UNESCO-recognized Global Geopark. Baiyunjian in Taishun County, with an altitude of 1,611 meters, is the highest peak in the city. The eastern part is a plain region. In April 2003, the Wenzhou Peninsula Project officially commenced. This project connects the Dongtou Islands under Wenzhou's jurisdiction with the mainland, also increasing the city's total area.

4.2 Hydrology

Wenzhou features a dense network of crisscrossing rivers and waterways, with over 150 rivers of various sizes. The main river systems are the Ou River, Feiyun River, and Ao River, all flowing from west to east into the East China Sea. Among them, the Nanxi River, a tributary of the Ou River, is renowned for its beautiful scenery and is designated as a National Key Scenic Area. Wenzhou has a mainland coastline of 355 kilometers and 714.5 islands (Hengzaiyu is shared between Wenzhou and Taizhou). The coastline is highly indented, forming numerous natural harbors.

4.3 Climate

Wenzhou has a subtropical monsoon climate characterized by distinct seasonal monsoon shifts, with hot summers and mild winters, four distinct seasons, and abundant rainfall. The annual average temperature ranges from 17.3°C to 19.4°C. The average temperature in January is between 4.9°C and 9.9°C, while in July it ranges from 26.7°C to 29.6°C. Winters are not severely cold, and summers are not intensely hot. Annual precipitation ranges from 1,113 to 2,494 millimeters. The Meiyu (plum rain) season occurs during the transition from spring to summer, and tropical cyclones (typhoons) are common between July and September. The frost-free period lasts from 241 to 326 days. Annual sunshine hours range from 1,442 to 2,264.

Wenzhou Meteorological Data (1971–2000) | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |------------------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|--------|--------|--------|-------|-------|-------|----------| | Record high °C (°F) | 25.6 | 26.2 | 29.5 | 31.3 | 35.7 | 36.8 | 39.6 | 38.1 | 38 | 35 | 29.4 | 25.9 | 39.6 | | | (78.1) | (79.2) | (85.1) | (88.3) | (96.3) | (98.2) | (103.3) | (100.6) | (100.4) | (95) | (84.9) | (78.6) | (103.3) | | Average high °C (°F) | 12.2 | 12.4 | 15.3 | 20.6 | 24.7 | 28.3 | 32.2 | 31.9 | 28.8 | 24.8 | 20.1 | 15.2 | 22.2 | | | (54) | (54.3) | (59.5) | (69.1) | (76.5) | (82.9) | (90) | (89.4) | (83.8) | (76.6) | (68.2) | (59.4) | (72) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 8 | 8.5 | 11.4 | 16.3 | 20.8 | 24.6 | 28 | 28 | 24.9 | 20.4 | 15.5 | 10.4 | 18.1 | | | (46.4) | (47.3) | (52.5) | (61.3) | (69.4) | (76.3) | (82.4) | (82.4) | (76.8) | (68.7) | (59.9) | (50.7) | (64.6) | | Average low °C (°F) | 5 | 5.7 | 8.6 | 13.3 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 21.9 | 17.2 | 12.1 | 6.9 | 15.1 | | | (41) | (42.3) | (47.5) | (55.9) | (64.4) | (71.6) | (77) | (77) | (71.4) | (63) | (53.8) | (44.4) | (59.1) | | Record low °C (°F) | −4.5 | −3.9 | −1.7 | 2.4 | 9 | 14.9 | 17.9 | 19.1 | 13.7 | 5.7 | 0.2 | −3.5 | −4.5 | | | (23.9) | (25) | (28.9) | (36.3) | (48.2) | (58.8) | (64.2) | (66.4) | (56.7) | (42.3) | (32.4) | (25.7) | (23.9) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 58.3 | 82.7 | 145.1 | 161.7 | 203.4 | 245.5 | 178.4 | 250.1 | 204.9 | 95 | 74.7 | 42.6 | 1,742.40 | | | (2.30) | (3.26) | (5.71) | (6.37) | (8.01) | (9.67) | (7.02) | (9.85) | (8.07) | (3.74) | (2.94) | (1.68) | (68.62) | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 13.5 | 14.8 | 19 | 18.4 | 18.4 | 18.1 | 14.7 | 16.6 | 13.4 | 10.3 | 9.4 | 8.1 | 174.7 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 76 | 79 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 88 | 84 | 82 | 81 | 77 | 74 | 72 | 80 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 113.2 | 90.5 | 96.4 | 119.5 | 122 | 126.9 | 214.8 | 213.3 | 166.2 | 157 | 138.2 | 148 | 1,706 | | Percentage of Possible Sunshine | 35 | 29 | 26 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 51 | 53 | 45 | 44 | 43 | 46 | 39 |

4.4 Natural Resources

Wenzhou is rich in resources and is known as the "land of fish and rice" in the Jiangnan region. The main food crop is rice, while economic crops include over 160 varieties such as citrus, tea, loquat, bayberry, and sugarcane. There are more than 370 species of marine fish, including hairtail, yellow croaker, and eel, and over 430 species of shellfish. The coastal mudflat aquaculture area covers 65,000 hectares, cultivating razor clams, ark shells, shrimp, crabs, clams, and more. Timber forests consist of over 280 species such as pine, fir, and oak. Mineral resources include tin, molybdenum, lead, zinc, pyrite, alunite, pyrophyllite, granite, and kaolin. Alunite, granite, and pyrophyllite are regarded as Wenzhou's three treasures, with alunite reserves accounting for 80% of China's total and 60% of the world's total. The continental shelf basin off the coast east of Wenzhou contains abundant petroleum and natural gas resources. The subtropical evergreen broad-leaved primary vegetation in Wuyanling, Taishun County, is a green treasure trove of southern Zhejiang.

