Ningbo, China 2009

　　Water constitutes the lifeline of Ningbo. It nurtured Hemudu Neolithic Culture that dated back to 7000 years ago as well as the great port in the east; water guards the Tianyi Pavilion, the oldest library in Asia and has witnessed the love legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yintai…

　　Having a bird’s view of the city, you can see that YuYuyao River, Fenghua River and Yongjiang River divide the city into several parts, and have brought up the locals generations by generations. Yuyao River presents us Hemudu Neolithic Culture and the love legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yintai; Fenghua River originates from a place famous for Buddha Maitreya (Laughing Buddha) and the hongbang tailors. The two rivers converge in downtown of Ningbo and turn into the Yongjiang River, which goes into the East China Sea. It was the starting point of the “Silk Road on the Sea”.

　　Bingbo boasts the variety of waters: springs, water falls, lakes, rivers, the sea, fountains, ponds…They make Ningbo a city charming and beautiful.

　　- One of the 14 coastal cities authorized to further open up to the outside world

　　Ningbo, also called “Yong” for short, is located in the middle of east coastline of mainland China and in the South of Yangtze River Delta, which enjoys the most developed economy in China (120°55”-122°16”E and 28°51”-30°33”N). The Zhoushan Archipelago, as natural bulwark, is to the east of Ningbo, Hangzhou Bay to the north, Shaoxing to the west, and Taizhou to the south.

　　The history of Ningbo can be traced back to 7,000 years ago. The discovery of Hemudu Neolithic Culture Site proves that Ningbo was one of the first places in the world for cultivating rice. In Xia Dynasty (about 2,000 B.C.), Ningbo was called “Yin”. And in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.), Ningbo was a part of the State of “Yue”. The place then covered “Yin”, “Mao” and “Gouzhang”, which were three counties of Kuaiji Shire in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.). The place was named “Mingzhou” in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). In 821, the local authority moved to the place where three rivers joined and built a city wall, which marked the beginning of the city. In 1381, the 14th year of the period of the Emperor Hongwu in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.), the city got its current name “Ningbo”, which means “the calm wave”.

　　At present, the City of Ningbo, with six districts of Haishu, Jiangdong, Jiangbei, Zhenhai, Beilun and Yinzhou, three county-level cities of Yuyao, Cixi and Fenghua, and two counties of Xiangshan and Ninghai, covers an area of 9817 sq. km on land. The total population is 5.68 million in Ningbo. The urban area covers 2,462 sq.km, with a population of 2.201 million.

　　The camphor tree is the municipal tree, and the camellia is the flower of the city.

　　Ningbo, to the south of the Yangtze River, was developed from a small port. The ancestors of Ningbo people were good at building canoes and rowing. Judging the history of Ningbo, the port is always the key, driving the city to the waters, to the oceans and to the world.

　　In the Spring and Autumn period and later Warring States period (771-221 B.C.), Ningbo, known as Juzhang at the time, was one of 9 important ports in China. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Ningbo, known as Mingzhou, was one of 4 major ports. In the Song and Yuan Dynasties (960-1368), Ningbo was among the three major foreign trade ports. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Ningbo was the only port running trade with Japan. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Ningbo was one of four cities setting up Customs.

　　At present, Ningbo, taking unique advantages of its port, is achieving new progress in the course of modernization drive.

　　Ningbo Port is located on the main route of international container shipping in Pacific Region. Some leading port cities such as Hong Kong, Gaoxiong, Singapore, Pusan and Osaka, are within its 1000 nautical mile’s reach. Ningbo Port enjoys unique and favorable natural conditions. It is located in the Yangtze River Delta with Zhoushan Archipelago serving as its natural bulwark. The harbor area is always calm which brings more than 350 operation days in a year. Vessels of 250,000-tonnage can enter the port freely and 300,000-tonnage with high tides. Such favorable natural condition is rarely seen in the world.

　　In 1989, Ningbo Port was listed by the State Council as one of the four key construction international deep-water transshipment ports in mainland China. Ningbo Port thus enjoys another period of speedy development. By 2000, with its cargo throughput exceeding 100 million tons, Ningbo became the third largest port in mainland China.

　　In the mid-1990s, Ningbo Port became the focus of attention by handling “Grand Phoenix”, a 300,000 tonnage vessel. In the later 10 years, such giants as 320,000 tonnage vessels and the 5th and 6th generation container carriers have been the frequenters of Ningbo Port.

　　In 2005, Ningbo Port successfully accepted “TI Europe”, the largest tanker at the time, which made it the first port in mainland China to accept vessel of 400,000-tonnage.

　　On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of international container shipping business, Container International, a UK leading magazine on port and shipping, hosted the first conferring ceremony in 2006. Due to its outstanding performance in container terminal operation, Ningbo Port was listed one of the Global Top 5 Ports.

　　In 2006, Ningbo and Zhoushan actualized integration of resources. The remarkable handling capacity of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has emerged.

　　In 2007, Ningbo Port handled cargoes of 345 million tons, ranking the 4th in the world; its annual container throughput of 9.35 million TEU, ranking 11th in the world. Moreover, Ningbo Port has enjoyed a sustainable 30% increase in its container business for the past 10 years. Its fast development was known worldwide as “Speed of Ningbo Port”.

　　In 2008, the annual throughput of cargoes reached 360 million tons, making Ningbo the 2nd largest port in mainland China and the 4th in the world. As for its throughput of containers, Ningbo Port handled 10.84 million TEU, ranking the 4th in mainland China and the 8th in the world.

　　Mr. Sun Yat-sen’s prediction of “The Great Port in the East” has become true.

