The annual Golden Oyster Festival started Monday in Shajing Subdistrict, Bao'an District. It is the second year that Bao'an has organized the festival.

"Bao'an aims to promote the tourism and culture industries through hosting the oyster festival," said Deng Guihong, an official from Shajing.

From Monday to Sunday, Shenzheners can savor oyster dishes prepared by restaurants in Shajing. The festival also includes an exhibition of photographs documenting the lives of oyster farmers. During this period, the district tourism bureau will introduce a day tour that gives tourists a chance to see the oyster farms in Shajing and relax at Waterland Resort.

The Shajing oyster has been famous since ancient times, and Shajing has a history of more than 1,000 years of raising oysters. At present, Shajing oyster farms produce about 2,000 tons of sun-dried oysters and about 6,000 tons of fresh oysters each year.

In recent years, Shajing farmers have expanded their business to neighboring Guangdong cities, including Taishan, Yangjing, Huidong and Shanwai. The Bao'an District Government has allocated about 40 million yuan (US$4.9 million) since 1999 as incentives to encourage farmers to raise oysters along seashores outside Shenzhen.

Editor: Yan