5. Administrative Divisions

Wenzhou City currently administers 4 municipal districts and 5 counties, and manages 3 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Lucheng District, Longwan District, Ouhai District, Dongtou District
• County-level Cities: Ruian City, Yueqing City, Longgang City
• Counties: Yongjia County, Pingyang County, Cangnan County, Wencheng County, Taishun County

Administrative Division Map of Wenzhou City

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|----------------|--------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|----------------------| | 330300 | Wenzhou City | Wēnzhōu Shì | 12,102.65 | 9,572,903 | Lucheng District | 325000 | 66 | 92 | 26 | 5 | | 330302 | Lucheng District | Lùchéng Qū | 292.8 | 1,167,164 | Wuma Subdistrict | 325000 | 12 | 2 | | | | 330303 | Longwan District | Lóngwān Qū | 316.46 | 725,049 | Yongzhong Subdistrict | 325000 | 10 | | | | | 330304 | Ouhai District | Ōuhǎi Qū | 466.28 | 963,238 | Louqiao Subdistrict | 325000 | 12 | 1 | | | | 330305 | Dongtou District | Dòngtóu Qū | 272.95 | 148,807 | Bei'ao Subdistrict | 325700 | 5 | 1 | 1 | | | 330324 | Yongjia County | Yǒngjiā Xiàn | 2,677.36 | 869,548 | Beicheng Subdistrict| 325100 | 7 | 11 | 4 | | | 330326 | Pingyang County | Píngyáng Xiàn | 1,035.64 | 863,166 | Kunyang Town | 325400 | | 14 | 2 | 1 | | 330327 | Cangnan County | Cāngnán Xiàn | 1,079.34 | 843,959 | Lingxi Town | 325800 | | 16 | 2 | 2 | | 330328 | Wencheng County | Wénchéng Xiàn | 1,296.44 | 288,168 | Daxue Town | 325300 | | 12 | 5 | 1 | | 330329 | Taishun County | Tàishùn Xiàn | 1,768.01 | 265,973 | Luoyang Town | 325500 | | 12 | 7 | 1 | | 330381 | Ruian City | Ruì'ān Shì | 1,341.53 | 1,520,046 | Anyang Subdistrict | 325200 | 12 | 9 | 2 | | | 330382 | Yueqing City | Yuèqīng Shì | 1,395.54 | 1,453,090 | Chengdong Subdistrict| 325600 | 8 | 14 | 3 | | | 330383 | Longgang City | Lónggǎng Shì | 160.32 | 464,695 | Jinchaihe Community | 325802 | | | | |

6. Economy

Regional Composition of Wenzhou's GDP in 2017 | Region Name | GDP (100 million yuan) | Share (%) | |---------|------------|-------| | Wenzhou City | 5,411.59 | 100 | | Wenzhou Urban Area | 2,181.08 | 40.3 | | Dongtou District | 90.11 | 1.67 | | Yueqing City | 947.26 | 17.5 | | Rui'an City | 861.69 | 15.92 | | Yongjia County | 373.34 | 6.89 | | Pingyang County | 410.46 | 7.58 | | Cangnan County | 515.49 | 9.52 | | Longgang City | 277 | 5.11 | | Wencheng County | 88.45 | 1.63 | | Taishun County | 91.75 | 1.7 |

Wenzhou is also the birthplace of China's individual and private economy as well as shareholding cooperative economy, hailed by the economic community as the "Wenzhou Model". According to 2001 statistics, there were 1.54 million Wenzhou natives doing business across China at that time, having established approximately 16,000 industrial enterprises with a cumulative investment of 110 billion yuan.

Wenzhou is a famous hometown for overseas Chinese. The 500,000 Wenzhou natives living abroad are also mostly engaged in commerce and trade worldwide. In 1995, Wenzhou-origin businessmen from France, the United States, Belgium, and the Netherlands, under the name "Wenzhou Bang: Connected to Hometown, Building Great Ventures Together", signed contracts with the Wenzhou Municipal Government totaling 10 billion yuan.

Wenzhou native Zhang Huamei holds China's first "Individual Industrial and Commercial Business License" issued in 1980.

Wenzhou's industries include chemicals, machinery, textiles, electronic instruments and meters, leather products, and food, primarily light industry. It heavily utilizes external cheap labor, and its products have relatively low technological content. The infrastructure is well-developed, with ten-thousand-ton docks, power plants, program-controlled telephone systems, and express delivery services already operational. Zhangguang 101 Hair Regeneration Tonic and multi-functional electromagnetic valves have won international awards. There are nationwide specialized markets like the Qiaotou Button Market, and markets for production materials, capital, labor, technology, and information have also emerged accordingly. Wenzhou is China's shoe capital, pen capital, and low-voltage electrical appliance city.

Today, Wenzhou is mainly known for businesses like leather shoes, lighters, eyeglasses, and clothing. Wenzhou's private capital is considerable, and various investments and lending practices have distinct regional characteristics. Local housing prices, commodity prices, and residents' consumption levels are among the highest in Chinese cities, making it a unique case in China with the highest consumption indicators among prefecture-level cities.

In 2014, Wenzhou's economic output steadily ranked 3rd in the province, achieving a GDP of 430.281 billion yuan, also 3rd in the province. Local fiscal revenue: 35.252 billion yuan; Wenzhou's urban per capita disposable income was 40,518 yuan, ranking 6th in Zhejiang Province, and rural per capita disposable income was 19,394 yuan.

On March 28, 2012, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, was approved by the State Council of China to establish the Wenzhou Comprehensive Financial Reform Pilot Zone. The aim is to attempt, through institutional and mechanism innovation, to build a diversified financial system matching economic and social development, significantly improve financial services, significantly enhance the ability to prevent and resolve financial risks, significantly optimize the financial environment, and provide experience for national financial reform. Thus, Wenzhou became China's 12th "New Special Zone".

6.1 Industrial Bases

As of 2010, Wenzhou and its subordinate districts, cities, and counties collectively held 38 national-level industrial base titles.

List of Wenzhou's National-Level Industrial Bases China Stainless Steel Seamless Pipe Production Base China Pen Capital China Hardware & Sanitary Ware Capital China Lock Capital China Zipper Town China Shoe Capital China Business Gift Production Base China Casual Shoe Production Base China Auto & Motorcycle Parts Capital China Plastic Film Industry Base China Garment City National Production and Sales Base for Printing, Packaging, and Pharmaceutical Machinery China Eyeglasses Production Base China Rubber Shoe City China Plastic Weaving Town National Drill Bit (Construction) Production Base China Synthetic Leather Capital China Electronic Components Industry Base China Pump & Valve Town China Precision Mold Production Base China (Wenzhou) Shaver Production Base China Circuit Breaker Industry Base China Metal Casing Lighter Production Base China Explosion-Proof Electrical Equipment Production Base China Electrical Appliance Capital China Casual Wear City China Printing City China Leather Capital China Button Capital China Gift City China Craft Gift Production Base China Educational Toy Capital China Valve City China Forging Industry Base China Food & Pharmaceutical Machinery Industry Base China Luggage & Bag City China Emerging Instrumentation City China Knitting City

6.2 Top 100 Enterprises

As of the first half of 2007, Wenzhou also possessed 58 China Famous Trademarks, 30 China Top Brands, and 136 National Exemption-from-Inspection Products.