　　Port is the key resource of Ningbo and also the driving force for its further development. Ningbo put forward officially the strategy of “ Vitalizing the City through Port Development” in 1994.

　　Thanks to its large handling capacity of the deep-water port, Ningbo has undertaken the transferred international industries, and built the national bases of energy and raw materials. The port industry has witnessed incessant growth in size and strength.

　　At present, a port industrial region ranging over 20 km is established in the hinterland of Beilun Port where there are hundreds of large intensive projects with 5 leading sections of petrol-chemical, energy, iron and steel, paper making and ship building. Its output has covered more than one quarter of total industrial output of the city.

　　Though Ningbo does not produce iron ore, crude oil or coal, it offers raw material for over 30 steel plants nationwide, making itself the largest transshipping hub for crude oil and a supplier for numerous power plants and turning Zhejiang Province into the largest thermal power generation base in the South. All these achievements are made possible by the port industry.

　　Since 2004, the CPC Ningbo Commission and the city government have looked into the port industry with a higher level and a fresh point of view, for the further development in a more scientific and sustainable way. The city government clarified that Ningbo should depend on and give full play of the advantages of deep-water port, promoting the service industries and realizing the synchronization of advanced manufacturing and modern service.

　　From port industry to port economy, the progress has been witnessed. It is a must-be demand for the development of manufacturing industry, as well as a choice for the city’s changing developing mode and actualization of scientific development.

　　In February 2008, a new driving force was injected into Ningbo’s port economy. The State Council approved to establish a bonded harbor area in Meishan Island, Ningbo. It is the fifth bonded harbor area in China following Shanghai, Tianjin, Dalian and Hainan.

　　As the special customs supervision area which enjoys the most favorable functions and policies, Meishan Bonded Harbor Area is focusing on international transshipment, sourcing, distribution, re-exports, bonded processing and bonded logistics. It is becoming a new driving force of Ningbo’s opening-up and development.

　　On May 1, 2008, the Hangzhou Bay Bridge, the longest cross-sea bridge in the world, was officially open to traffic.

　　The bigger the hinterland is, the larger the throughput Ningbo Port could handle. In the past, Ningbo is the city with large port but small hinterland due to its geographic locations. The Hangzhou Bay Bridge has overthrown the situation.

　　The Hangzhou Bay Bridge has shortened three driveways in Yangtze River Delta. The first one is between Ningbo and Shanghai. A 120 shorter distance forms a two-hour transportation network among Shanghai, Ningbo and Hangzhou. The second one is between Shanghai and Wenzhou and Taizhou, offering the local people a direct way to travel. The third one is between Southeast Zhejiang and the south of Jiangsu. The distance between Ningbo and Suzhou is now less than 200 km.

　　The Bridge is built for the port city. The Hangzhou Bay Bridge has not only changed the traffic pattern of the Yangtze River Delta, but also brings a vivid illustration to Ningbo’s strategy of “the integration of port, bridge and the sea”. It has brought Ningbo to the two-hour transportation network and Ningbo-Zhoushan Port thus becomes a shared deep-water port within the network.

　　The change of the traffic pattern has further optimized the shipping network of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port and gradually eliminated the defects of deep-water port.

　　Ningbo, the port-based city is now prospering with the support of the bridge.

　　Authorities on international economy predicted that following Paris, London, New York, Tokyo and Chicago, a group of cities in the Yangtze River Delta with Shanghai as its core would be the sixth international metropolitan cluster. Ningbo, with unparalleled power and spirit of innovation, is speeding up its step from the confluence of the three rivers to the Yangtze River Delta.

　　In the Tang and Song Dynasties, Ningbo was prosperous with merchants at home and abroad and diversified commodities. In the Qing Dynasty, the local economy grew and flourished with abundant products and numbers of stores. In 1860’s, Ningbo’s commerce continued to blossom. Banks, trading companies and sea-food stores could be found all over. Thus, there was an old saying goes: it is hard to find a place of business better than Ningbo in the world.

　　Today, with the deepening of reform and opening up and further optimization of economic structure, Ningbo will show the vigor and becomes a highlight in the south of the Yangtze River Delta.

　　Thanks to prosperous commercial activities, a group of “Ningbo Merchants” (or Ningbo-bang in Chinese pinyin) were born and grew up. The Ningbo-bang originated in the Ming Dynasty, developed in Shanghai after the Opium War, and reached its peak after the democratic revolution in 1911. Ningbo Merchants played a really important role in the development of modern industry and commerce in China.

　　At the end of Qing Dynasty, Ningbo businesspeople created several top records in Shanghai, including the first Chinese bank, the first market for Chinese merchants, the first private shipping company, the first modern wool plant, the first silent short film, the first Red Cross Organization, and so on. At the moment, there are still 300,000 “Ningbo Gang” and their descendants living in some 60 countries and regions. The “Ningbo-bang” in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are world famous. Some of them are leading industrial and commercial giants. For example, Y K Pao and H Y Dong, called the kings of shipping in the world, Kuanchen Wang, chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Run Run Shao, king of the film industry, Tinhua Chen, king of cotton yarn, and Guangbiao Cao, king of woolen textile. Three of them enter the Top 10 Magnates in Hong Kong, while two of them are listed in Top 8 Shipping Giants in the world. One of them is among the Top 10 Chinese Syndicates in U.S. and another among the Top 10 Chinese Syndicates in Japan.

　　Since the reform and opening up to the outside world, Ningbo people have carried forward the spirits of the older generation of “Overseas Ningbo-bang”, such as being honest, pragmatic, innovative, enterprising and patriotic. They are now running businesses all over the world.

