Ningbo
Encyclopedia
Ningbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang
province, Eastern China
. Holding sub-provincial administrative status
, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay
, facing the East China Sea
to the east. Ningbo borders Shaoxing
to the west and Taizhou
to the south, and is separated from Zhoushan
by a narrow body of water.
(甬江) that flows through Ningbo. The abbreviation Ning is used more commonly for Nanjing
.
It was once named "明州" (Míngzhōu). The character Ming (明) was composed by two parts, representing two lakes inside the city wall, i.e., the Sun Lake (日湖) and the Moon Lake (月湖), but only Moon Lake remains.
in 4800 BC . Once known as Mingzhou (明州), Ningbo was known as a trade city on the silk road
at least two thousand years ago, and then as a major port, along with Yangzhou
and Guangzhou
in the Tang Dynasty
; thereafter, the major ports for foreign trade in the Song Dynasty
.
Ningbo was an important commercial port. Arab merchants lived in Ningbo during the Song dynasty
when it was known as Mingzhou, due to the fact that the ocean going trade passsages took precedence over land trade during this time. Another name for Mingzhou/Ningbo was Siming. It was a well known center of ocean going commerce with the foreign world. These merchants did not intermingle with native Chinese, practicing their own customs and religion and they inhabited ghettos. They did not try to proselytize Islam to Chinese.
's Décadas da Ásia, although Barros explained that Liampó was a Portuguese "corruption" of the more correct Nimpó.; the spelling Liampó is also attested in the Peregrination (Peregrinação) by Fernão Mendes Pinto
, a (so-called) autobiography written in Portuguese during 16th century. For the mid-16th century Portuguese, the nearby promontory, which they called the cape of Liampó, after the nearby "illustrious city" was the easternmost known point of the mainland Asia.
In 1564, Portugal commanded the trade of India, Japan, and China, though their pride was deeply shocked at the supreme indifference with which the Chinese treated them. Their atrocities at Ningpo and Macao, and their subsequent servility, had opened the eyes of the Celestials to their true character, and unfortunately for other European adventurers, they had come to the conclusion that all western nations were alike. The senate of Macao
complained to the viceroy of Goa, of the contempt with which the Chinese authorities treated them, confessing however that, “it was owing more to the Portuguese themselves than to the Chinese.” The Chinese were obliged to restrict the commerce of Portugal to the port of Macao, in 1631.
opened by the Treaty of Nanjing (signed in 1842) at the end of the First Opium War
between Britain
and China. During the war, British forces took possession of the walled city of Ningbo briefly after storming the fortified town of Zhenhai at the mouth of the Yong River on October 10, 1841. The British repulsed a Chinese attempt to retake the city in the Battle of Ningpo
on March 10, 1842. In 1864, the forces of the Taiping Rebellion
held the town for six months. In March 1885, during the Sino-French War
, Admiral Courbet's naval squadron blockaded several Chinese warships in Zhenhai Bay and exchanged fire with the shore defences.
Ningbo was once famed for traditional Chinese furniture production.
During the Qing dynasty
, western encyclopedias described Ningbo as a center of craftsmanship and industry- "The gold and silversmiths of Ningpo are noted for the delicacy and tastefulness of their work, and Ningpo confectionery is celebrated all over China. The specialty of the place, however, is its elegantly carved and inlaid furniture. Silk-culture is extensively carried on in the surrounding country, and silk-weaving is an important industry. In 1893 498 piculs of silk piece-goods were exported. The development of manufacturing interests in Japan has given a groat impetus to cotton-culture, and in 1893 the steam cotton-ginning establishments of Ningpo cleaned over 60,000 piculs of raw cotton."
A caste of "degraded" outcasts existed in Ningbo city during the Qing dynasty
, around 3,000 people in a class called "to min". These "to min" people were said to be Jin Dynasty (1115–1234) (aka Kin dynasty) descendants. Normal people refused to fraternize with them, the min were forced to enter professions such as play-acting, music, sedan-bearing, matchmaking, barbery, they were identified by a unique dress and always had with them a checkered handkerchief bundle. They were barred from taking the Imperial examination
and having normal professions.
A detailed account of an Englishman who stayed in Ningbo can be found in The Chinese repository, Volume 13, published in 1844. He visited the mosque of the local Hui people
. The imam was from Shandong, and claimed to be a descendant of Muslims from the city of Medina
. He spoke both Arabic and Chinese, and could read Arabic as well. Around 30 families attended his congregation, Quranic verses decorated his apartments, and his possessions included Muslim holy texts and clothing. However, the imam described Hangzhou
as being the "Stronghold" of Islam in the region.
The Hui population of Ningbo were descended from Hui people from Shandong who moved to Ningbo during the 1600s. Their main profession was trade, and they spoke the Shandong Mandarin dialect. The Hui Muslim mosque was called "Hwuy-Hwuy Tang" HuiHui Tang, in Chinese. The keepers of the building were from Shandong and spoke Mandarin. The mosque was a small building, with many Arabic inscriptions, 500 muslims lived in Ningbo. There was formerly a Jewish synagogue in Ningbo, as well as one in Hangzhou, but no traces of them are now discoverable, and the only Jews known to exist in China are in Kaifeng. These Hui could speak Mandarin Chinese, and read and write Arabic, but were not able to read a single Chinese character. The Ah-hung (Imam) of the Hui community in Ningbo was always from Shandong, their home province. The Ah-hung which the Englishman met was originally from Chi-nan Fu
(in Shandong
) but for twenty years had been living at Ningbo and Hangzhou. He had an Arabic New Testament in his possision, and he told western missionaries about Jewish communities living in Changsha, Hunan, and at Hangzhou. He mentioned that at Hangzhou are some families of the Kwan Ch'uan-kiao, i.e., the patriarchal sect.
When the Chinese Jewish
community existed in Ningbo, floods and fire repeatedly destroyed the books of the Kaifeng Jewish
synagogue, they obtained some from Ningxia and Ningbo to replace them, another Hebrew roll of law was bought from a Muslim in Ning-keang-chow in Shen-se (Shanxi), who acquired it from a dying Jew at Canton.