Among China's Top 500 Enterprises, Wenzhou private enterprises accounted for 5 spots.

In 2006, the "2006 China Top 500 Enterprises" list compiled by the China Enterprise Confederation and the China Entrepreneurs Association was released in Zhengzhou, Henan. Chint, Renmin, Delixi, Tengen, and Great Wall made the list, ranking 208th, 216th, 257th, 292nd, and 346th respectively. Furthermore, these 5 companies, along with Metersbonwe, Xingle, and Huafon, were shortlisted for the concurrently released "Top 500 Manufacturing Enterprises". Wenzhou City Commercial Bank Co., Ltd., Dafa Group, and Wenzhou Success Group entered the "Top 500 Service Enterprises".

Wenzhou private enterprises held 29 spots in China's Top 500 Private Enterprises. On August 6, 2007, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) announced in Beijing the research results of large-scale private enterprises for 2006. Twenty-nine local Wenzhou enterprises were among China's Top 500 Private Enterprises. Among them, Chint Group, with operating revenue of 17.9626 billion yuan, ranked 18th, continuing to hold the top position among local Wenzhou enterprises. The ACFIC began researching large-scale private enterprises in 1998, releasing an annual "Top 500" list. This was the ninth ACFIC research project, conducting a continuous survey on the operating conditions, industry characteristics, and enterprise management of large and medium-sized private enterprises. The entry threshold for the 2006 Top 500 Private Enterprises increased significantly compared to previous years, with the operating revenue indicator rising from 1.336 billion yuan in 2005 to 1.83 billion yuan, an increase of 36.98%. Compared to the previous year's list, the number of Wenzhou enterprises on the list remained 29. Jiangnan Holding Group, Huadi Steel Group, Shengwei Holding Co., Ltd., and Juyi Group were newly listed enterprises. Five enterprises founded by Wenzhou natives outside Wenzhou—Shanghai Renmin Enterprise Group, Juneyao Group, Shanghai Shenghua Wire & Cable Group, Tiger Brand Holding Group, and Zhejiang Qingshan Steel Co., Ltd.—also made it onto the Top 500 list.

6.3 Exhibitions & Conventions

China (Wenzhou) International Light Industry Expo 2006 Private Enterprises Dialogue with Fortune Global 500 2007 Private Enterprises Dialogue with Fortune Global 500 2008 Private Enterprises Dialogue with Fortune Global 500 2017 Wenzhou International Fashion Culture & Creative Industry Expo (Archived page, stored at the Internet Archive)

6.4 Oufei Project

The Oufei Project began in 2014. It is a land reclamation project in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, and is currently the largest land reclamation project in China. The planned total investment is 60 billion yuan. The reclamation method employs vacuum consolidation.

7. Transportation

On November 17, 2016, the Wenzhou Municipal Government website released the "Wenzhou Comprehensive Transportation Development Plan for the 13th Five-Year Plan". Within five years, Wenzhou's comprehensive transportation system was to complete an investment of 200 billion yuan, aiming to achieve a 1-hour travel circle from Wenzhou to the provincial capital and a basic 1-hour travel circle within the Wenzhou metropolitan area.

7.1 Civil Aviation

As early as the 22nd year of the Republic of China (1933), China National Aviation Corporation opened the Shanghai-Guangzhou route, which passed through Wenzhou, with aircraft taking off and landing on the Oujiang River. This was the first airmail route in Zhejiang's history. The Shanghai-Guangzhou route was suspended on August 13, the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937), due to the Japanese army's August 13 Incident in Shanghai, and all facilities were removed. This marked the end of Wenzhou's first civil aviation service in history, and the route was never restored thereafter.

In the autumn of 1932, Nantang Airport was built southeast of Wenzhou. It was later bombed and destroyed by the Japanese army on May 26, 1938. After Wenzhou's liberation, plans to repair the airport were ultimately abandoned.

In 1984, Wenzhou became one of China's fourteen coastal cities to open up to the outside world. At that time, Wenzhou's external transportation was severely underdeveloped, urgently requiring the construction of a new airport. Liu Xirong, then Municipal Party Committee Secretary, proposed that airport construction was crucial for Wenzhou's economic development, stating that they would "sell the pots and pans" to build the airport. Thus, the construction of Wenzhou's new airport was put on the agenda. Facing significant financial difficulties, the municipal government managed to raise 110 million yuan, most of which came from private fundraising; the Civil Aviation Administration of China contributed 20 million yuan. Construction of Wenzhou Airport began in May 1987. On July 12, 1990, Wenzhou Airport officially opened, initially operating four routes: Wenzhou to Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Ningbo.

Wenzhou Longwan International Airport, originally named Wenzhou Yongqiang Airport, was renamed in 2013. It is a 4E-class international airport located approximately 20 kilometers (about a 20-minute drive) from downtown Wenzhou. By the end of 2010, Wenzhou had established air routes with 72 cities, including Hong Kong and Macau. In 2011, the airport handled 5.598 million passenger trips, ranking 29th nationally. In June 2011, the State Council approved the upgrade of Wenzhou Airport to a first-class port, allowing it to open to foreign aircraft. In December 2011, the General Administration of Customs approved the establishment of an international mail exchange station at Wenzhou Airport. In January 2012, the airport's navigation information was released internationally. In February 2012, Wenzhou Airport officially opened to foreign airlines. In March 2012, Mandarin Airlines launched the Wenzhou to Taipei-Songshan route, making Wenzhou a cross-strait direct flight city. On June 1, 2018, Terminal 2 (T2) of Wenzhou Longwan International Airport officially opened. All domestic flights now operate from T2, while international (and regional) flights use the international section of Terminal 1 (T1). The domestic section of T1 was closed for renovation.

In December 2023, the pre-feasibility report for the third-phase expansion project of Wenzhou Airport received official approval from the National Development and Reform Commission. The plan includes constructing a new 3,600-meter second runway, a new T3 terminal, renovating T2, and building a new logistics and cargo area.