　　Highly developed private economy is the most distinctive feature of Ningbo, as well as a major resource of “Ningbo Vitality” and local market mechanism.

　　Being honest, pragmatic, innovative and opening, Ningbo people are dedicated to economic development and improvement in living standard. With 30 years reform and opening up, Ningbo has become the most dynamic city in the East. It has achieved great success in many fields and been a major base of advanced manufacture in China.

　　By the end of 2008, there are some 100,000 private enterprises in Ningbo, over 260000 self-employed businessmen, more than 135 industrial goods produced by 103 enterprises ranking the first among the same products in China. Ningbo boasts 233 products with Famous Brands of China and 61 with Top Products in China.

　　So far, the output of the garment industry in Ningbo has covered 1/12 of the national total, which makes Ningbo one of the three major garment producers in China and the leading producer of men’s garments in the world. Since the output of stationery has covered a quarter of the national total, Ningbo is known as the City of Stationery. Moreover, Ningbo is also called the City of Injection Machine, because it contributes 1/3 of the output of Injection Machinery industry in China. It is also the City of Plastic Mould because Cixi, Beilun and Ninghai are major manufacturers of plastic moulds in China. Furthermore, Ningbo is also one of the three major producers of electronic appliances, 12.5% of air conditioners and 33% of small electronic appliances in China are made in Ningbo.

　　At present, private sector in Ningbo contributes 80% of local GDP, 70% of tax collection and 85% of employment, thus raking among the top in China.

　　In Beijing Olympics, high-tech products made in Ningbo could be found easily, from a pen to a switch, from the piano for the opening ceremony to the flag pole in the stadiums, from the LCD in traffic control center to the seats in National Stadium. There are over 50 local enterprises involved in Beijing Olympics.

　　In 2008, the number of patents applied was over 16,000 in Ningbo among which 9882 were approved. The figure has increased by 26.5% and 11.7%. In addition, 172 local enterprises were listed as National Hi-Tech Enterprises, which made the total number of nationa hi-tech enterprises in Ningbo up to 447.

　　From January to October 2008, the expense on R & D of the local enterprises increased by 38.5%. The output of hi-tech industry has increased by 19.98%.

　　At present, Ningbo is making efforts to promote the technological development in local products, and try to make “made in Ningbo” become “designed in Ningbo”.

　　In early 2006, Ningbo confirmed its target of constructing a city of innovation. Within 3 years, innovation should contribute 50% of the economic increase. By 2020, 65% of the local economic increase will come from innovation. Ningbo will become the innovation base with favorable environment among the cities of its kind in China, and major base for industrialization of scientific and technological achievements and development of high and new technologies in the east of China. Technological innovation conducted by local enterprises has become the key catalyst to independent innovation.

　　While the private economy in Ningbo witnesses a fast development, the open economy is growing rapidly. In 1984, Ningbo was listed as one of the 14 costal cities further opening up to the outside world in the Chinese Mainland, as well as a pilot city for comprehensive reform. In 1987, Ningbo was officially approved by the State Council as a separate planning city which could enjoy the same rights as a province in local economic administration. Therefore, Ningbo was qualified to run foreign trade, and was able to contact foreign businessmen directly. The opening turned into the right path.

　　Moreover, the central government of China timely endowed Ningbo with more rights for further opening up. In 1984, Ningbo Economic and Technological Development Zone, a national development area, was officially inaugurated. It was one of the first and largest special economic areas in China at that time. Since then, several special economic zones have been founded in Ningbo. The State Council approved to establish Ningbo Free Trade Zone, an opening area with most favorable policies in the Chinese Mainland, in 1992. In 2002, Ningbo Export Processing Park was founded with the approval of the State Council. In 2004, Ningbo Bonded Logistics Park was launched to meet the demand of synchronization of the port and the district. In February 2008, the State Council authorized the establishment of Ningbo Meishan Bonded Harbor Area, which would provide a sufficiently powerful new round of opening up to the world.

　　So far, 140 local citizens have engaged into the manufacturing sector or trading companies relating to foreign trade. It means one out of every four local people has job relating to foreign trade.

　　In 2008, the number of local enterprises authorized to import and export reached 10758. The total volume of foreign trade was 67.84 billion US$, the 3rd place among all sub-provincial level cities in China, with increase rate of 20.1%. Regarding to the annual increase rate, Ningbo ranks the 1st place among all separate planning cities in China. With optimizing the structure of foreign investment Ningbo witnessed 4.22 billion US$ contractual foreign investment.

　　Businessmen from Ningbo dare to go global and make international market their stage. By the end of 2008, Ningbo enterprises have founded 892 companies and institutes in 81 countries and regions worldwide. The turnover of contracts relating to labor services and project cooperation overseas hit 1.57 billion US$.

　　In 2006, sizing up the situation, CPC Ningbo Committee and Ningbo Municipal Government made a decision of implementing the strategy of downtown upgrade. The strategy aims at promote the level of development in central urban area, boosting the transformation of city functions from manufacture-oriented to service-oriented, focusing on six aspects such as international commerce, logistics, finance, scientific and technical innovation, training and education, and environmental improvement.

　　According to the “suggestions on downtown upgrade” worked out by CPC Ningbo Committee and Ningbo Municipal Government, priority is given to 10 functional areas such as CBD in east new downtown, recreation and tourism area in Wantou, central commercial area in downtown, innovative area of science and culture, recreative and residential area along river, business district in the south, urban cultural district, railway station area, port logistic area and bonded harbor area.

