The sea (Photo: xiaoxue.9tour.cn)

Situated in the coastal central section of Zhejiang province, Taizhou enjoys a long history of 5000 years and rich cultural heritages.

The culture of Taizhou bloomed since the Eastern Jin Dynasty about 1600 years ago. Some 3 centuries later, in Tang Dynasty, Zheng Qian, a famous scholastic official, was devoted to development of local education and culture and soon Taizhou became a cultural and educational center.

Taizhou boasts many talents and historical celebrities. There have been 96 nationally well-known names from Taizhou listed in the Chinese historic record.

Covering a land of more than 9,400 square kilometers, Taizhou boasts a good variety of historic sites and scenic spots. The diligence and wisdom of Taizhou people for generations have left Taizhou many wonders. The landscape is of graceful beauty, and the forefathers' bequest is weighty.

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the local economy and culture of Tiazhou started to boom. In the Tang Dynasty, a famous scholastic official in Chinese history, Zheng Qian, devoted his life to the development of local education and culture. When it came to the Southern Song Dynasty, Taizhou became a major prefecture with cultural and educational importance.

Taizhou boasts of many talents and historical celebrities. Until the Qing Dynasty, 96 people from Taizhou had been kept in record for their historical importance. Since founding of New China in 1949, a total of 21 Taizhou-born people have become academically renowned and been working with the Chinese Academy of Science and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the top research institute of science and technology in China.

In "Siku Quanshu", the Imperial Encyclopedia compiled in the Qing Dynasty, were collected 141 books written by 107 Taizhou scholars, such as, "The Book of Cricket" - the first book on entomology in the world written by Jia Sidao the Prime Minister of the Southern Song Dynasty. "The Foliage" - the first botany dictionary by Chen Jingxin in the Song Dynasty, "the World Script", the first book on economic geography by Wang Shixing in the Ming Dynasty, "the Pedigree of Mushroom", the first boon on food mushroom by Chen Renyu in the Song Dynasty, and "Veterinary Herbs". Taizhou is also the birthplace of southern China operas. "Taizhou Luantan", a southern China opera genre, took shape here during the Qing Dynasty. Taizhou also boasts diversified folk arts, such as Dragon-contest, dragon dance and boat racing. The "needle-pierced boneless lantern" from Xianju County, which firstly appeared during the Tang Dynasty, is praised as "the Best Lantern of China".

Taizhou Luantan (Photo: wlin.net)

Taizhou is a good place for tourists with many scenic spots that combine both natural beauty and historical puff. Tiantai Mountain is a state-owned scenic resort, famous for its age-old Buddhist culture and marvelous mountains.

With a total area of 187 square kilometers, the Tiantai Mountain Scenic Resort can be divided into 13 scenic districts. Tiantai Mountain boasts its unique nature scenery, and splendid ancient historical relics, known as "mystical and beautiful hills and waters and the original place of Buddhism and Taoism."

Editor: Wing