Impressions of Wenzhou: People of excellence, land of wisdom

1. Cultural gem on the coastline

Wang Haolou (Overlooking ocean hall), a historical building that has 1500 years of history, has witnessed the swift development of Wenzhou from a small village into a metropolitan city. (People's Daily Online/Kou Jie)

Located in the mountainous area of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou was once a prosperous foreign treaty port, and remains well-preserved today. For most of its history, it has been geographically isolated, resulting in a local culture and language that are quite distinct from the rest of China.

The geographic establishment and development of the city of Wenzhou was overseen by Guo Pu, the father of China's fengshui system of philosophy, during the Jin Dynasty (266 to 420 AD). Combining fengshui theories and elements of Chinese constellation systems including the 28 Mansions and Five Elements, the local people developed and managed architecture and geography holistically, harnessing metaphorical "invisible forces" that bring the universe, earth and humanity together.

As the only city in the world designed by the pioneer of fengshui, the harmonious relationship between nature and man have led to countless legends in the city. It is said that during the founding of Wenzhou, a white deer was seen with a flower in its mouth, an auspicious sign that gave Wenzhou the nickname "Deer city." Today, the White Deer theatre located in Wenzhou's downtown area is the most popular theatre among locals.

With its 1,682-year-long history and rich cultural background, Wenzhou is a land of wisdom that has fostered outstanding artists, scientists and scholars who have had a major influence on China's philosophy, literature and science. It is the origin of China's landscape poetry, whose founder Xie Lingyun created countless masterpieces that still resonate with Chinese even after a millennium. It is also the birthplace of modern mathematics in China - the man who pioneered the deciphering of Oracle Bone Script, Sun Yirang, founded China's first ever mathematics academy in Wenzhou.

Today, Wenzhou people continue to relive their former glories through their remarkable business achievements, connecting China and the world through economic ties and business cooperation. The city has evolved into an economic and tech hub, showcasing China's development since its Opening Up.

3. Home to the arts

Wenzhou woodbox sculpture. (People's Daily Online/He Zhuoyan)

Wenzhou is rich in local artistic traditions, and has cultivated a wide variety of colourful folk culture and arts. A total of 34 kinds of folk art have been listed as national intangible cultural heritages, four of which have been included in UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.

Ou embroidery with different patterns on both sides. (People's Daily Online/He Zhuoyan)

Of all the Wenzhou intangible cultural heritages, Ou embroidery is one of the most exquisite. It is distinguished by its simple pattern, rich texture, multiple variety of stitches, smooth and lustrous surface, as well as its balanced colour and bright tones. These art works were originally used for daily life, such as birthday silk scrolls for elderly people and opera costumes. But in modern times, Ou embroidery has become a decorative art, with Ou embroidery masters further developing the traditional techniques that allow them to create different patterns on both sides.

Ou sculpture. (People's Daily Online/He Zhuoyan)

Another traditional Wenzhou art is Ou sculpture, which is a kind of clay relief sculpture based on traditional Chinese layered-painting. As a result of this technique, it has become known as Oriental stereoscopic oil painting, or coloured relief. Clay is combined with oil, which is then coloured by traditional paint. In modern times, the art form incorporates Western and Chinese painting techniques, and has evolved into a thoroughly contemporary genre.

4. Expanding business empire

Five Horses Street, the most famous business street in Wenzhou. (People's Daily Online/He Zhuoyan)

There is an old saying in Wenzhou: the city is 7/10 mountains, 1/10 water, and 2/10 farmland. Due to its cultural and geographical remoteness and its lack of natural resources, locals have always been driven to find new opportunities far beyond the sea or deeper inland, giving them their independent, self-reliant and business-oriented character.

With their sharp minds and business acumen, many Wenzhou merchants have travelled overseas to find new opportunities. After accumulating their fortunes, they have become the largest overseas-Chinese group, with a population of almost 690,000 in over 130 countries, and have created many business organisations and unions helping Wenzhounese to extend their business reach all over the world. After China switched from the planned economy to a socialist economy with Chinese characteristics in the late 1980s, Wenzhou businessmen seized the opportunity and adjusted well to the new system, becoming the leading power in China's new economic landscape.

Wenzhou is now a modern city with vibrant business atmosphere. (People's Daily Online/He Zhuoyan)

The people of Wenzhou have a reputation for sharp business sense and commercial culture. Their hometown was a pioneer of the market economy, and continues to thrive to this day.

The vibrant business vibe in Wenzhou is a sign of the momentum of the city's development. Despite being one of the cities most severely hit by COVID-19 in China, from January to May 2020, the city's export volume reached 54.1 billion RMB, a year-on-year growth of 0.7 percent, while in May alone, the export volume reached 14.5 billion RMB, a growth rate of 10.6 percent. Over 30,000 new enterprises were formed during the pandemic, demonstrating the city's resilience and economic power.

5. Gender equality and the ‘She-economy'

Zhang Huamei (left), is a female business leader and the first registered private business owner in China. (People's Daily Online/He Zhuoyan)

As one of China's most prominent economic hubs, Wenzhou is also a city that is open to female entrepreneurs, providing them a level playing field with their male counterparts in the business arena.

According to local statistics, in 2008, only 8,638 women registered companies, while the number soared to 59,014 in 2019, accounting for 33.79 percent of total new business owners that year. Currently, there are over 326,000 female business owners in Wenzhou, who have stimulated growth in the so-called "She-economy", and leading to many business streets and shopping malls with the "Woman power" theme springing up around the city. Female business leaders have also formed their own business unions, helping young women realize their business dreams and pursue their desired careers.

As the first registered private business owner in China, Zhang Huamei, owner of a company that designs and manufactures buttons, noted that Wenzhou's businesswomen are representatives of modern women in China, fully capable of competing with, and even outperforming, their male counterparts.

"It's not your gender but your talent that makes you a successful business leader. Women in modern times are equipped with knowledge and a hardworking spirit, and our success and achievements have proven that women are just as good as men, and we can also become prominent business leaders," she said.

6. Lucid water and lush mountains

Xiangyang Village in Wenzhou, which is a tourist site now. (People's Daily Online/Kou Jie)

As a coastal city nestled in the mountains, Wenzhou's economy was once developed at the expense of its environment. The city's air pollution index reached its peak in 2003, and the water pollution index in 2006. Poor air quality and hazardous water made the local people realise that if they were to continue their business success, they would need to protect the environment.

For the past decade, authorities in Wenzhou have been making great efforts to tackle environmental issues, shutting down polluted enterprises, as well as cooperating with over 100 city environmental protection NGOs and over 20,000 volunteers. In 2019, Wenzhou's air quality ranked top out of all the cities in Zhejiang Province.

Sunrise in Dongtou Village, Wenzhou. The small village now features eco-tourism, creating lucrative income for the villagers. (People's Daily Online/Kou Jie)

The improved environment has also created new opportunities for Wenzhou. In 2019, the city's tourism revenue reached 133.4 billion RMB, with an annual growth rate of 18.8 percent, receiving over 119 million visitors worldwide. The city has also set up high-tech companies that specialise in waste management and disposal of hazardous materials, fields that have become new pillars of the city's economic development.