　　East New Downtown area will be built into a key area with combined functions of commerce, exhibition, administration, culture and residence. As the modern service district in the future, East New Downtown will host international trade center, shipping center and financial center. So far, 3 billion RMB has been invested in 14 projects in the area. The accumulated investment will reach 12 billion RMB in 2009.

　　Exhibition is a highlight of the development of modern service in Ningbo. At present, Ningbo hosts some 10 national level exhibitions such as Zhejiang Provincial Investment & Trade Symposium, China International Consumer Goods Fair and Ningbo International Garment Festival, and some famous festivals such as China Fishing Festival and China Tourism Festival. In 2008, 276 large-scale meetings, exhibitions and fairs were held in Ningbo, 136 of them were exhibitions with the total exhibition area of 1.39 million sq.m..

　　In Ningbo, there is Hemudu Neolithic Culture which celebrates the 7000 years of Chinese civilization. In Ningbo, there is the oldest private library in Asia. In Ningbo, there is the Legend of Butterfly Lovers, Cloth Dragon of Fenghua, Pingdiao Opera of Ninghai as well as cinnabar and gold lacquer wood carving, all of which have been listed in Intangible Cultural Heritage Catalog of China. Ningbo is the key place of Zhedong Culture of Ming and Qing Dynasties. And Ningbo is the forefront of modern China’s Westernization Movement Reform after the Opium War and the foreland where western and Chinese cultures combine.

　　We usually say that a country thrives with its people’s efforts, and a city becomes famous with its culture. Today, on this land with a long history of culture and prosperous economy, Ningbo is writing down a splendid page on great cultural development and prosperity.

　　One day in June 1973, people of Hemudu Village, Yuyao city, Ningbo accidentally dug out some black ceramic plates and animal bones from underground when building a drainage-pumping station. An ancient civilization being buried for 7,000 years was then discovered.

　　It is one of China’s most important archaeological discoveries in the 20th century. It shows that in ancient time, civilization of the south was not behind that of the north. Both the Yangtze River and Yellow River gave birth to the Chinese civilization.

　　The lower reach of the Yangtze River Delta is one of the earliest places in the world to grow rice as testified by the unearthed rice seeds in the ruins. The discovery of excellently-made wooden oars in the ruins proves that Ningbo is the earliest place of navigation in China.

　　During 2 phases of excavation, altogether 2,800 square meters of area and more than 6,700 cultural relics were discovered. They are regarded as precious materials for the scientific research on agriculture, farming, architecture, textile, art and the origin of Chinese civilization. In 1982, Hemudu Neolithic Ruins was announced the second-batch important heritage site under state protection by the State Council.

　　In 821, Mingzhou city emerged in the starting port of the Silk Road on the Sea.

　　After that, for over a thousand years, Mingzhou city had been the political and cultural center as well as key military base in the east of Zhejiang province. The Tianfeng Tower, which is now still standing in downtown Ningbo, used to be the navigation mark of Mingzhou port in Tang Dynasty.

　　The Korean Embassy Site on the chrysanthemum islet of the Moon Lake, Overseas Trading Affairs Department Site and ocean shipping wharfs and sea boats excavated near Jiangxia Street and Heyi Road witnessed the pageantry of foreign exchanges through Ningbo port in Song and Yuan Dynasties.

　　In 2002, Yongfeng Warehouse Site came out of an excavation to the southeast of Mingzhou City Site of Tang and Song Dynasties. The first founding of a large ancient local warehouse site in China proves ancient Ningbo’s significant status in overseas trade and transportation.

　　In ancient China, port is not only a convenient gate for foreign trade, but also an important window for overseas cultural exchange. Buddhism of Zhejiang province is the bright pearl of China’s Buddhist culture and the precious cultural heritage of overseas cultural exchange and transmission through Ningbo port as well.

　　Ningbo’s King Asoka Temple was built in the early West Jin Dynasty. It’s the only existing thousand-year-old temple named after King Asoka in China. Sacred Buddhist Remains of Sakyamuni are treasured up in this temple.

　　Tiantong Temple features an unusually large scale in East Asia with 999 rooms in over 30 buildings of picturesque disorder. It covers a total land area of 38,000 square meters and is called Budda World in Southeast China. Other well-planned Buddhist architectures such as Xuedou Temple, where Maitreya Buddha worshiping rites are held, and Baoguo Temple, the oldest wooden structure in the south of Yangtze River Delta, fully demonstrate Ningbo’s vital status in China’s overseas cultural exchange, especially the Buddhist exchange with Japan.

　　Later, it is found that the Ceramic Road on the Sea is also deeply rooted in Ningbo, which is known as the starting port of Silk Road on the Sea.Now, nearly 2,000 Yue Kiln Sites are still kept in Shanglin Lake area in Cixi, lying quietly among the green mountains and clear waters, soundlessly telling a resplendent history of a thousand years.

　　Coincidentally, in recent year, a great lot of celadon porcelain wares and porcelain plates were excavated in more than 20 countries and regions such Japan, Korea, Philippine, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Iran, etc. Even in Fustat Site near Cairo, Egypt, celadon porcelains of fine quality produced in Yue Kiln were discovered.

　　As a token for trade and cultural exchange, celadon porcelain of Yue Kiln were exported to far in the world and made tremendous contribution to the development of human civilization. The living fossil left by the ancient Ceramic Road on the Sea is the symbol of friendly exchange between Ningbo and countries all over the world.