, in the 1800s, the Ningbo authorities contracted Cantonese pirates to exterminate and massacre Portuguese pirates who raided Cantonese shipping around Ningbo. The massacre was "successful", with 40 Portuguese dead and only 2 Chinese dead, being dubbed "The Ningpo Massacre" by an English correspondent, who noted that the Portuguese pirates had behaved savagely towards the Chinese, and that the Portuguese authorities at Macau should have reigned in the pirates.
Portuguese pirates who raided Cantonesee shipping in the early 1800s were exterminated by Cantonese forces around Ningbo.
The Ningbonese people supported the Cantonese massacre of the Portuguese pirates and the attack on the Portuguese consul. The Cantonese did not see the Portuguese as the same as other Europeans, not being afraid of them and fighting them man to man. The Ningbo authorities had made an agreement with a Cantonese pirate named A'Pak to exterminate the Portuguese pirates. The Portuguese did not even try to fight when the Cantonese pirates sacked their consulate, trying to flee and hide among the tombs, the Cantonese butchered around 40 Portuguese while sacking the consulate. Only two Chinese and one Englishman who sided with the Cantonese died.
in 1940, Japan bombed Ningbo with flea
s carrying the bubonic plague
. According to Daniel Barenblatt, Prince Tsuneyoshi Takeda received, with Prince Mikasa
, a special screening by Shiro Ishii
of a film showing imperial planes loading germ bombs for bubonic dissemination over Ningbo in 1940.
. Wang Huizhong is the secretary of CPC
in Ningbo, who is first-in-charge of the city.
Ningbo Local Government Offices
The sub-provincial city of Ningbo has direct jurisdiction over 6 districts (区 qu) (urban), 3 county-level cities
(市 shi) and 2 Counties (县 xian):
. The city's export industry dates back to the 7th century. Today Ningbo is a major exporter of electrical products, textiles, food, and industrial tools.
Historically Ningbo was geographically isolated from other major cities. In 2007 the Hangzhou Bay Bridge
was built, cutting highway transit time between the two port cities to two and a half hours from four.
In 2009, Ningbo's economic activity reached USD 60.8 billion, down 10.4% from 2008. The exports totalled USD 38.65 billion, down 16.6% from the previous year. In addition, Ningbo imported USD 22.16 billion of goods, up 3.1% from the previous year.
Ningbo's economy grew 8.6 percent in 2009 to 421.5 billion yuan (US$61.7 billion). The city's per capita output was US$10,833, about three times the national average.
Ningbo is famous for the Si Lan Nong Xiang flower. Used for dying cloth, 2008 exports were responsible for 3% of the Ningbo economic growth.
around the world in terms of annual cargo throughput. Unlike Shanghai, the port is deepwater and capable of handling 300,000 tonne vessels. The port is located mainly in Beilun district and Zhenhai district. In 2006, Ningbo Port started its expansion to the neighbouring island City of Zhoushan
for the purpose of building a even larger port with higher capacity to compete with neighbouring ports in the region, such as Shanghai
's Yangshan Deep-Water Port. The statistics in 2010 showed that total cargo throughput was 627,000,000 tonnes and container throughput 13,144,000 TEUs. With bulk container breakdowns, hugely improved logistics, and massive chemical and foodstuff, processing developments, Ningbo could yet win the race with Shanghai as port of choice for servicing the Chinese east coast.
Many well known Chinese came from Ningbo or their ancestral home was Ningbo.
People in mainland China
People in Hong Kong
People in Taiwan
People overseas
The Hangzhou Bay Bridge
, a combination cable-stayed bridge
and causeway across Hangzhou Bay, opened to the public on May 1, 2008. This bridge connects the municipalities of Shanghai
and Ningbo, and is considered the longest trans-oceanic bridge in the world. It is the world's second-longest bridge, after the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway in Louisiana
, USA.
The Jintang Bridge, linking Jintang Island of Zhoushan and the Zhenhai district, is a 27-kilometer long, 4 lane sea crossing bridge which opened on December 26, 2009.
s, ranked 2nd by cargo tonnage in 2008, and 7th in TEU.
connects Ningbo by air to the rest of China, with regularly scheduled domestic and international flights. In 2009, new air routes between Ningbo and Taiwan were opened. Jetstar Asia also launched a new air routes
between Ningbo and Singapore which commerce in 2011 September.
and the Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou (Yongtaiwen) Railway
, which runs south to Wenzhou
.
With the booming economy in the region, the Xiaoyong Railway, a conventional railway built in the 1950s, cannot meet the demand for railway travel between Zhejiang's two largest cities, so construction of a new high-speed railway line between Hangzhou and Ningbo
started in 2009. The new railway line will be finished by 2011, and will reduce travel time between Ningbo and Hangzhou to 26 minutes.
The Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway
is a high-speed railway that opened in September 2009. It connects Ningbo with cities along the coast to the south to Fujian
Province. High-speed trains on this line operate at speeds of up to 250 km/hour.
The first phase of Ningbo ring expressway also opened in 2007, connecting western parts of districts around the city of Ningbo. The second phase is expected to open on 2012. Another expressway connecting Ningbo and Taizhou via Xiangshan county is currently under construction.
of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy
. Its responsibility includes projecting force in the region around the Republic of China
(Taiwan
), which the People's Republic of China views as a renegade province.
Ningbo has four universities. Towards the north of the city is Ningbo University
, while the Ningbo Higher Education Zone (Yinzhou district) is home to Zhejiang Wanli University as well as the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China
– a joint venture between the University of Nottingham
and the Wanli Education Group. Affiliated to Zhejiang University
, Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University
, which was ranked as the eleventh best of independent colleges in China in 2011 , is also located in this beautiful education zone.
Secondary and primary education
Compulsory education (basic education in Chinese terms) is from the age 6 -15. Students are catered for in a variety of state and private schools. Studying for the gaokao (university entrance test) is optional.
International Education
Several schools are permitted to operate educational programmes instead of the Chinese National curriculum and accept international students into their schools.
Access International Academy Ningbo
(AIAN) offers a US curriculum with the College Board
Advanced Placement examinations, Ningbo Zhicheng School International
is an IB World School and offers an international curriculum through the IB Diploma Programme
, Ningbo International School has an Australian curriculum and offers its school leavers the South Australian Certificate of Education
(SACE) while the Huamao Multicultural Education Academy offers education until age 16.