7.2 Accidents

At approximately 16:30 on February 24, 1999, a Tupolev Tu-154 passenger aircraft (flight SZ4509) operated by China Southwest Airlines, flying from Chengdu to Wenzhou, disintegrated and crashed in Rui'an City, Wenzhou. The accident resulted in 61 fatalities.

At approximately 12:25 on September 2, 2001, an aerial photography aircraft from Phoenix TV crashed in Yongjia. Zhao Qunli, deputy director of the Chinese channel, perished in the accident.

7.3 Railway

• Stations

  Railway Stations in the Wenzhou Area

  Passenger Stations

  • Wenzhou Station: Located on Wenzhou Avenue in Lucheng District, it is the terminal station of the Jinhua–Wenzhou Railway, opened on June 11, 1998.
  • Wenzhou South Station: Located in Panqiao Subdistrict, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, it is a passenger railway station under the jurisdiction of China Railway Shanghai Group. The station is about 13.5 km from downtown Wenzhou and approximately 28 km from Wenzhou Longwan International Airport, reachable in about 40 minutes via Rail Transit Line S1.
  • Yueqing Station: Located in Xiaruan Village, Baishi Town, Yueqing City.
  • Wenzhou North Station: Originally named Yongjia Station, located in Qianshi Village, Oubei Town, Yongjia County.
  • Yueqing East Station: Located in Shenfang Village, Shifan Subdistrict, Yueqing City.
  • Yandangshan Station: Located in Zeqian Village, Yandang Town, Yueqing City.
  • Pingyang Station: Located in Aojiang Town, Pingyang County.
  • Rui'an Station: Located in Feiyun Subdistrict, Rui'an City.
  • Cangnan Station: Located on Zhanqian Avenue, Lingxi Town, Cangnan County. It serves as the boundary station between China Railway Shanghai Group and China Railway Nanchang Group, making it the starting/terminal point for many Shanghai Group local trains.

  Freight Station

  • Wenzhou West Station: Located in Ouhai District, it is a freight station on the Jinhua–Wenzhou Railway.

• Lines

  • Jinhua–Wenzhou Freight Line: A railway from Jinhua to Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province. Construction began on December 18, 1992, and it became fully operational on June 11, 1998. The passenger service runs from Jinhua South Station to Wenzhou Station, covering 252 km. It was China's first jointly funded railway. The line was proposed and financed with $45.68 million raised by Nan Huai-chin. Upon completion, he advocated "returning the railway to the people" and transferred the equity to Zhejiang Province and the Ministry of Railways.
  • Jinhua–Wenzhou Railway: With further economic development, the low speed and saturated capacity of the Jinhua–Wenzhou Freight Line could no longer meet demand. On December 8, 2010, the capacity expansion and renovation project of the Jinhua–Wenzhou Railway in the Wenzhou section officially commenced. The main line is 188 km long, with a construction period of 4 years. Designed for a speed of 200 km/h, it opened on December 26, 2015.
  • Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway: Part of the Hangzhou–Fuzhou–Shenzhen Passenger Dedicated Line along the coast. It runs from Ningbo Station to Wenzhou South Station, connecting to the Hangzhou–Ningbo Passenger Dedicated Line at Ningbo Station and to the Wenzhou–Fuzhou Railway at Wenzhou South Station. The line is 279.09 km long, designed for 250 km/h but operates at 200 km/h. It is a passenger-oriented line that also handles freight, with a minimum travel time of 1 hour and 33 minutes. Construction started on October 27, 2005, with trial operation beginning on September 28, 2009.
  • Wenzhou–Fuzhou Railway: Part of the Hangzhou–Fuzhou–Shenzhen Passenger Dedicated Line along the coast. It runs from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province to Fuzhou, Fujian Province, spanning 298.4 km. Construction began in 2005, and freight service started on June 30, 2009. The minimum travel time is 1 hour and 51 minutes. Together with the Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway, Fuzhou–Xiamen Railway, and Xiamen–Shenzhen Railway, it forms a rapid corridor from the Yangtze River Delta to the Pearl River Delta, integrating Fujian's four major economic centers—Fuzhou, Putian, Quanzhou, and Xiamen—into the coastal transportation network.

  The completion of the Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou and Wenzhou–Fuzhou Railways established Wenzhou as a railway hub in southern Zhejiang. Additionally, Wenzhou is constructing the Hangzhou–Wenzhou High-Speed Railway (expected to open in August 2024, enabling a 1-hour trip from Wenzhou to Hangzhou) and planning the Wenzhou–Wuyishan–Ji'an Railway.

  In the future, Wenzhou will accelerate research and planning for the coastal high-speed rail corridor layout, aiming to establish direct 350 km/h high-speed rail links to Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Fuzhou, building a "1-hour交通圈 (travel circle)".

• Accident

  On July 23, 2011, two southbound trains collided while passing over the Oujiang River Bridge, causing four carriages of the rear train to fall from the bridge. The accident resulted in 40 deaths and at least 192 injuries, sparking strong reactions both domestically and internationally.### 7.4 Expressways