　　Nowadays, Ningbo’s international exchange and cooperation is being more and more frequent. The number of international sister-cities and that of friendly cooperative cities is 13 respectively. In 2008, Ningbo successfully held Ningbo Cultural Week in Nottingham, UK, and Ningbo Week in Singapore. In 2009, two Ningbo weeks are going to be held in Japan and Europe or America.

　　In 1566, Fan Qin started building the Tianyi Pavilion Library, making the rules like “Under no conditions should the books be taken out of the library or lent to others.”

　　The following 13 generations strictly observed the rules which contribute to the intactness of the library after 440 years of vicissitudes.

　　As China’s oldest library, ranking the first in Asia and third in the world, Tianyi Pavilion Library now boasts a collection of more than 160000 books and 300000 volumes. Among the sum, there are about 100000 volumes rare books which leave the future generations a precious cultural heritage and play an important role in the cultural exchanges between China and the world. As a result, Ningbo is dubbed a name of “Southern Bookstore”.

　　The book collection is an integral part of Zhedong Culture. For thousands of years, Ningbo, a port city, have drawn on the essences of Chinese and foreign cultures and formed the unique Zhedong Culture with a distinct geographical features and rich academic foundations.

　　In particular, Zhedong Academic Culture in Ming and Qing Dynasties represented by Wang Yangming and Huang Zongxi, has promoted Ningbo onto the stage of Chinese traditional culture and the world’s cultural history.

　　Wang Yangming, the famous ancient Chinese scholar, treated Confucianism as a civilian philosophy. Wang Yangming also advocated the belief of “To the Conscience” (the restoration of conscience) and “Unity of Knowledge and Practice" (unity of conscience experience and restoration), stressing that man should be courageous in the pursuit of individual freedom, human dignity and independence, thus the belief deserves its epoch-making significance of Enlightenment.

　　The idea of “Trade and Industry Are Equally important”, initiated by Huang Zongxi, is close to the modern economic thinking. And his principle of “Theory and Practice” is still observed today by many scholars.

　　Compared with contemporary western thinkers, Huang Zongxi’s book Ming-Yi-Dai-Fang-Lu in 1663 was 27 years earlier than Locke’s Government, and 100 years earlier than Rousseau’s Social Contract.

　　These sparkling ideas grew up in Ningbo with specific cultural and geographic “soil”. Their originality and practical and innovative thinking have inspired and promoted the transformation and development of modern Chinese society.

　　In 1566, the Vice Defense Minister of Ming Dynasty Fan Qin built a private library called Tianyi Pavillion. He made strict rules to protect books. For example, books should be passed down generation by generation without separation, books should only be read in the library, no entry was allowed without permission and books should not be lent to the people who do not belong to Fan family, etc.

of Fan Family strictly obeyed the rules and carefully protected the books. Tianyi Pavilion is now still there after more than 440 years of sufferings.

　　This oldest existing private library of our country boasts a collection of 160, 000 volumes and over 300, 000 rolls of old books, including 100,000 rolls of rare books. It is No.1 library in Asia and No.3 in the world. It’s the very precious cultural heritage playing an important role in cultural intercommunication between China and the rest of the world. For this reason, Ningbo enjoys a reputation of City of Book in the South.

　　Culture of collecting books is only part of Ningbo’s east Zhejiang culture. For hundreds and thousands of years, based on Yue culture, Ningbo has formed east Zhejiang culture with distinct local features and rich academic background by taking advantage of the port to absorb the essence of both Chinese and foreign cultures.

　　The east Zhejiang academic culture in Ming and Qing Dynasties represented by Wang Yangming and Huang Zongxi pushed Ningbo to the highland of Chinese traditional culture and was an important part of culture in the history.

　　Wang Yangming pulled Confucianism down from the holy palace and revealed its true essence of populace philosophy. Wang Yangming emphasized on people’s brave pursuit of free personality, human dignity and sense of independence. His ideology was believed to have epoch-making enlightenment.

　　Huang Zongxi initiated and advocated the idea that business and industry is the foundation of a society, which is similar to the modern thoughts of economy. His idea of applying academic research to actual life is still a principle for today’s scholars to follow.

　　Compared with western thinkers of his time, Huang Zongxi’s “Ming Yi Dai Fang Lu” finished in 1663 is 27 years earlier than “Concerning Civil Government” by Locke, and 100 years earlier than “Du Contrat Social” by Rousseau.

　　These shining thoughts rooted in Ningbo’s soil of particular culture and geography. The creative way of thinking, the ideas of applying academic research to the real world, being widely compatible, pioneering, innovation and keeping pace with the time are the core contents which greatly promoted the transformation and development of modern Chinese society.

　　Ningbo people attach great importance to education. From Tang Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, altogether 2432 people passed the examination for imperial scholars and 12 of them won first places. In modern time, many first class scholars, scientists and artists of China are from Ningbo. Some of them are even well-known in the world. 94 academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering Sciences are of Ningbo Origin, which is No. 1 among all cities in the country.

　　In the literary circle, there’re famous writers and scholars such as Rou Shi, Yin Fu, Ying Xiuren, Lou Shiyi, Ba Ren, Shao Quanling, Tang Sou, Ni Kuang, Yu Lihua, Feng Jicai and Yu Qiuyu, etc.

　　In the field of painting and calligraphy, there’re Pan Tianshou, the master of traditional Chinese painting, Sha Menghai, the master in the calligraphy world, Chen Yifei, whose oil paintings frequently broke records in international auctions, and Sha Qi, who is called China’s Van Gogh.

　　In the field of music and dancing, there’re YoYo Ma, the world-recognized cellist, Lu Chunling, the king of flute, Yu Lina, the pianist, Chen Gang, the music composer, Yu Feng, the conductor, Shi zhongqin, the dancer, and Lin Yilian, Zhou Bingqian, the singers, etc.