, Germany (October 1986) Wilmington, Delaware
, United States (May 1988) Rouen
, France (March 1990) Waitakere
, New Zealand (November 1998) Santos, São Paulo, Brazil (January 2002) São Paulo
, Brazil Veszprem
, Hungary (July 2003) Nelson Mandela Municipality
, South Africa (September 2003) Varna
, Bulgaria (June 2004) Stavanger
, Norway (September 2004) Nottingham
, England, United Kingdom (September 2005) Bydgoszcz, Poland (November 2005)
, Spain (October 1995) Suncheon, South Korea
(June 1997) Surrey, British Columbia
, Canada (May 1999) Houston, United States (September 2000) Wiener Neustadt
, Austria (September 2000) Daegu
, South Korea (September 2000) Aguascalientes
, Mexico (November 2006) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, United States (2006) Manzanillo
, Mexico (June 2010) Rijeka
, Croatia (June 2011)
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
province, Eastern China
East China
East China is a geographical and a loosely-defined cultural region that covers the eastern coastal area of China.Although an intangible and loosely defined concept, for administrative and governmental purposes, the region is defined by the government of the People's Republic of China to include...
. Holding sub-provincial administrative status
Sub-provincial city
A sub-provincial divisions in the People's Republic of China, is like a prefecture-level city that is ruled by a province, but is administered independently in regard to economy and law....
, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay
Hangzhou Bay
Hangzhou Bay, or the Bay of Hangzhou , is an inlet of the East China Sea, bordered by the province of Zhejiang and the municipality of Shanghai. The Qiantang River flows into the bay.It lies south of Shanghai, and ends at the city of Hangzhou...
, facing the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
to the east. Ningbo borders Shaoxing
Shaoxing
Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west. It was once known as "越"...
to the west and Taizhou
Taizhou, Zhejiang
Taizhou is a prefecture-level city in middle eastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China...
to the south, and is separated from Zhoushan
Zhoushan
Zhoushan or Zhoushan Archipelago New Area; formerly transliterated as Chusan, is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province of Eastern China. The only prefecture-level city of the People's Republic of China consisting solely of islands, it lies across the mouth of the Hangzhou Bay,...
by a narrow body of water.
Etymology
The first character in the city's name (宁 or 寧) means "serene", while its second character (波) translates to "waves". Together, the name literally means "Serene Waves". The city is abbreviated Yǒng (甬), after the Yong Hill (甬山), a prominent coastal hill near the city, just like the Yong RiverYong river
The Yong River is one of the main rivers in China, located in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.The name, Yong, comes from the city it flows through, Ningbo, which was also known as Yong in ancient times....
(甬江) that flows through Ningbo. The abbreviation Ning is used more commonly for Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
.
It was once named "明州" (Míngzhōu). The character Ming (明) was composed by two parts, representing two lakes inside the city wall, i.e., the Sun Lake (日湖) and the Moon Lake (月湖), but only Moon Lake remains.
History
Ningbo is one of China's oldest cities, with a history dating back to the Hemudu cultureHemudu culture
The Hemudu culture was a Neolithic culture that flourished just south of the Hangzhou Bay in Jiangnan in modern Yuyao, Zhejiang, China. The site at Hemudu, 22 km north-west of Ningbo, was discovered in 1973...
in 4800 BC . Once known as Mingzhou (明州), Ningbo was known as a trade city on the silk road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
at least two thousand years ago, and then as a major port, along with Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
and Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
in the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
; thereafter, the major ports for foreign trade in the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
.
Tang and Song dynasty
Since the Tang dynastyTang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
Ningbo was an important commercial port. Arab merchants lived in Ningbo during the Song dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
when it was known as Mingzhou, due to the fact that the ocean going trade passsages took precedence over land trade during this time. Another name for Mingzhou/Ningbo was Siming. It was a well known center of ocean going commerce with the foreign world. These merchants did not intermingle with native Chinese, practicing their own customs and religion and they inhabited ghettos. They did not try to proselytize Islam to Chinese.
Ming Dynasty
The city of Ningbo was known in Europe for a long time under the name of Liampó. This is the usual spelling used e.g. in the standard Portuguese history, João de BarrosJoão de Barros
João de Barros , called the Portuguese Livy, is one of the first great Portuguese historians, most famous for his Décadas da Ásia , a history of the Portuguese in India and Asia.-Early years:...
's Décadas da Ásia, although Barros explained that Liampó was a Portuguese "corruption" of the more correct Nimpó.; the spelling Liampó is also attested in the Peregrination (Peregrinação) by Fernão Mendes Pinto
Fernão Mendes Pinto
Fernão Mendes Pinto was a Portuguese explorer and writer. His exploits are known through the posthumous publication of his memoir Pilgrimage in 1614, an autobiographical work whose truthfulness is nearly impossible to assess...
, a (so-called) autobiography written in Portuguese during 16th century. For the mid-16th century Portuguese, the nearby promontory, which they called the cape of Liampó, after the nearby "illustrious city" was the easternmost known point of the mainland Asia.
Massacre of Portuguese community
After the Portuguese bribed their way into obtaining a trade mission in Ningbo, they inflicted savage behaviour against the Chinese. In retaliation, in 1545 the entire Portuguese community of Ningbo were exterminated by Chinese forces. The Portuguese began trading in Ningbo around 1522. By 1542, the Portuguese had a sizable community in Ningbo (or, more likely, on nearby small islands). Portuguese activities from their Ningbo base included pillaging and attacking multiple Chinese port cities around Ningbo for plunder and spoil. They also enslaved people during their raids. The resulting complaints made it to the province's governor who commanded the settlement destroyed and the inhabitants wiped out. In 1542 the Portuguese settled here by permission and flourished, but their rapacity led to their expulsion in 1545, when a force of 60,000 Chinese troops descended on the community, 800 of the 1,200 Portuguese residents were massacred, and 25 Portuguese vessels and 42 junks were destroyed.In 1564, Portugal commanded the trade of India, Japan, and China, though their pride was deeply shocked at the supreme indifference with which the Chinese treated them. Their atrocities at Ningpo and Macao, and their subsequent servility, had opened the eyes of the Celestials to their true character, and unfortunately for other European adventurers, they had come to the conclusion that all western nations were alike. The senate of Macao
Mação
Mação is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 400.0 km² and a total population of 7,763 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of eight parishes, and is located in the Santarém District....
complained to the viceroy of Goa, of the contempt with which the Chinese authorities treated them, confessing however that, “it was owing more to the Portuguese themselves than to the Chinese.” The Chinese were obliged to restrict the commerce of Portugal to the port of Macao, in 1631.
