Taizhou (Zhejiang) Overview
Basic Information
- Chinese Name: 台州
- Location: In the center of Zhejiang province
- Area: About 9,411 square kilometers
- Population: 6.11 million, Han Chinese is the vast majority nationality group
- Language: Mandarin, Wu Chinese
Administrative Division
With jurisdiction over three districts, three county-level cities and three counties, Taizhou covers a land area of 9,411 square kilometers and sea area of 8,000 km2. The population of the prefectural level city is 6.11 million.
- 3 districts: Jiaojiang District（椒江区）, Huangyan District（黄岩区）, Luqiao District（路桥区）
- 3 county-level cities: Linhai City（临海市）, Wenlin City（温岭市）, Yuhuan City（玉环市）
- 3 counties: Tiantai County （天台县）,Xianju County（仙居县）,Sanmen County（三门县）
Geography
Taizhou is a city on the eastern coast of China's Zhejiang province, facing the East China Sea. It is located 300 km south of Shanghai and 230 km southeast of Hangzhou, the provincial capital. It is bordered by Ningbo to the north, Wenzhou to the south, and Shaoxing, Jinhua, and Lishui to west.
Taizhou has a long coastline dotted with numerous islands and the largest one there is Yuhuan Island in the south. There are coastal areas in the east so it tends to flat, but with an occasional hill. Eastern and northern parts of Taizhou are mountainous, with Yandangshan Mountains in the southwest, Kuocang Mountains in the west, and Mount Tiantai in the northwest. The highest point of Taizhou is Mishailang, a 1,382.4 metres’ peak in the Kuocang Mountains, and also the highest point in the east of the Zhejiang Province.
The terrain there tilts from the west to east, in which the areas in the northwest are mountainous and there are lots of plain and river channels in the southeastern part.
Climate
Taihzou belongs to middle subtropical monsoon climate with distinctive four seasons. Owing to the contribution of the October and high mountains in the northwest which could prevent Taizhou from neither too cold in winter nor too hot in summer, but with abundant heat and rain. The climate there is mild and moist. The average temperature below 10 Celsius degree belongs to winter, and if it is beyond 22 Celsius degree, it is summer. The temperature in the middle of them can be taken as spring and autumn.
The Best Time to Go
The period from April to October is suitable for visiting Taizhou. It is good time to Shenxianju Scenic Spot from July to August where tourists are able to appreciate amazing sceneries and prevent themselves from hot weather. From the late June to the early July, it’s plum season so that if you are not in favor of rainy days, you’d better choose another time. But in terms of the temperature there, Taizhou is available for visiting among all seasons.
Things to Do
First, you are recommended to enjoy the scenery of maple. When it comes to maple, Canada turns up in most people’s mind. But if you haven’t planned to Canada, then Taizhou is an agreeable place for you to admire amazing maple leaves. Nanhuang Ancient Road, Chaliao Ancient Road, Cangling Ancient Road are recommended for you during autumn journey.
Second, you are advised to terraced fields. Nanping terraced fields near the Nanhuang Ancient Road, which is the biggest terraced field in Zhejiang province, turn up gorgeous sites in fall. And you could visit Huangtan terraced fields in Linhai as well. Besides, fruit picking is a fun activity there. You are capable of picking satsumas, pomelos, persimmons, kiwi fruit, etc. in autumn there. In addition to these things, you could enjoy lots of activities in different periods in Taizhou.
History & Culture
About 5,000 years ago, there were people making their living. And because of its splendid location situated in the middle part of Zhejiang province and connecting closely with other regions around, Taizhou plays an important role from ancient time.
During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, when the Chinese state was largely confined to the Yellow River basin, the area of present-day Taizhou was part of Dong'ou. Following the 3rd-century BC conquests of the Qin Empire, a settlement in the area was known as Huipu Town. It was initially included in the Minzhong Prefecture, but then moved to Kuaiji during the Han.
Long history is capable of contributing excellent culture there. Taizhou dialect, which belongs to Wu dialect that is native to some southeastern place of China, is a significant culture of Taizhou. It is like a root to one tree, which contains profound culture. If one says he is a person native to Taizhou, then Taizhou dialect is a key evidence of that.
Then, religion is an important part of one area’s culture. Taizhou is impacted by Buddhism and Taoist so that a great deal of church and believers can be found. Furthermore, loads of intangible cultures are remained well there, such as folk literature, traditional medicine, traditional handicrafts, conventional music and so on.
Economy
Taizhou is one of the birthplaces of China's private economy in the early days of economic reforms in China. It is the cradle of the Chinese private economy. The name of Taizhou Model is after it. It is the 4th most populous, and the 4th largest industrial prefecture-level city in Zhejiang Province as of 2011. Taizhou is also one of the most important Mandarin, Loquat, Wendai Pomelo, Myrica rubra producers in China. Other agricultural product including rice, canola, edible wild rice stems or zizania latifolia, eddoe, water chestnut and so on, all are develops well there.
Festival
As a place with good climate and location, the festival culture of Taizhou turns up distinctively. There are activities that both show what people harvest well and what they keep completely for long. For instance, you could enjoy China Green Crab Festival there in Sanmen, Myrica Rubra Festival there in Xianju, Azalea Festival in Tiantai Mountain, etc.
Tourism
Taizhou offers abundant tourist resources including two national-level 5A scenic spots, seven national-level 4A scenic sites, eighteen national-level 3A tourist attractions, two province-level tourist counties, 16 province-level tourist towns and 48 special tourist villages, which make it a popular tourist destination. Also, with a good location and closed relationship to around areas, people there work well to enhance the quality of tourism there. Taizhou is a rich land fostering many talents, cultural and natural scenic spots so that it attracts people from diverse places to visit there.
Dining
Taizhou dish is an important part of Zhejiang cuisine. And owing to its diverse geographical location, unbalanced development, customs and eating habits, unique and special Taizhou dish has formed. The ingredients from sea, mountain areas, and plain make Taizhou dish quite special. They prefer the authenticity and purity of food itself, which is showed in their cooking skills. Dishes from places close to mountainous areas, place in plain and areas near the sea vary from each and manifest the customs there well.