　　In the field of drama, the most famous one is Zhou Xinfang, the master of Peking Opera. Others include Qi Yaxian, Bi Chunfang and Jin Caifeng, the Yue Opera players, Yang Chunxia, the Peking Opera player, and Sun Cuie, Xu Fengxian, Jin Yulan and Cao Dingying, the Yong Opera players.

　　If you open the book of China’s film history, you can find that many ‘first’s are created by Ningbo people, for example, the first film director, the first self-producing film company, the first feature film, the first sound film, the first comedy, the first long feature film, the first color feature film, the first wide-screen three-dimensional film, the first 35-mm sound automatic camera, the first film magnetic recorder and the first director of new China’s film bureau, etc. some representatives in the film industry include Run Run Shaw, Zhang Shichuan, Yuan Muzhi, etc.

　　In recent years, Ningbo has completed its public culture and sports service system by vigorously building the 15-minute cultural activity circle to satisfy the ordinary people’s requirement for cultural life and sports around their residential areas. The Three-River Cultural Corridor shows Ningbo’s new look as a city attaching great importance to culture. Typical cultural recreational venues such as the Old Bund, City Exhibition Hall, Art Museum, Music Hall, Ningbo Grand Theatre, Time Square, Riverside Park and Ningbo City of Books, Wantou Leisure Tourist Area, Mass Art Activity Center and all kinds of water-sports facilities which are under construction or being expanded. To our comfort, all these facilities are perfectly established into the historical sites.

　　250 million RMB Yuan was invested to build Ningbo Museum, which covers a total construction area of over 30,000 square meters. In the end of 2008, it formally opened to the public for free. In July, 2008, Ningbo Culture Park, which is a large public cultural platform of commonweal covering a total area of 180,000 square meters, started to be constructed in Ningbo’s east part. The total investment was 180 million RMB Yuan.

　　Ningbo has held a number of wonderful activities of classic art and large-scale festivals and sports competitions. In 2008, 22 national competitions and activities were held in Ningbo, including the Olympic Torch Relay and AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. Besides, Chinese Table Tennis Training Base in Beilun District, Chinese International Chess Training Base in Yinzhou District and Chinese Rattan Ball Training Base are also located in Ningbo.

　　Ningbo’s art creation has born plenty of fruits. Over 100 works has been awarded national permanent prizes for literary works such as the Best Works Award, Splendor Award for professional theatrical artworks, Lu Xun Literature Award, Galaxy Award for amateur artists and community culture, etc. More than 20 persons have won all kinds of national permanent individual awards.

　　In the future, Ningbo is going to spare no efforts in implementing the strategies of making advanced culture take the lead, benefiting citizens with public culture, improving cultural brands, upgrading cultural industry, supporting cultural talents and promoting cultural innovation, so as to surge a new tide in building a prosperous cultural city. Ningbo is aiming at further enhancing its soft power of culture and comprehensive competitiveness by promoting the great development and prosperity of culture.

　　Ningbo is a city with favorable living conditions. In urban area, the employment relief and guarantee service organizations have been established in all the residential communities.

　　It is the city where people live harmoniously. There are 670,000 volunteers in the city.

　　It is the city abundant with love. Last year, 770 million RMB was collected by the charity organizations of the city and the counties; 480 million RMB was used on relief work; and 260 thousand people were benefited.

　　The city has been the National Civilized City and the City with its citizens having the strongest sense of happiness in China for successive two times.

　　The people living here love the city. In April 2008, Ningbo Social & Economic Research Center conducted a survey in 11 counties and districts of Ningbo to study on citizen’s sense of harmony in the city. The 2200 effective samples show that the citizens have the wide recognition of harmony in the city and the happiness index of the city reaches 98.8%. Ningbo has been a National Civilized City and a City with its citizens having the strongest sense of happiness in China for successive two years.

　　Ningbo is the second city after Shenzhen which implemented reforms on administrative examination and approval system. After the reform, the service awareness and efficiency of the government has been greatly raised.

　　In July 2007, the Economic Development Service Center of the city was established by the government. 240 items of administrative examination and approval related to 25 government departments were concentrated in one service center which consisted of licensing hall, trading hall and bidding hall and offered all-round services.

　　The center got a name— “Sunshine Hall” because of not only its efficient and transparent work but also standardized and orderly procedures.

　　On Oct. 1, 2004, Ningbo put forward the regulations on public government information. The public must be kept informed on what the government will do and how the key areas are planned etc.. The affairs closely related to the daily life of the citizens must involve the comments from the public.

　　Facing the global financial crisis, Ningbo government immediately formulated a series of policies and measures to support the enterprises. These measures included widening the financing channels of the SME, simplifying the administrative examination and approval procedures, putting forward preferential tax policies, remitting part of the enterprise related charge, and putting up the export and import express channels etc..

　　The “Report on the Comprehensive Competitiveness of the Cities in China” made by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences shows that Ningbo goes up rapidly in the list and ranks high especially in terms of structural competitiveness, systematic competitiveness and government management competitiveness.

　　In Ningbo, there is a widely known hotline— 81890, which solves problems on trivialities of the people’s livelihood.

　　The hotline provides free service information on more than 160 items of 16 categories including homemaking, repairing, shopping, training, transportation and travelling. The staff of the hotline are keen on the citizens’ questions from the homework of the students, tourist information, and the purchasing information of an unusual article to psychological consultation.