Qing dynasty
Ningbo was one of the five Chinese treaty portsTreaty ports
The treaty ports was the name given to the port cities in China, Japan, and Korea that were opened to foreign trade by the Unequal Treaties.-Chinese treaty ports:...
opened by the Treaty of Nanjing (signed in 1842) at the end of the First Opium War
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
between Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and China. During the war, British forces took possession of the walled city of Ningbo briefly after storming the fortified town of Zhenhai at the mouth of the Yong River on October 10, 1841. The British repulsed a Chinese attempt to retake the city in the Battle of Ningpo
Battle of Ningpo
The Battle of Ningpo was fought between British and Chinese forces in Ningpo, China, on 10 March 1842 during the First Opium War. After the British captured Chinhai on 10 October 1841, they captured the nearby city of Ningpo unopposed three days later...
on March 10, 1842. In 1864, the forces of the Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
held the town for six months. In March 1885, during the Sino-French War
Sino-French War
The Sino–French War was a limited conflict fought between August 1884 and April 1885 to decide whether France should replace China in control of Tonkin . As the French achieved their war aims, they are usually considered to have won the war...
, Admiral Courbet's naval squadron blockaded several Chinese warships in Zhenhai Bay and exchanged fire with the shore defences.
Ningbo was once famed for traditional Chinese furniture production.
During the Qing dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, western encyclopedias described Ningbo as a center of craftsmanship and industry- "The gold and silversmiths of Ningpo are noted for the delicacy and tastefulness of their work, and Ningpo confectionery is celebrated all over China. The specialty of the place, however, is its elegantly carved and inlaid furniture. Silk-culture is extensively carried on in the surrounding country, and silk-weaving is an important industry. In 1893 498 piculs of silk piece-goods were exported. The development of manufacturing interests in Japan has given a groat impetus to cotton-culture, and in 1893 the steam cotton-ginning establishments of Ningpo cleaned over 60,000 piculs of raw cotton."
A caste of "degraded" outcasts existed in Ningbo city during the Qing dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, around 3,000 people in a class called "to min". These "to min" people were said to be Jin Dynasty (1115–1234) (aka Kin dynasty) descendants. Normal people refused to fraternize with them, the min were forced to enter professions such as play-acting, music, sedan-bearing, matchmaking, barbery, they were identified by a unique dress and always had with them a checkered handkerchief bundle. They were barred from taking the Imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
and having normal professions.
A detailed account of an Englishman who stayed in Ningbo can be found in The Chinese repository, Volume 13, published in 1844. He visited the mosque of the local Hui people
Hui people
The Hui people are an ethnic group in China, defined as Chinese speaking people descended from foreign Muslims. They are typically distinguished by their practice of Islam, however some also practice other religions, and many are direct descendants of Silk Road travelers.In modern People's...
. The imam was from Shandong, and claimed to be a descendant of Muslims from the city of Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
. He spoke both Arabic and Chinese, and could read Arabic as well. Around 30 families attended his congregation, Quranic verses decorated his apartments, and his possessions included Muslim holy texts and clothing. However, the imam described Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
as being the "Stronghold" of Islam in the region.
The Hui population of Ningbo were descended from Hui people from Shandong who moved to Ningbo during the 1600s. Their main profession was trade, and they spoke the Shandong Mandarin dialect. The Hui Muslim mosque was called "Hwuy-Hwuy Tang" HuiHui Tang, in Chinese. The keepers of the building were from Shandong and spoke Mandarin. The mosque was a small building, with many Arabic inscriptions, 500 muslims lived in Ningbo. There was formerly a Jewish synagogue in Ningbo, as well as one in Hangzhou, but no traces of them are now discoverable, and the only Jews known to exist in China are in Kaifeng. These Hui could speak Mandarin Chinese, and read and write Arabic, but were not able to read a single Chinese character. The Ah-hung (Imam) of the Hui community in Ningbo was always from Shandong, their home province. The Ah-hung which the Englishman met was originally from Chi-nan Fu
Jinan
Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub...
(in Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) but for twenty years had been living at Ningbo and Hangzhou. He had an Arabic New Testament in his possision, and he told western missionaries about Jewish communities living in Changsha, Hunan, and at Hangzhou. He mentioned that at Hangzhou are some families of the Kwan Ch'uan-kiao, i.e., the patriarchal sect.
When the Chinese Jewish
History of the Jews in China
Jews and Judaism in China have had a long history. Jewish settlers are documented in China as early as the 7th or 8th century CE, but may have arrived during the mid Han Dynasty, or even as early as 231 BCE. Relatively isolated communities developed through the Tang and Song Dynasties Jews and...
community existed in Ningbo, floods and fire repeatedly destroyed the books of the Kaifeng Jewish
Kaifeng Jews
The Kaifeng Jews are members of a small Jewish community that has existed in Kaifeng, in the Henan province of China, for hundreds of years. Jews in modern China have traditionally called themselves Youtai in Mandarin Chinese which is also the predominant contemporary Chinese language term for...
synagogue, they obtained some from Ningxia and Ningbo to replace them, another Hebrew roll of law was bought from a Muslim in Ning-keang-chow in Shen-se (Shanxi), who acquired it from a dying Jew at Canton.
Massacre of Portuguese pirates
During the Qing dynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, in the 1800s, the Ningbo authorities contracted Cantonese pirates to exterminate and massacre Portuguese pirates who raided Cantonese shipping around Ningbo. The massacre was "successful", with 40 Portuguese dead and only 2 Chinese dead, being dubbed "The Ningpo Massacre" by an English correspondent, who noted that the Portuguese pirates had behaved savagely towards the Chinese, and that the Portuguese authorities at Macau should have reigned in the pirates.
