Ningbo, a famous foreign trade port, has a very long history. 7,000 years ago the people of Ningbo had made the glorious "Hemudu Culture" in this land and begun to develop towards the sea. Ningbo was a part of the Yue State during the Spring & Autumn Period, whereas a part of Huiji Shire during the Qin Dynasty and Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago, which consisted of four counties including Yin, Mao, Juzhang and Yuyao. The trading, shipbuilding and ocean shipping were rather flourishing at that time in Ningbo. In the early stage of the Ming Dynasty, Ningbo was granted as the Mingzhou Prefecture, but in 1381, the 14th year of Emperor Hongwu's reign, it was changed into Ningbo Prefecture, which is still in use today. Ning in Chinese means peace and Bo refer to the wave; thus, Ningbo actually implies when the ocean is calm, and the wave is gentle. During the Tang Dynasty, Ningbo was the center that manufactured the Tang ships and celadon china of the Yue Kiln and did business very frequently with foreign countries. It was granted altogether with Guangzhou, Yangzhou and Quanzhou the title the Four Largest Foreign Trade Ports of China, which composed the "Silk and China Road on the Sea" at that time. In 1840s, according to the "Five Ports Trade Treaty" which was signed with the western imperialist powers, Ningbo was forced to build a trading port, which was put into use in 1844.
Sanjiang Kou is the busiest section in downtown Ningbo, which is also called "Outside Beach of Ningbo". It refers to the riparian area in which the Yuyao River and the Fenghua River join together to form the Yongjiang River and then flow into the East Sea. Near the Sanjiang Kou, there are the Ling Bridge, Jiangsha Bridge, Yongjiang Bridge, Xinjiang Bridge, the Jiangsha Park, Shanshan Park, the Monument in memory of the visit of a Japanese Buddhist monk, Dao Yuan, in the Song Dynasty, etc. All kinds of the buildings and mansions stand in the Sanjiang Kou. Even the "First Street of Zhejiang Province", the Zhongshan Dong Road Shopping Street abounding in plazas, department stores and clothes monopoly shops, is located here. Being a place attracting so many merchants of different dynasties, Sanjiang Kou is worthy to be the landmark of Ningbo.
Belonging to the subtropical monsoon climate, being temperate and moist, Ningbo has four distinct seasons. The average temperature in the whole year is 16.2. Among the average temperatures of different months of a year, the highest is that of July, reaching up to 28.8, and the lowest is that of January, being -4.2. The frost-free period here covers 230-240 days and the growing period of the crops covers 300 days, which is fit for the growth of crops like grain, cotton, oil crops, etc. the annual average rainfall is 1300-1400mm, among which the rainfall of May to June holds up to 60%
In the middle part of the coastline of China, close to the East Sea, Ningbo is naturally protected by the Zhoushan Archipelago in the east, lies on the verge of the Hangzhou Bay in the north, and connects with Shaoxing in the west and faces the Sanmen Bay in the south. Abounding in all kinds of natural scenic spots, the ecological environment of Ningbo is very beautiful, for the vegetation on the plain, the hill and the mountain is perfectly protected. The covering ratio of trees of the whole city is 47.5% and that of the urban area reaches 30%. There are two state forest parks-the Tiantong Park and the Xikou Park, and a provincial forest park-the Nanxi Park in Ningbo. The Tengtou Village of Fenghua has even been awarded the title "Top 500 Regions with Good Ecological Environment in the World".
"Benteng" (Surging Forward), a sculpture made of stainless steel, 8 meters high, stands in the Center of Zhongshan Culture Square of Ningbo. The style of the lucid and freely revolving modern shaping reminds the visitors of the successive progress that the people of Ningbo have made from the ancient time to present. On the inside circle of the base of the sculpture, nine pictures, showing respectively the scenery of Hemudu Relic, the Tianyi Pavilion, the Beilun Harbor, the Tianfeng Pagoda, the Ling Bridge, the Drum-tower, the Zhaobao Mountain, and the Xiaogang Developing Region, are placed to set off the theme of the sculpture. The outside circle of the base is composed of 21 groups of fountains symbolizing that Ningbo is running toward the 21st century.
Known as "Town of Cultural Relics", Ningbo is a famous historical and cultural city of China. Totally there are 231 cultural relic protection units of different grades in Ningbo, among which 7 are under the protection of the state and 29 are under the protection of the province. There are 10 professional arts troupes, 9 theaters, 270 film projection units and 155 profitable performing sites. The typical local operas in Ningbo include the Yong Opera, the Yao Opera, etc. The Xiao Baihua Yue Opera Troupe of Ningbo has gained a great deal of praises from the audience both at home and abroad in recent years. Meanwhile, the cultural facilities are gradually implemented in the city. Bath the Cixi County and the Haishu County are awarded the title "the Advanced Cultural Counties in China". At present, there are altogether 982 entertainment places and 1,077 videotape rent houses in Ningbo with 100,000 employees. A comprehensive system of cultural market, related widely with entertainment, audiovisual products, books, recreation, cultural relics and arts, has been thus formed.
This article is copyrighted by China National Tourism Administration
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