G15 Shenhai Expressway: Starting from Ningbo and ending in Wenzhou, it begins at Ningbo (Yong), passes through Taizhou (Tai), and terminates at the Fenshuiguan border in Wenzhou (Wen), with a total length of 252.7 kilometers. G1513 Wenli Expressway: This is one of the connecting lines of the G15 Shenhai Expressway. It starts in Wenzhou and ends in Lishui, spanning 234 kilometers. As a connecting line to the G15 Shenhai Expressway, it is designated as G1513. G1523 Yongguan Expressway: Starting from Nantang in Yueqing, it passes through Yueqing, Longwan, Ruian, Pingyang, and Cangnan, terminating at Cangnan Mazhan at the border with Fujian. The total length is approximately 135.69 kilometers, with a designed speed of 100 km/h and six lanes in both directions. Construction began on November 5, 2011, with an estimated duration of 4 years. The section from Nantang to Huanghua in Yueqing has been opened. The sections from Ruian to Cangnan and from Lingkun to Gefang opened on November 15, 2019. The Oujiang Beikou Bridge section opened on May 27, 2022. G4012 Lining Expressway: Starting from Liyang in Jiangsu and ending in Ningde City, Fujian Province, it passes through Wencheng and Taishun in Wenzhou. S26 Zhuyong Expressway: Starting from Zhuji City in Shaoxing, it passes through Dongyang, Pan'an, and Xianju, terminating at Yongjia in Wenzhou. The total length is approximately 225 kilometers, with six lanes in both directions. It was fully connected on January 7, 2010, and opened to traffic on July 22 of the same year, reducing the expressway distance between Hangzhou and Wenzhou to about 300 kilometers. S10 Wenzhou Ring Expressway: Designated as S10 in the Zhejiang Provincial Expressway Network. The planned total length is 154 kilometers, connecting the G15 Shenhai Expressway, G1513 Wenli Expressway, and S26 Zhuyong Expressway. It is constructed in four segments. Among them, the northern section, with a length of 26.6 kilometers, began construction on June 30, 2005, and opened on February 13, 2010. The southwestern line and the second phase of the northern line began construction on December 6, 2011, and opened on February 1, 2018, and February 1, 2019, respectively. Upon completion, the ring expressway will form a loop passing through Yueqing, Yongjia, Lucheng, Ouhai, Ruian, Pingyang, Longwan, Oujiangkou New Area, and other places, with a total length of 140 kilometers. S34 Longliwen Expressway: Passing through Wencheng and Ruian, it is the Wencheng-Ruian section of the former Longliwen Expressway (the former Longyou-Wencheng section has been upgraded to become part of the G4012 Lining Expressway).

7.5 Highways

National Highway 104: Enters Wenzhou from Daxi Town in Wenling City, passes through Yueqing, Oubei, Wenzhou urban area, Ruian, Pingyang, and Cangnan, and connects south to Fuding City in Fujian Province. National Highway 228: Enters from Yuhuan City, passes through Yueqing, Wenzhou urban area, Ruian, Pingyang, Longgang, and Cangnan, and connects south to Fuding City in Fujian Province. National Highway 322: Starts from the southern part of Ruian City in the west, passes through Wencheng County, and connects west to Jingning She Autonomous County in Lishui City. National Highway 330: Starts from Wenzhou urban area in the south and connects to Qingtian County in Lishui City.

7.6 Maritime Transport

Wenzhou Port: Geographic coordinates are 120°38'50"E, 28°01'35"N. Located on the southeastern coast of China, it borders Ningbo Port to the north, Fuzhou Port to the south, and faces Kaohsiung and Keelung Ports in Taiwan across the sea to the southeast. Situated within the Yangtze River Delta economic zone led by Shanghai's Pudong, it boasts a 350-kilometer coastline and a superior geographical location. It serves as the central hub for north-south coastal shipping and ocean transportation in southern Zhejiang and is one of China's 25 major coastal ports. Wenzhou Port currently has 55 productive berths. The port is divided into seven port areas, with Zhuangyuan'ao Port Area, Yueqing Bay Port Area, and Daxiaomen Island Port Area as the core, and Oujiang Port Area, Ruian Port Area, Pingyang Port Area, and Cangnan Port Area as auxiliary areas. Wenzhou Port has shipping trade connections with ports in over 10 countries and regions including Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Russia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. It has established routes to Busan (South Korea), Singapore, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Yingkou, and routes to ports along China's southern and northern coasts and the Yangtze River. Since October 19, 2009, it has been a direct cross-strait shipping port to Taiwan. According to plans, Wenzhou City will invest 21.57 billion yuan during the "12th Five-Year Plan" period; adding 7 berths of 10,000-ton class or above and increasing port cargo throughput capacity by over 30 million tons.

7.7 Rail Transit

Wenzhou City plans to construct multiple suburban railway lines. Wenzhou Suburban Railway S1 Line began construction on November 11, 2011, with a total length of 51.9 kilometers, and officially commenced operation on January 23, 2019. Wenzhou Suburban Railway S2 Line began construction on December 30, 2015, and opened on August 26, 2023. Wenzhou Suburban Railway S3 Line officially commenced construction on March 27, 2023, and is expected to open in the second half of 2027.

Additionally, Wenzhou City also plans to build three metro lines, M1, M2, and M3, but these have not yet been approved.

7.8 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

In 2011, Wenzhou included the construction of three BRT lines in the "12th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Municipal Gardens and Public Utilities in Wenzhou City."

Wenzhou BRT Line 1 (B1 Line) began trial operation on December 27, 2015. Except for the B1 Line, most feeder bus lines were adjusted from original bus routes, with a fare of 2 yuan. Free transfers to other lines are available within BRT stations equipped with fare gates.

7.9 Boarding Process

Entering the Station: If the station platform is located, passengers must obey the traffic rule of "stop at red, go at green," entering the BRT platform from the sides of the road via zebra crossings. Inquiry: Self-service inquiry machines, self-service recharge machines, and vending machines are placed on the platform for passenger convenience. Passengers can follow the "Jiaoyun WeChat Official Account" or download the "I Can Go" app to learn detailed information about BRT routes, schedules, etc. Unmanned Ticketing: To shorten boarding time, BRT stations with fare gates adopt unmanned ticketing. After entering the station, passengers can choose to pay by coin or card to pass through the fare gate into the waiting area.

8. Education

According to data from the "Wenzhou Sixth National Population Census," as of the end of 2010, the permanent resident population of Wenzhou included 650,300 individuals with a university education (referring to college level and above); 1,150,400 individuals with a high school education (including technical secondary school); 3,344,400 individuals with a junior high school education; and 2,679,900 individuals with a primary school education (the above figures for various education levels include graduates, dropouts, and current students from all types of schools). Per 100,000 people, 7,128 had a university education; 12,611 had a high school education; 36,663 had a junior high school education; and 29,379 had a primary school education. The illiterate population (individuals aged 15 and above who cannot read) was 645,100, resulting in an illiteracy rate of 7.07%.