Portuguese pirates who raided Cantonesee shipping in the early 1800s were exterminated by Cantonese forces around Ningbo.
The Ningbonese people supported the Cantonese massacre of the Portuguese pirates and the attack on the Portuguese consul. The Cantonese did not see the Portuguese as the same as other Europeans, not being afraid of them and fighting them man to man. The Ningbo authorities had made an agreement with a Cantonese pirate named A'Pak to exterminate the Portuguese pirates. The Portuguese did not even try to fight when the Cantonese pirates sacked their consulate, trying to flee and hide among the tombs, the Cantonese butchered around 40 Portuguese while sacking the consulate. Only two Chinese and one Englishman who sided with the Cantonese died.
Republican Era
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1940, Japan bombed Ningbo with flea
Flea
Flea is the common name for insects of the order Siphonaptera which are wingless insects with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood...
s carrying the bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
. According to Daniel Barenblatt, Prince Tsuneyoshi Takeda received, with Prince Mikasa
Prince Mikasa
is a member of the Imperial House of Japan. He is the fourth and youngest son of Emperor Taishō and Empress Teimei. His eldest brother was Emperor Shōwa , and is the only surviving paternal uncle of Emperor Akihito. With the death of his sister-in-law, Princess Takamatsu , on 17 December 2004, he...
, a special screening by Shiro Ishii
Shiro Ishii
was a Japanese microbiologist and the lieutenant general of Unit 731, a biological warfare unit of the Imperial Japanese Army responsible for human experimentation and war crimes during the Second Sino-Japanese War.-Early years:...
of a film showing imperial planes loading germ bombs for bubonic dissemination over Ningbo in 1940.
- "It has been said of the Ningbo fishermen that, 'no people in the world apparently made so great an advance in the art of fishing; and for centuries past no people have made so little further progress.'"
Geography and climate
- Ningbo covers an area of 9365 square kilometres (3,616 sq mi) and has a total coastline of 1562 km (971 mi) including 788 km (490 mi) of mainland coastline and 774 km (481 mi) of island coastline.
- Climatic Features: monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climateA humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Koppen Cfa), featuring temperateTemperateIn geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
and humid weather and four distinct seasons; frost-free period of 230–240 days - Mean TemperatureTemperatureTemperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
: annual-17 °C (62.6 °F), January-4.8 °C (40.6 °F), July-29 °C (84.2 °F) - Average Rainfall: 1450 millimetres (57.1 in)
Administrative Structure
The mayor of Ningbo is Liu QiLiu Qi
Liu Qi may refer to:* Emperor Jing of Han, personal name Liu Qi, 6th emperor of the Western Han Dynasty* Liu Qi - oldest son of Eastern Han Dynasty warlord Liu Biao...
. Wang Huizhong is the secretary of CPC
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
in Ningbo, who is first-in-charge of the city.
Ningbo Local Government Offices
-
- Ningbo Foreign Affairs Office
- Ningbo Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation Bureau
- Ningbo Govt.
The sub-provincial city of Ningbo has direct jurisdiction over 6 districts (区 qu) (urban), 3 county-level cities
County-level city
A county-level city is a county-level administrative division of mainland China. County-level cities are usually governed by prefecture-level divisions, but a few are governed directly by province-level divisions....
(市 shi) and 2 Counties (县 xian):
 |
Subdivision | |
|---|---|---|
| Ningbo City Proper | ||
| ■ Haishu-qu Haishu District Haishu District is a county-level district under the jurisdiction of Ningbo city in Zhejiang Province of the People's Republic of China.... |
海曙区 | |
| ■ Jiangdong-qu Jiangdong District Jiangdong District is a district of Zhejiang, China. It is under the administration of the Ningbo city.... |
江东区 | |
| ■ Jiangbei-qu Jiangbei District, Ningbo -References:****... |
江北区 | |
| ■ Zhenhai-qu | 镇海区 | |
| ■ Beilun-qu | 北仑区 | |
| ■ Yinzhou-qu Yinzhou District, Ningbo - History :In 220 BC, Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, established three counties called Yin, Mao and Gouzhang . Later they were merged into Gouzhang county during the Sui Dynasty. It was renamed Mao county during the Tang Dynasty. It had assumed its current name of "Yin" in... |
鄞州区 | |
| Ningbo Suburban and Rural | ||
| ■ Yuyao-shi Yuyao Yuyao is a city in Zhejiang province, China, capital of Yuyao County, Ningbo. Administratively Yuyao is under the direct jurisdiction of Ningbo.... |
余姚市 | |
| ■ Cixi-shi Cixi City Cixi is a city within the sub-provincial city of Ningbo located in China's Zhejiang province.- History :The city was captured by British forces in the Battle of Tsekee on 15 March 1842 during the First Opium War... |
慈溪市 | |
| ■ Fenghua-shi Fenghua Fenghua is a county-level city in the north of Zhejiang province, China. It is under the jurisdiction of Ningbo prefecture-level city. The city and its administrative hinterlands has a population of over 480,000.... |
奉化市 | |
| ■ Ninghai-xian | 宁海县 | |
| ■ Xiangshan-xian | 象山县 | |
Economy
Ningbo is an important port city located 220 km south of ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. The city's export industry dates back to the 7th century. Today Ningbo is a major exporter of electrical products, textiles, food, and industrial tools.
Historically Ningbo was geographically isolated from other major cities. In 2007 the Hangzhou Bay Bridge
Hangzhou Bay Bridge
Hangzhou Bay Bridge is a long highway bridge with a cable-stayed portion across Hangzhou Bay in the eastern coastal region of China. It connects the municipalities of Jiaxing and Ningbo in Zhejiang province. At in length, Hangzhou Bay Bridge is one of the longest trans-oceanic bridges in the world...
was built, cutting highway transit time between the two port cities to two and a half hours from four.
In 2009, Ningbo's economic activity reached USD 60.8 billion, down 10.4% from 2008. The exports totalled USD 38.65 billion, down 16.6% from the previous year. In addition, Ningbo imported USD 22.16 billion of goods, up 3.1% from the previous year.