　　In recent years, 70% of the newly increased revenue of the city has been invested to improve the people’s livelihood, to fully implement the policies of social security and to raise the living standard of the citizens. 81890 is one of the epitomes.

　　Last year, 6.71 billion RMB from the revenue income was expended on education and free compulsory education was carried out in both urban and rural areas. 2.91 billion RMB was spent on public health. 300 million RMB was paid for employment and 46 thousand unemployed old men were aided and 65 thousand were reemployed.

　　The government has attached greater importance to city construction and public transportation. In 2008, 11 billion RMB was invested on city infrastructure and over 20 projects were initiated.

　　In New Rural Area Construction Project, the subsidy policies have been fulfilled and the investment on key irrigation facilities has remarkably increased. 164 rural community service centers were established and 165 thousand farmers were trained.

　　A multi-level urban housing security system is being completed, with low rent housing as its emphasis and with affordable housing and low-rent housing as its supplement. The housing conditions of the low-income families has been obviously improved. The most-needy families with per capita housing area of less than 12 sq. m. are included in the housing security system. Last year, 22 old residential areas got renovated and 17 thousand families benefited from it.

　　Ningbo offered the best demonstration of people enjoying their rights in terms of education, employment, medical, old-age care, and housing as depicted in the report to the 17th National Congress of the CPC.

　　In Ningbo, there is a widely known anonymous person named “Let it be”, or literally “shunqiziran”.

　　In 2005, on the TV awarding ceremony for 100 charitarians in China, a special prize was awarded to “Let it be” of Ningbo.

　　In December 1999, it was the first “one-day donation” organized by Ningbo Charity Society. On the 6th of that month, Ningbo Charity Society received 50 thousand RMB Yuan with a signature of “Let it be”. Since then, “Let it be” has donated 2.03 million to Ningbo Charity Society.

　　Besides the donation to Ningbo Charity Society, “Let it be” also has aided the poor around the city. Who is “Let it be”? Is he a person or a group? For several years, Ningbo Charity Society and the media have been looking for him, however, no result has been found.

　　Though no one knows who he is, he stands for kindness, mercy and benevolence. A retired teacher donated 10 thousand Yuan with a signature of “Let it be”. An old man donated 1000 from his slender living expenses and said “just call me Let it be”.

　　According to the statistics, by the end of July 2007, over 360 anonymous people have donated to the charity organizations of the city with total donation amounting to 6 million which ranks first in the whole province.

　　In 2005, over 2300 people donated 600 thousand RMB Yuan within 6 days to Luo Nanying, a teacher from Qinghai Province, who suffered from leucocythemia.

　　A year later, there was another symphony of love. In the short half a year, 10,000 Ningbo citizens helped 15,000 poor students in Guizhou Province to go back to school.

　　In 2008, the love of Ningbo citizens again resounded in the whole country. Li Xuejun, an ordinary mother, ran the risk of being pregnant at the age of about 40, to rescue her 6-year-old son who suffered from leucocythemia. The expensive treatment fees got her into trouble. Within one week, the warm-hearted Ningbo citizens had donated 300 thousand RMB yuan for the mother and son.

　　The symphonies of “love” are the free expression of love of Ningbonese.

　　Ningbo, the city of harmony, is a socially developed place which the people are looking forward to.

　　On Nov. 6, 2007, on the awarding ceremony of the Cities with the citizens having the strongest sense of happiness, Xu Hui, a migrant sanitary worker from Anhui Province who had been working in Ningbo for 6 years, gave the award to Mao Guanglie, mayor of Ningbo.

　　“I love Ningbo. I feel happy working in the city”. The simple words by Xu Hui were what over 3 million migrant workers living in Ningbo want to say.

　　In 2008, the city of Ningbo, possessing over 3 million migrant workers, is the first in the country to offer the complete set of the “Social Insurance Package” to migrant workers. Migrant workers can enjoy insurance in terms of work injury, medical, endowment, unemployment and maternity.

　　The “Social Insurance Package” for migrant workers is a breakthrough. After that, Ningbo government continuously promulgated 13 policies of high value. For example, migrant workers can settle down in Ningbo, and employment guidance and job recommendation are free of charge. Migrant workers taking part in vocational training get funds and subsidy. Migrant workers can enjoy public health service system just like local residents, etc. A series of policies have basically covered the study, work, and life of migrant workers.

　　Ningbo treats migrant workers kindly with its kind character, and migrant workers have a stronger and stronger sense of identification and belonging. A harmonious view of building the city and enjoying the achievements together by local residents and migrant workers has been revealed in this city. Migrant workers with loving hearts in Yuyao City helped a girl suffering from serious disease. A migrant worker by the name of Peng Qianhai from Sichuan Province sacrificed his life when saving others in a fire. A migrant worker named Xu Yisheng braved the fire to save people. Ningbo has not only witnessed the great material wealth created by migrant workers, but also enjoyed the precious spiritual wealth they create.

　　This is a grand plan costing over 100 billion RMB Yuan and aiming at constructing environmental protection infrastructure in an all-round way.

　　This is a long term plan which extends to the year of 2020. 4 infrastructure construction projects of blue sky, clear water, green color and clean city are included.

　　In 2002, Ningbo started the 4 infrastructure construction projects named blue sky, clear water, green color and clean city respectively to protect the environment in an all-round way. By beginning with the work to ensure the healthy use of water, to control exhaust gas emission, tp treat waste properly and to increase gardening, the city aims to protect Ningbo”s eco-environment in an all-round way. According to Eco-City Construction Planning for Ningbo, the construction will be carried out in three phrases. From 2003 to 2007 is the starting phase, from 2008 to 2012 is the developing phase, and from 2013 to 2020 is the deepening phase.

