China's millennium city Taizhou blends ancient heritage with scenic splendor
(ECNS) -- The 2024 Taizhou (Beijing) Cultural and Tourism Promotional Conference kicked off in Beijing on Thursday.
Promoters for Linhai, Wenling, Tiantai and Xianju of Taizhou City in east China's Zhejiang Province respectively introduced their special resources to on-site attendees and online audience.
Wang Xiaoxiao, deputy mayor of Linhai, a county-level city, said in her speech that Linhai blends a thousand years of history and the picturesque scenery of regions south of the Yangtze River, captivating visitors with its cultural history, beautiful landscapes, and exquisite cuisine. For seven consecutive years, Linhai has ranked among the top 100 counties in China for its comprehensive tourism strength. “We sincerely look forward to people’s visit to Linhai to experience the unique charm of this cit,” he added.
The Culture and Tourism Area of the Ancient City of Taizhou, located in Linhai City, is a national 5A tourism attraction, the highest level in the country's rating system. It consists of scenic areas of the City Wall of the Ancient City of Taizhou, Ziyang Ancient Street, East Lake, and Jinshan Hill, according to Lin Zhi, culture and tourism promoter for Linhai.
Jin Na, deputy general manager of Linhai Undertaking Development Company, said the the group has been making efforts in linking the three scenic areas -- the Ancient City of Taizhou, “Boonie Bears” and “Jaingnan Xiwanggu”, a rural tour route, to promote integrated development of culture and tourism in all fields, industries and elements.
The Taizhou City Wall, originally built during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420), has witnessed the legend of Qi Jiguang, a Chinese hero best known for leading Ming forces to defend China's eastern coastal regions from raids by Japanese pirates in the 16th century, according to Lin Zhi.
Xianju County, with a millennium history, got its name from Emperor Zhenzong (968-1022) of the Northern Song Dynasty, said Chen Qunfang, culture and tourism promoter for Xianju. The emperor named the place "Xianju", which translates as “land of deities” after learning about a legend of it.
Chen Qunfang mentioned a needle-pierced boneless lantern dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) It was created solely with paper of various shapes and sizes pasted together, requiring 13 meticulous steps to complete.
Wenling, a county-level coastal city, boasts a 317-kilometer coastal scenery, a 28-square-kilometer world-class geological landscape, and a 30-square-kilometer residential area, the largest cluster of stone houses in China, according to Chen Shuyan, culture and tourism promoter for Wenling.
Moreover, Taizhou is an important birthplace of Chinese Hehe Culture, one of the good wishes of the Chinese people, mainly embodied in their expectation for a happy marriage.
The most influential image of “the Two Immortals of Hehe” should be Han Shan and Shi De in the Tiantai Mountains, said Lin Cheng, culture and tourism promoter for Taizhou. They were typically depicted as two smiling boys: one holding a lotus flower (meaning "harmony") and the other holding a box (meaning "union") in ancient times.
Taizhou boasts 17 national intangible cultural heritage projects and 17 national key cultural relics protection units, said Lin Cheng. It has been recognized as one of China’s happiest cities eight times, and ranked among China’s top 10 food destinations in 2023.
Taizhou delicacies, such as a type of sea anemone resembling the shape of a garlic bulb, plum cakes in floral shape, and fruits like Xianju waxberries, enjoy good fame across the nation, Lin added.
Chief Expert of World Tourism Cities Federation Wei Xiao’an expressed his high hopes for Taizhou’s cultural and tourism development in his speech, noting that in the current era, centered around leisure and vacation, Taizhou is inevitably rising.
The promotional event was organized under the guidance of Taizhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, TV and Tourism, and hosted by the Linhai Bureau of Culture, Radio, TV and Tourism, and Taizhou Ancient City Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd.
More than 100 attendees, including officials, distinguished guests from Taizhou and Beijing, and representatives from Beijing travel agencies and local media, were present at the event.