Ningbo's economy grew 8.6 percent in 2009 to 421.5 billion yuan (US$61.7 billion). The city's per capita output was US$10,833, about three times the national average.
Ningbo is famous for the Si Lan Nong Xiang flower. Used for dying cloth, 2008 exports were responsible for 3% of the Ningbo economic growth.
Ningbo Economic & Technological Development Zone
Located in the north-east of Ningbo, behind Beilun Port, NETD is 27 kilometers away from the city center. With more than 20 years of great effort, NETD has already formed the general framework for large scale construction and development, and established perfect investment environment. It is situated close to the Ningbo Port and Ningbo Lishe International Airport. Major Investors include Exxon Mobile, Dupont and Dow Chemical.Ningbo National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
Ningbo National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone was founded in 1999 and was upgraded to a national level zone in January 2007. It is only 10 km away from Ningbo International Airport and 18 km away from Ningbo Port. The zone serves as the important technical innovation base of Yangtze River Delta. Industries encouraged include Chemicals Production and Processing, Biotechnology/Pharmaceuticals, Raw Material Processing, Research and Development.Ningbo Free Trade Zone
Ningbo Free Trade Zone is one of the 15 free trade zones authorized by the State Council of China, and is the only free trade zone in Zhejiang Province. It was established by State Council in 1992, covering the area of 2.3 square kilometers. It lies in the middle of the coastline of Mainland China, at the south of Yangtze River Delta. In 2008, its industrial output value was RMB 53.33 billion and grew at 19.8% as compared to 2007.Nordic Industrial Park
The Nordic Industrial Park Co. Ltd. (NIP) is one of the first wholly foreign-owned industrial parks in China located in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. NIP is managed and operated by a Scandinavian management team.Ningbo Port
Ningbo is not just an ordinary city – it has the same authority as provincial governments for economic administration – and has a port second only to ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
around the world in terms of annual cargo throughput. Unlike Shanghai, the port is deepwater and capable of handling 300,000 tonne vessels. The port is located mainly in Beilun district and Zhenhai district. In 2006, Ningbo Port started its expansion to the neighbouring island City of Zhoushan
Zhoushan
Zhoushan or Zhoushan Archipelago New Area; formerly transliterated as Chusan, is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province of Eastern China. The only prefecture-level city of the People's Republic of China consisting solely of islands, it lies across the mouth of the Hangzhou Bay,...
for the purpose of building a even larger port with higher capacity to compete with neighbouring ports in the region, such as Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
's Yangshan Deep-Water Port. The statistics in 2010 showed that total cargo throughput was 627,000,000 tonnes and container throughput 13,144,000 TEUs. With bulk container breakdowns, hugely improved logistics, and massive chemical and foodstuff, processing developments, Ningbo could yet win the race with Shanghai as port of choice for servicing the Chinese east coast.
Tourism
- Tianyi Pavilion Museum, (Tian Yi Ge Bowuguan) Ningbo's best tourist attraction, the Tianyi Chamber (daily 8am-4.30pm; ¥20), is comfortably tucked away in the vicinity of Moon Lake (Yuehu). Built in 1516 and said to be the oldest surviving library building in China, it was founded by Ming official Fan Qin, whose collection went back to the 11th century and included woodblock and handwritten copies of the Confucian classics, rare local histories and lists of the candidates successful in imperial examinations. Nowadays you can visit the library's garden and outhouses, some of which contain small displays of old books and tablets. It's quite a charming place and the gold-plated, wood-paneled buildings, their bamboo groves, pool and rockery still preserve an atmosphere of seclusion, contemplation and study.
- Baoguo TempleBaoguo TempleThe Baoguo Temple is a Mahayana Buddhist temple located in the Jiangbei district, north of Ningbo, in Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China...
, the oldest intact wooden structure in Southern China, is located in Jiangbei DistrictJiangbei District, Ningbo-References:****...
, 15 km north of Ningbo city. - Tianfeng Pagoda
- Qingan Association
- Ashoka Temple
- Tiantong Temple
- Tian Yi Square
- Yushan Islands
- Dongqian Lake
- Xuedou Temple
- Hemudu Relics
- Jiulong Lake
- Zhaobao MountainZhaobao MountainZhaobao Mountain also known as Zhaobao Mount or Zhaobao Hill. Located on the north bank near the mouth of the Yong River at the east end of the town of Zhenhai 12 miles northeast of the city of Ningbo.- Description :...
- Mount Phoenix Theme Park
Notable people
Many well known Chinese came from Ningbo or their ancestral home was Ningbo.
People in mainland China
- Zhang JianhongZhang JianhongZhang Jianhong , pen name Li Hong , was a freelance writer, playwright, poet, and also a democracy activist. He was born on March 6, 1958 in Ningbo city of Zhejiang Province, China....
(張建紅), freelance writer, playwright, poet, and also a democracy activist. - Pan TianshouPan TianshouPan Tianshou was a notable painter and art educator of modern China.Pan was born in Guanzhuang, Ninghai County, Zhejiang Province, and graduated from Zhejiang First Normal School . He followed Wu Changshuo to study Chinese traditional painting...
(潘天寿), artist in Chinese painting. - Zhou XinfangZhou XinfangZhou Xinfang, , was a famous Beijing Opera actor who died in the Cultural Revolution. He is regarded as one of the greatest masters of Beijing Opera. He is the most famous and important member of the Shanghai School of Beijing Opera...
(周信芳), artist in Peking Opera. - Sha MenghaiSha MenghaiSha Menghai , born Shi Wenruo , was a great master of calligraphy in China. He is widely regarded as the top one of Chinese modern art of calligraphy. He also was a master of Chinese seal carving , a theoretician of traditional Chinese art, and a master of Shanghai School art. Sha Wenhan is his...
(沙孟海), the Master Calligrapher.
People in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
- Run Run ShawRun Run ShawSir Run Run Shaw CBE, GBM is a Hong Kong media mogul.-Overview:Sir Run Run Shaw was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China in 1907. There has been no official or formal announcement on the exact day and month of his birth. According to A&C Black published Who's Who 2007, Shaw Run Run was born on 14...