Wenzhou University Wenzhou University Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou No. 3 Middle School Wenzhou No. 3 Middle School Wenzhou No. 22 Middle School Wenzhou No. 22 Middle School

8.1 Secondary Schools

List of Secondary Schools in Wenzhou

• Provincial First-Level Key Secondary Schools (8 schools)

Zhejiang Wenzhou High School Wenzhou No. 2 Senior High School Zhejiang Ouhai High School Zhejiang Ruian High School Zhejiang Yueqing High School Zhejiang Yongjia High School Zhejiang Pingyang High School Zhejiang Cangnan High School

• Provincial Second-Level Key Secondary Schools (11 schools)

Ouhai Renyansong High School Wenzhou No. 15 Middle School Ruian No. 4 Middle School Yueqing Hongqiao High School Yueqing Liushi High School Yueqing No. 2 High School Yongjia Luofu High School Longgang High School Cangnan Qianku Senior High School Taishun No. 1 High School Dongtou District No. 1 High School

• Provincial Third-Level Key Secondary Schools (20 schools)

Wenzhou No. 8 Middle School Wenzhou No. 22 Middle School Ouhai No. 2 Senior High School Wenzhou Sanxi Middle School Ouhai Wuting Middle School Wenzhou Yuying International Experimental School (Private) Ruian No. 3 Middle School Ruian No. 10 Middle School Ruian No. 5 Middle School Ruian Longshan Senior High School Yueqing Baixiang High School Yueqing No. 3 High School Longgang No. 2 Senior High School Pingyang No. 2 High School Pingyang Aojiang High School Cangnan Jinxiang Senior High School Cangnan Lingxi No. 2 Senior High School Cangnan Lingxi No. 1 Senior High School Cangnan Yishan Senior High School Wencheng High School

• Municipal Key Secondary Schools (29 schools)

Wenzhou No. 7 Middle School Wenzhou No. 51 Middle School (Private) Wenzhou No. 14 Middle School Wenzhou No. 21 Middle School Wenzhou Teacher Education Institute Affiliated School (Private) Wenzhou No. 4 Middle School Wenzhou Xiaoqiu High School (Private) Wenzhou Yongqiang High School Wenzhou Shacheng Senior High School (Private) Wenzhou Yuexiu Senior High School (Private) Longwan High School Ruian No. 8 Middle School Ruian Longxiang Senior High School (Private) Ruian Yunjiang Middle School (Private) Yueqing Yucai Senior High School (Private) Yueqing Furong High School Yongjia Yonglin High School Yongjia Shangtang High School Yongjia Bilian High School Yongjia No. 2 High School Pingyang Zhe'ao Senior High School (Private) Pingyang Xin'ao Senior High School (Private) Pingyang No. 3 Middle School (Private) Pingyang Xiaozhen High School (Private) Cangnan Shishan Senior High School (Private) Cangnan Qiuzhi High School Cangnan Mazhan Senior High School Cangnan Fanshan Senior High School Taishun Yucai Senior High School (Private)

8.2 Higher Education Institutions

Wenzhou University Wenzhou-Kean University Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Business College Wenzhou Institute of Technology Wenzhou Polytechnic Wenzhou Vocational College of Science and Technology Zhejiang Industry & Trade Vocational College Zhejiang Dongfang Vocational and Technical College Zhejiang College of Security Technology Wenzhou Medical University Renji College Wenzhou City University Wenzhou Institute of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

9. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 9,572,903. Compared with the 9,122,102 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 450,801 people over the ten years, a growth of 4.94%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.48%. Among them, the male population was 5,075,707, accounting for 53.02% of the total population; the female population was 4,497,196, accounting for 46.98% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 112.86. The population aged 0–14 was 1,462,497, accounting for 15.28% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 6,530,697, accounting for 68.22% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 1,579,709, accounting for 16.5% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 1,121,085, accounting for 11.71% of the total population. The urban population was 6,907,989, accounting for 72.16% of the total population; the rural population was 2,664,914, accounting for 27.84% of the total population.

According to the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the permanent resident population of Wenzhou's urban area and its subordinate counties and cities in 2010 was 9.1221 million, making it the region with the largest population in Zhejiang Province, accounting for one-sixth of the province's total population. The population of Wenzhou's urban area reached 3.0394 million, ranking third in the province. Among them, the urban population of the city proper was 2.6868 million, ranking second in the province. According to statistics from the Wenzhou Public Security Bureau, as of December 2008, Wenzhou had a temporary resident population of 3.12 million, with the top five provinces of origin being Guizhou (670,000), Chongqing (490,000), Jiangxi (330,000), Hubei (280,000), and Anhui (220,000). By the end of 2021, the city's registered population was 8.328 million, and the permanent resident population was 9.645 million.

9.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group numbered 9,189,267, accounting for 95.99%; ethnic minorities numbered 383,636, accounting for 4.01%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population increased by 368,877, a growth of 4.18%, but its proportion of the total population decreased by 0.7 percentage points; the ethnic minority population increased by 81,924, a growth of 27.15%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.7 percentage points.

9.2 Languages

Wenzhou is a region where multiple languages are spoken, with significant differences among them. The primary language is Wenzhounese of the Oujiang subgroup of Wu Chinese, spoken with the urban accent. Accents vary slightly across counties; for example, the Wenzhounese spoken in Pingyang County differs in some tones from the Oujiang subgroup and is referred to as "Pingyang subgroup Wenzhounese." Additionally, about 1.5 million residents speak Southern Min, primarily descended from large-scale Southern Min immigrants from three to four hundred years ago, centered in Cangnan County and known as Southern Min of Zhejiang. A very small number of people also speak Taihu subgroup of Wu Chinese, Gan Chinese, Northern Min, Manhua, Jinxianghua, Shehua, and others.

According to statistics from the Wenzhou City Records (1991–2012), the Wenzhou region includes the following languages or dialects: Huangnanhua, Dajinghua, Nanxihua, Furonghua, Hongqiaohua, Lechenghua, Xixihua, Shangtanghua, Liushihua, Ouhaihua, Luchenghua, Yongqianghua, Southern Min, Ruianhua, Taoshanhua, Yuhuhua, Gaolouhua, Wanquanhua, Kunyanghua, Aojianghua, Longganghua, Daxuehua, Shekehua, Shanxihua, Shunxihua, Luoyanghua, Tingzhouhua, Jujianghua, Manjiang (Taishun local dialect), Jinxianghua, and Manhua.

10. Religion

Compared to other coastal regions in China, people in Wenzhou are more fervent about religious beliefs, leading to significant development of various religions in the area. Multiple religions are quite prevalent in Wenzhou. It is worth mentioning that ancestor worship is extremely popular in Wenzhou. Tomb-sweeping during the Qingming Festival can almost be considered a religious ritual, and the tradition of lavish funerals remains prevalent and difficult to suppress. Various ancestral halls have also been built across the region.