　　In the recent 5 years, achievements have been made in eco-city construction. The “Clear Water Project”, with setting up sewage treatment plants as its emphasis, has made new progress. In 2007, 11 sewage treatment plants were newly built or expanded. The “Blue Sky Project”, emphasizing on building desulfurizing equipments for power plants has been almost finished. The “Cleaning Project”, mainly targeting at constructing dangerous-solid-waste-treatment equipments, has began to be operated in an all-round way. Therefore, safe treatment of the whole city’s medical waste, petrochemical waste, electroplating sludge, sewage sludge, restaurant and kitchen garbage, etc. has been realized.

　　The rural environment quality has been improved. Eco-towns, Eco-villages and environmental protection model units are numerous. Up to the present, Ningbo has established 13 National Towns with Beautiful Environment, 42 Provincial Eco-Towns, 83 Municipal Eco-Towns (Streets) and 420 Eco-Villages. The per capita public green area in the city’s central part has exceeded 11square meters There’s a garden outside the house. It is the real reflection of Ningbo people’s beautiful living environment.

　　In “General Plan of Ningbo City (2006—2020)” ratified by the State Council, Ningbo features “the important port city in Southeast China”, “the economic center in the southern wing of the Yangtze River Delta” and “national famous city for historical culture”.

　　In 2008, the approved Meishan Free Trade Port Zone by the State Council and the newly opened Hangzhou Bay Bridge were another pair of wings for the takeoff of Ningbo economy.

　　Ningbo is speeding up the construction of modern international port city. Along with the operation of the railway connecting Ningbo, Taizhou and Wenzhou, the plan of the express railway between Ningbo and Hangzhou is being implemented and Lishe Airport is becoming an airport opening to the foreign flights. Ningbo will change from the end of provincial transportation system to an hub of the provincial transportation network. Last year, the Meishan Free Trade Port Zone approved by the State Council and the newly opened Hangzhou Bay Bridge have become two wings for the takeoff of Ningbo economy.

　　At present, Ningbo is energetically implementing the coordinated development strategy of “extending the east, combining the north, integrating the south and upgrading the middle”. The strategy show that Ningbo people will construct the eastern new urban district, develop Yuyao and Cixi districts in the north, protect and make full use of Xiangshan Port region in the south and upgrade the development of six central urban districts. Ningbo metropolitan area has begun to take shape.

　　According to the general requirement of “improving scientific development and constructing harmonious society”, Ningbo will continue to carry out the strategy of “six comprehensive developments” in an all round way, that is, the comprehensive development of rural and urban areas, the comprehensive development of industries, the comprehensive development of ports, bridges and sea, the comprehensive development of production, living and ecology, and the comprehensive development of economy and society. Ningbo is speeding up establishing a “safe Ningbo”, which attaches great importance to culture and a city under legal system while trying to promote the harmonious development between urban and rural areas. Ningbo will also become a city which will enhance the industrial comprehensive competitiveness, exert the driven function of ports and bridges, improve the internationalization level, heighten the sustainable development capacity, upgrade the life quality of people, and boost the construction of modern international port city into a new stage.

　　Ningbo will try to realize a quick and stable economic development, optimize the economic structure, gain more benefit with less cost. By the year of 2011, Ningbo will realize local GDP of 500 billion Yuan, with an average increase of 11% annually. GDP per capita will reach 86,000 Yuan, revenue income 100 billion Yuan, and income per capita of urban residents and rural residents 30,000 Yuan and 13,000 Yuan respectively. Ningbo will build itself into an international deep-water pivotal port, an important national port of foreign trade, an important manufacturing base and modern logistic center in Southeast China. Ningbo will also establish a position as an economic centre in the southern wing of the Yangtze River Delta. At that time, the society of Ningbo will become more harmonious and developed, the family property will increase universally. The public service system will become more mature and the environment will be greatly improved. Ningbo will be more stable and orderly and the human living condition will be much optimized. The culture will be more prosperous while the moral qualities and health qualities of the people will improve greatly. The urban and rural areas will be more socially developed. Ningbo will be a modern city with good moral atmosphere, and will try to keep the title of National Civilized City. The democracy and legal system in Ningbo will continue to be enhanced and the rights of the people will be respected and guaranteed completely. The economy, politics, culture and society will smoothly develop under the system of law and regulation.

　　Ningbo offers a subtropical monsoon climate, featuring mild temperatures, moderate humidity and distinct seasons. The annual average temperature is 16.4℃, with hottest month of July (28℃ in average) and coldest month of January (4.7℃ in average). The no-frost season lasts 230-240 days a year. The annual average precipitation is around 1,480mm, of which the precipitation in the months from May to September accounts for 60%. The average annual sunshine time reaches 1850 hours.

Month	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
Sunshine time (h)	73.3	155.4	179.4	123.9	211.7	65.6	272.9	213.1	123.3	150.2	115.3	155.6
Average temperature(℃)	4.8	4.1	11.9	16.3	21.8	24.9	30.1	28.1	25.8	20.6	13.4	8.0
Precipitation(mm)	64.6	59.5	37.1	114.7	95.7	302.5	105.4	173.1	218.1	87.0	87.3	23.5
Raining days(day)	13	7	11	14	9	18	11	15	14	10	12	7

　　Note: The figures in the list are preliminary statistics. The increase rate of GDP is calculated according to comparable price.

　　Address: No. 1 Xingci Rd. 1 Hangzhou Bay New District, Cixi, Ningbo 315336