- Tung Chee HwaTung Chee HwaTung Chee Hwa, GBM was the first Chief Executive and President of the Executive Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China....
- Tung Chao YungTung Chao YungTung Chao Yung better known as 董浩雲, , born 18th of the eighth lunar month in 1912; died 15 April 1982), also known as C. Y. Tung, was a Chinese shipping magnate, the founder of the Orient Overseas Line...
- Chen Din HwaChen Din HwaChen Din-hwa , is a Hong Kong industrial tycoon, billionaire and philanthropist. He is regarded as the Magnate of Cotton Yarn in Hong Kong.-Life:...
- Stephen ChowStephen ChowStephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
- Sammo HungSammo HungSammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
People in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
- Chiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
(蔣介石), political and military leader of 20th century China. - Chiang Ching-kuoChiang Ching-kuoChiang Ching-kuo , Kuomintang politician and leader, was the son of President Chiang Kai-shek and held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China...
(蔣經國) - Morris ChangMorris ChangMorris Chang , is the founding Chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. in 1987. TSMC pioneered the "dedicated silicon foundry" industry and is the largest silicon foundry in the world. Morris is known as the father of Taiwan's chip industry.Chang was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang...
(張忠謀)
People overseas
- Shien Biau WooShien Biau WooShien Biau "S.B." Woo is an American professor and politician from Newark, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party and served as the 21st Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.- Early life and family :Woo's ancestral hometown is Yuyao, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province...
- Yo Yo Ma
Transportation
Bridge
As there are three main rivers running through Ningbo, it is crucial to build bridges to improve the efficiency of transport network in Ningbo. The Ling Bridge which connects Haishu district and Jiangdong District is the earliest modern bridge built in Ningbo, designed by German engineers. Since the late 1980s, 16 bridges have been built on the three rivers. Currently another 27 bridges are under construction.The Hangzhou Bay Bridge
Hangzhou Bay Bridge
Hangzhou Bay Bridge is a long highway bridge with a cable-stayed portion across Hangzhou Bay in the eastern coastal region of China. It connects the municipalities of Jiaxing and Ningbo in Zhejiang province. At in length, Hangzhou Bay Bridge is one of the longest trans-oceanic bridges in the world...
, a combination cable-stayed bridge
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
and causeway across Hangzhou Bay, opened to the public on May 1, 2008. This bridge connects the municipalities of Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Ningbo, and is considered the longest trans-oceanic bridge in the world. It is the world's second-longest bridge, after the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, USA.
The Jintang Bridge, linking Jintang Island of Zhoushan and the Zhenhai district, is a 27-kilometer long, 4 lane sea crossing bridge which opened on December 26, 2009.
Sea
The port of Ningbo is one of the world's busiest portWorld's busiest port
The world's busiest port is contested by several ports around the world, as there is as yet no standardised means of evaluating port performance and traffic. For the past decade, the distinction has been claimed by both the Port of Rotterdam and the Port of Singapore...
s, ranked 2nd by cargo tonnage in 2008, and 7th in TEU.
Air
Ningbo Lishe International AirportNingbo Lishe International Airport
Ningbo Lishe International Airport is the principal airport serving Ningbo, a major city in the Yangtze River Delta region and the second largest city in Zhejiang Province, China.In 2010, the airport handled 4,517,070 passengers, ranking 33rd in China...
connects Ningbo by air to the rest of China, with regularly scheduled domestic and international flights. In 2009, new air routes between Ningbo and Taiwan were opened. Jetstar Asia also launched a new air routes
between Ningbo and Singapore which commerce in 2011 September.
Railway
Two railway lines intersect in Ningbo: the Xiaoshan-Ningbo Railway (Xiaoyong Line), which runs west to HangzhouHangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
and the Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou (Yongtaiwen) Railway
Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway
The Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway is a dual-track, electrified, high-speed rail line in Zhejiang Province on the eastern coast of China. The line, also known as the Yongtaiwen Railway, is named after the three primary cities along route: Ningbo, whose abbreviated Chinese name is Yong, Taizhou...
, which runs south to Wenzhou
Wenzhou
Wenzhou is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. The area under its jurisdiction, which includes two satellite cities and six counties, had a population of 9,122,100 as of 2010....
.
With the booming economy in the region, the Xiaoyong Railway, a conventional railway built in the 1950s, cannot meet the demand for railway travel between Zhejiang's two largest cities, so construction of a new high-speed railway line between Hangzhou and Ningbo
Hangyong Passenger Railway
Hangyong Passenger Railway is a planned railway between Hangzhou and Ningbo, that spans approximately 150 kilometers, with a design speed of . It is currently under construction, and is scheduled to open in December 2011....
started in 2009. The new railway line will be finished by 2011, and will reduce travel time between Ningbo and Hangzhou to 26 minutes.
The Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway
Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway
The Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway is a dual-track, electrified, high-speed rail line in Zhejiang Province on the eastern coast of China. The line, also known as the Yongtaiwen Railway, is named after the three primary cities along route: Ningbo, whose abbreviated Chinese name is Yong, Taizhou...
is a high-speed railway that opened in September 2009. It connects Ningbo with cities along the coast to the south to Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
Province. High-speed trains on this line operate at speeds of up to 250 km/hour.
Expressway
Five expressways connect Ningbo with its surrounding cities:- The Hangyong expressway, built in the 1990s, connects Hangzhou and Ningbo, now part of Hangzhou Bay ring expressway (G9211).
- The Yongtaiwen expressway (G15), opened in 2000, connects Ningbo with Taizhou and Wenzhou.
- The Yongjin expressway (G1512) connects Ningbo and Jinhua.
- The Huyong expressway (G15) connects Ningbo and Shanghai via the Hangzhou Bay bridge.
- The Yongzhou expresswayG9211 Yongzhou ExpresswayThe Ningbo−Zhoushan Expressway , commonly referred to as the Yongzhou Expressway is an expressway in Zhejiang, China which links Ningbo to Zhoushan...
(G9211) via Jintang BridgeJintang BridgeJintang Bridge is a highway bridge with a cable-stayed bridge portion, built in Zhejiang, China on the Zhoushan Archipelago, the largest offshore island group in China. It is the longest bridge in Zhoushan Trans-oceanic Bridges with a length of 26,540 meters, connecting Jintang Island and Zhenhai,...