10.1 Buddhism

Wenzhou Taiping Temple
Buddhism has a long history of dissemination in Wenzhou, with a large number of followers. Buddhist temples are scattered throughout urban and rural areas. On the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, many devout followers visit temples to burn incense and worship Buddha. Notable temples in the region include Jiangxin Temple, Miaoguo Temple, and Taiping Temple. Among them, Jiangxin Temple was ranked as the sixth of the "Five Mountains and Ten Temples" of Chan Buddhism during the Southern Song Dynasty.

10.2 Taoism

Taoism in Wenzhou is marked by historically significant and large-scale Taoist temples, scattered across the foothills of mountains big and small. Although traditional Taoism is not particularly widespread, local believers still devoutly offer incense and maintain folk traditions such as drawing lots, divination, fortune-telling, and fulfilling vows, which have been practiced for thousands of years. This has become a distinctive religious feature in the scenic mountainous areas of the region.

10.3 Protestantism

Protestantism was introduced to Wenzhou in the 19th century by British missionaries from the China Inland Mission and the Methodist Church. By 1949, there were already over 70,000 Protestant Christians in the Wenzhou area, accounting for one-tenth of the total in China. Today, Protestantism remains very active in Wenzhou, with believers making up 15% of the population, which translates to over one million people (official figures). Churches and gathering places are densely distributed, and crosses can be seen everywhere in both urban and rural areas. Many villages have more than one church, earning Wenzhou the nickname "China's Jerusalem." Notable Protestant churches in the city include Wenzhou Chengxi Church, Huayuanxiang Church, Yongguang Church, Jiangjunqiao Church, and Wuqiao Church.

10.4 Catholicism

Catholicism in Wenzhou has approximately 100,000 followers, accounting for about 70% of the total in Zhejiang Province. Most of these followers come from Yueqing, and this figure does not include underground believers.

11. Culture

Wenzhou, historically known as "Dong'ou" and part of the "Baiyue" region, is located on the southeastern coast of China. Human activity in Wenzhou dates back to ancient times. The "Laoshu Mountain Site" unearthed in 2002 indicates that ancient humans inhabited the Wenzhou area as early as 5,000 years ago. During the pre-Qin period, Wenzhou was a remote and sparsely populated wilderness with underdeveloped culture. After Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified China, he established the Minzhong Commandery, leading to the initial development of Wenzhou. In the third year of Emperor Hui of the Western Han Dynasty (192 BC), Emperor Hui Liu Ying established Zou Yao as the King of Donghai, with his capital at Dong'ou, which is present-day downtown Wenzhou.

Following the Yongjia Disturbance, Han Chinese migrated southward on a large scale, an event historically known as the "Southward Migration of the Gentry and Officials," which also contributed to population growth in Wenzhou. In the first year of the Taining era under Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (323 AD), Yongjia Commandery was established. The old city was designed by the renowned Eastern Jin scholar Guo Pu based on principles of Feng Shui. Observing several scattered peaks resembling the Big Dipper, with Huagai Mountain "locking the mouth of the Dipper," Guo Pu designed Wenzhou accordingly. Hence, Wenzhou earned the beautiful description "mountains like the Big Dipper, the city like a lock," and is also nicknamed "Doucheng" (Dipper City). Additionally, because a white deer was seen carrying flowers across the site during its construction, it is also called "Lucheng" (Deer City). Wenzhou boasts beautiful scenery. When Xie Lingyun served as the Prefect of Yongjia, he pioneered Chinese landscape poetry here. Jiangxin Islet on the Oujiang River in Wenzhou is known for its scenic beauty. During the Tang and Song dynasties, numerous poets visited and left behind many verses, earning it the nickname "Island of Poetry." By the Song Dynasty, especially the Southern Song Dynasty, with the southward shift of the national political center and another large-scale migration of Han Chinese from the north, Wenzhou's culture further developed. For a time, many eminent scholars emerged, leading to the historical saying "Wenzhou has many scholars, the most in the southeast." Chen Liang remarked, "Talented figures fill Dong'ou." Huang Zongxi pointed out: "The Yongjia School teaches people to understand principles through practical affairs, proceeding step by step with solid grounding, ensuring that words can be put into action, sufficient to comprehend things and accomplish tasks. It likely served as a critique against those who kept their eyes closed, in a dazed and confused state of mind, claiming affiliation with Daoist scholars, yet knowing nothing of the changes in ancient and modern affairs." The Yongjia School thus emerged, becoming one of China's important Confucian schools during the Southern Song Dynasty, forming a tripartite opposition alongside Zhu Xi's "School of Principle" and Lu Jiuyuan's "School of Mind." The core philosophy of the Yongjia School is the "Practical Results" doctrine, which is also its most distinctive feature. It advocates the consistency of benefit and righteousness, "harmonizing righteousness with benefit, not suppressing benefit with righteousness," and opposes the empty talk of principles by certain Neo-Confucian moralists. Ye Shi is considered the synthesizer of the Yongjia School. Due to the proliferation of literati and scholars from Wenzhou during the Southern Song Dynasty, Wenzhou was also called the "Zou-Lu of the Southeast."

Surrounded by mountains on three sides and the sea on one, Wenzhou's geography is quite enclosed. Consequently, the main local dialect, Wenzhounese, has preserved many features of ancient Chinese. Unlike the Northern Wu dialects which evolved into modern Wu, it retains characteristics of Chinese from the Song Dynasty or even earlier periods. Therefore, Wenzhounese, as the most representative symbol of Wenzhou, is also known as a "living fossil" of ancient Chinese. The Yongjia School greatly influenced the cultural mindset of Wenzhou people, fostering a pragmatic and profit-seeking ethos. By the Yuan Dynasty, Wenzhou saw the emergence of Nanxi, the earliest form of Chinese drama. Yongjia Kunqu Opera and Wenzhou Drum Singing are also important theatrical genres in Wenzhou. Entering the modern era, especially after the Reform and Opening-up, Wenzhou's commercial culture revived once more, with widespread engagement in business. Wenzhou was once perceived as a "cultural desert" obsessed only with money. However, according to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' "2009 Blue Book of Urban Competitiveness in China," Wenzhou was ranked as the city with the strongest cultural competitiveness in China, precisely characterized by its intense commercial atmosphere.

Wenzhou Grand Theatre

Main Gate of Zhongshan Park in Wenzhou

Rear Gate of Zhongshan Park in Wenzhou

Wenzhou Century Square

Wenzhou Museum

Wenzhou Science and Technology Museum

11.1 Cultural Schools

The Yongjia School was the earliest to propose the "Practical Results" (Shigong) thought, which is also its most distinctive feature. It advocates the consistency of benefit and righteousness, "harmonizing righteousness with benefit, not suppressing benefit with righteousness," and opposes the empty talk of principles by certain Neo-Confucian moralists. With Ye Shi as its synthesizer, there is still a place named "Shuixin" in Wenzhou today in his memory.

11.2 Literary Creation

During the Southern Song Dynasty, there were the Yongjia School and the Jianghu Poetry School represented by the "Four Lings of Yongjia." Wenzhou is the birthplace of Nanxi, the progenitor of Chinese drama. Wenzhou is the base for "Yongkun" (Yongjia Kunqu Opera, one of the most important schools of Kunqu Opera). In theatrical circles, there is a saying: "Southern Kun and Northern Kun are not as good as Yongkun." Wenzhou Drum Singing has been preserved to this day, widely sung among the people in the Ruian dialect. Wenzhou nursery rhymes are sung in the Wenzhou dialect and are very catchy. However, with the popularization of Mandarin, various theatrical and folk song forms using the Wenzhou dialect as a medium face significant threats.

11.3 Specialty Foods and Cuisine

Wenzhou faces the sea and is located in the Zhejiang-Fujian hills. Seafood and mountain products are abundant. Wenzhou has a unique Ou cuisine, primarily characterized by light flavors. There are also many unique snacks and local specialties.

Main specialties include Ou mandarins, bayberries (Chashan bayberries), anchovies, blood clams, horseshoe bamboo shoots, Wuniu early tea, soy sauce-marinated pork, dried eel, etc. Main snacks include fish balls, Wenzhou fish cakes, "qiaoyu" (pounded fish), jelly, tangyuan (glutinous rice balls), wonton, songgao (steamed sponge cake), dengzhangao (lantern cake), horseshoe pine cake, lard cake, shuangchuigao (double-steamed cake), etc.

11.4 Folk Crafts

Ou embroidery, hair embroidery, Ou sculpture, rice sculpture, stone carving, wood carving, straw weaving, bamboo weaving, glazed tiles, lacquerware, wooden movable type printing, etc.

11.5 Local Folk Customs

Wenzhou has rich and diverse folk customs, including traditional festivals like the Lantern Festival and Double Fifth Festival, as well as some traditional customs no longer popular among Han Chinese in other regions, such as "Lan Jie Fu." Wenzhou is a famous region of rivers and lakes, with a long tradition of wooden boat building. The "grasshopper boat" once served as a primary means of transportation. The "Double Fifth Festival," also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, is the most important traditional festival in Wenzhou after the Spring Festival. Dragon boat racing is a major celebration alongside eating zongzi. Areas within the city jurisdiction like Wutian (Tuyan) and Ruian, as well as various ancient villages along the Wenrui Tang River and its tributaries, place great importance on the Dragon Boat Festival. As the festival approaches, villages, as units, invest heavily in hiring carpenters to build new dragon boats or repair old ones; village committees organize villagers, mostly young and strong males, to train dragon boat teams, preparing both equipment and manpower for the dragon boat races on the festival day. On the day of the races, the straight Wenrui Tang River becomes the best venue. Particularly along the Wutian section of the Wenrui Tang River, the banks and numerous bridges are crowded with spectators. Hundreds of colorfully painted dragon boats adorned with flying dragon totems gather on the river for competition. The rowers wear matching team uniforms; the flag bearers hold high poles with flags, waving them with grand, imposing movements. Some dragon boats even have crew members responsible for carrying a Buddhist shrine. During the race, two drummers on the boat beat drums and perform "jumping on the bow" to control the pace.

11.6 Film and Television Culture

There are also many movies or TV series related to Wenzhou, such as:

• "Hey, Fiat"
• "Wenzhou Family"
• "Two Wenzhou Families"
• "Three Wenzhou Families"
• "Wenzhou Nanny"
• "Wherever the Wind Blows"
• "Passionate Rainbow"
• "Super Typhoon"
• "Spring Dream"
• "Wenzhou People in Paris"
• "Haixia"
• "Nanxi River"
• "Big Movie"

12. Sister Cities

12.1 International

• Sister Cities

October 1984: Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan December 1995: Alicante City, Alicante Province, Valencian Community, Spain May 1994: Union County, New Jersey, USA October 2002: Prato Province, Tuscany Region, Italy May 2011: Gießen, Hesse, Germany June 2006: Burnaby City, British Columbia, Canada June 2010: Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia April 2011: Ipswich City, Queensland, Australia July 2010: Port-Gentil, Ogooué-Maritime Province, Gabon

• Friendly Exchange Relations

Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan: October 2006 Jung-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City, South Korea: November 2006 Kouvola, Finland: January 2007 Levallois-Perret, France: September 2007 Pittsburg, California, USA: May 2008 Walvis Bay, Namibia: November 2008 Naples, Italy: April 2009 Saint Petersburg, Russia: April 2009 Imperial County, USA: September 2009 Bexar County, Texas, USA: December 2009 Barcelona, Spain: January 2011 Gwangju Metropolitan City, South Korea: March 2012 Castellón Province, Spain: May 2013 Vallensbæk Municipality, Denmark: May 2013 Ambato, Ecuador: June 2013 The Hague, Netherlands: August 2014 Alsergrund, Vienna, Austria: September 2014 Gumi City, South Korea: November 2014 Ipswich, United Kingdom: November 2014 Slagelse, Denmark: February 2016 Kumasi, Ghana: June 2016 Lucknow, India: April 2017 Weiz, Austria: August 2017 Gisborne, New Zealand: November 2017

12.2 Domestic

Liuzhou City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Nanchong City, Sichuan Province Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province Xiamen City, Fujian Province Zhengzhou City, Henan Province Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

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Wenzhou was established as a prefecture in the second year of the Shangyuan era during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. It was named "Wenzhou" because of its mild climate, described as "warm even in the depths of winter."

Lucheng District

Lucheng District

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