.
The first phase of Ningbo ring expressway also opened in 2007, connecting western parts of districts around the city of Ningbo. The second phase is expected to open on 2012. Another expressway connecting Ningbo and Taizhou via Xiangshan county is currently under construction.
Subway line
Ningbo has been constructing two subway lines, Line 1 and Line 2. Both lines are scheduled to be finished in the year 2015. Altogether, future plans foresee that there will eventually be 6 subway lines serving Ningbo.Military
Ningbo is the headquarters of the East Sea FleetEast Sea Fleet
The East Sea Fleet was the first naval force formed by the People's Republic of China, on 23 April 1949, and was initially based at Shanghai. It has since been assigned to be part of the People's Liberation Army Navy and its headquarters have been moved to Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, but the fleet...
of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy
People's Liberation Army Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy is the naval branch of the People's Liberation Army , the military of the People's Republic of China. Until the early 1990s, the navy performed a subordinate role to the PLA Land Forces. Since then, it has undergone rapid modernisation...
. Its responsibility includes projecting force in the region around the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
), which the People's Republic of China views as a renegade province.
Food
Ningbo is known for Ningbo Tangyuan, small stuffed buns which are boiled. The stuffing is usually ground sesame mixed with sugar. It can also be mixed with pork. The stuffing is wrapped with sticky rice powder.Education
Universities and collegesNingbo has four universities. Towards the north of the city is Ningbo University
Ningbo University
-History:Ningbo University was established in 1986 by the donation of Yue-Kong Pao. Other major benefactors include Sir Run-run Shaw, Sir Chao An Chung , Sir Hans Tang, Sir Yue-shu Pao , Sir Cao Guangbiao , Sir Li Dashan , Sir Zhu Yinglong ....
, while the Ningbo Higher Education Zone (Yinzhou district) is home to Zhejiang Wanli University as well as the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China
University of Nottingham Ningbo, China
The University of Nottingham Ningbo China is a University of The University of Nottingham, UKTsituated in the city of Ningbo in the coastal province of Zhejiang, near Shanghai. The campus is a joint venture partnership with the Zhejiang Wanli Education Group. It is one of the first Sino-foreign...
– a joint venture between the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
and the Wanli Education Group. Affiliated to Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...
, Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University
Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University
Ningbo Institute of Technology , is a technical college affiliated to the Zhejiang University....
, which was ranked as the eleventh best of independent colleges in China in 2011 , is also located in this beautiful education zone.
Secondary and primary education
Compulsory education (basic education in Chinese terms) is from the age 6 -15. Students are catered for in a variety of state and private schools. Studying for the gaokao (university entrance test) is optional.
International Education
Several schools are permitted to operate educational programmes instead of the Chinese National curriculum and accept international students into their schools.
Access International Academy Ningbo
Access International Academy Ningbo
Access International Academy Ningbo is an International School in the Ningbo area offering programs from Nursery to Grade 12 to students of 27 nationalities. As the only international school in Ningbo accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges , AIAN engages in academic discourse...
(AIAN) offers a US curriculum with the College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
Advanced Placement examinations, Ningbo Zhicheng School International
Ningbo Zhicheng School International
Ningbo Zhicheng School International was established in 2010 by Mrs Chen Hui Chen and is a part of Ningbo Zhicheng School, established in 2005. The school follows and enriches the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and is an authorized IB World School; the only IB World School in...
is an IB World School and offers an international curriculum through the IB Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
, Ningbo International School has an Australian curriculum and offers its school leavers the South Australian Certificate of Education
South Australian Certificate of Education
The South Australian Certificate of Education is awarded to students who have successfully completed their senior secondary schooling in the state of South Australia....
(SACE) while the Huamao Multicultural Education Academy offers education until age 16.
Sister cities
Nagaokakyo, Japan (since April 1983) AachenAachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, Germany (October 1986) Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, United States (May 1988) Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, France (March 1990) Waitakere
Waitakere
Waitakere City was the name of a city which existed from 1989 until 2010 in the Auckland region. It was New Zealand's fifth largest city, with an annual growth of about 2%...
, New Zealand (November 1998) Santos, São Paulo, Brazil (January 2002) São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil Veszprem
Veszprém
Veszprém is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county of the same name.-Location:...
, Hungary (July 2003) Nelson Mandela Municipality
Nelson Mandela Municipality
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is one of six Metropolitan municipalities in South Africa. It is located on the shores of Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape province, and comprises the city of Port Elizabeth, the nearby towns of Uitenhage and Despatch, and the surrounding rural area.The name "Nelson...
, South Africa (September 2003) Varna
Varna
Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
, Bulgaria (June 2004) Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, Norway (September 2004) Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England, United Kingdom (September 2005) Bydgoszcz, Poland (November 2005)
Cities of friendly exchanges
Masuda, Japan (since October 1990) Ueda, Nagano, Japan (February 1995) BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain (October 1995) Suncheon, South Korea
Suncheon, South Korea
Suncheon is a city in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Located in the province of Jeollanam-do,It is a scenic agricultural and industrial city of around 250,000 people near Suncheon Bay. It is located in the southeastern corner of Jeollanam-do, just over an hour south-east of Gwangju...
(June 1997) Surrey, British Columbia
Surrey, British Columbia
Surrey is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
, Canada (May 1999) Houston, United States (September 2000) Wiener Neustadt
Wiener Neustadt
-Main sights:* The Late-Romanesque Dom, consecrated in 1279 and cathedral from 1469 to 1785. The choir and transept, in Gothic style, are from the 14th century. In the late 15th century 12 statues of the Apostles were added in the apse, while the bust of Cardinal Melchior Klesl is attributed to...
, Austria (September 2000) Daegu
Daegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
, South Korea (September 2000) Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 11 municipalities and its capital city is Aguascalientes....
, Mexico (November 2006) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, United States (2006) Manzanillo
Manzanillo, Colima
The name Manzanillo refers to the city as well as its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port. Manzanillo was the third port created by the Spanish in the Pacific during the New Spain period...
, Mexico (June 2010) Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, Croatia (June 2011)