'Ningde' (), also known as 'Mindong' (; lit. East of Fujian), is a
prefecture-level city located along the northeastern coast of
Fujian province,
China. It borders
Fuzhou to the south,
Wenzhou City and
Zhejiang province to the north, and
Nanping City to the west.
Administration
The
prefecture-level Ningde City administers 1
district, 2
cities, 6
counties, as well as 124
towns,
townships and
subdistricts. Listed below are the district, cities and counties, first four of which are coastal whereas the rest locate in mountainous areas.
★
Jiaocheng District (蕉城区)
★
Fu'an City (福安市)
★
Fuding City (福鼎市)
★
Xiapu County (霞蒲县)
★
Gutian County (古田县)
★
Pingnan County (屏南县)
★
Shouning County (寿宁县)
★
Zherong County (柘荣县)
★
Zhouning County (周宁县)
History
Ningde's history dates back to the Stamped Pottery Culture System (海印紋陶文化系統). As early as 10,000 to 20,000 years ago during the late
Upper Palaeolithic period of the
Stone Age (also known as the Old Stone Age) there were already human beings living and multiplying here. In 282, the
Jin Dynasty government established magistrate rule here. And during the first twenty-three years of the
Yuan Dynasty (1206 – 1368), Funingzhou (福寧州) Administration was set up. In 1736, during the reign of
Emperor Yongzheng of the
Qing Dynasty, Ningde was promoted to Funingfu (福寧府) Administration.
In 1934, an Administration Supervision Zone was set up here under the
Republic of China. After 1949, the
People's Republic of China established Fu'an Special Administration Zone. Finally in June 1971 the Zone was promoted to Ningde Prefecture.
Geography and climate
Situated roughly 300 kilometers north of the
Tropic of Cancer, the prefecture of Ningde spans 13,500 km² in land area. Like the rest of
Fujian province, Ningde sits in a mountainous region but it also enjoys almost 200 km of
coastline facing the
Taiwan Strait and
East China Sea.
It is subjected to a
humid subtropical climate, with occasional threat of
typhoons. The mean annual
temperature ranges from 13.4 to 20.2
Celsius (or 56.1 to 68.4
Fahrenheit), while mean annual
rainfall ranges from 1250 to 2350
millimeters. The region also enjoys a
frost-free period of 235 to 300 days per year, which is highly beneficial for soil
agriculture.
Economy
Agriculture
The warm and moist climate and fertile land in the prefecture of Ningde provide it with favorable conditions for agriculture. The largest agricultural exports from Ningde include
mushroom and
tea. The area also produces large quantities of various fruits, such as
shaddocks,
Chinese chestnuts,
plums,
honey peaches,
lychees and
longans.
Tea cultivation has long been an important industry of Ningde. By 1999 statistics, the total area of tea plantations in Ningde had reached 463 km² and the output of
green tea took up 10.5 percent of that of the entire country. More than 1.2 million jobs were created directly and indirectly in different stages of the tea industry. Famous brands include the Tianshan Silver-Needle Tea, Baihao Silver-Needle Tea, Fenghuangshe, Lianyue Flower Tea and Xianyan Snow Peak.
The mountainous landscape and advantageous climate conditions are also beneficial to the development of
forestry. Up to 1999, 8,482 km², or 65.2 percent of the entire prefecture, are forested. Out of this area,
bamboo groves occupy 600 km², producing an annual output of six million bamboo products. In
Fu'an alone, the green bamboo base has extended to 34 km² and its output of green
bamboo shoots takes up more than 60 percent of that of
Fujian province.
Aquaculture
The prefecture of Ningde is blessed with vast area of shallow sea, which is suitable for
aquaculture. In 2000, aquatic products take up 41.3 percent of the total output value of agriculture from Ningde, with an exporting value of
USD 82,170,000 and an annual
net income exceeding
RMB 3,500 for local fishermen. Major products include
yellow croakers,
oysters,
razor clams,
prawns and freshwater
eels.
Local government is attempting to use aquaculture as a springboard to eliminate poverty and improve local economy. Up to 2000, aquaculture had created 370,000 jobs directly and indirectly; a total of RMB 4.5 billion had been invested, drawing an annual output value of RMB 2 billion.
Industry
Primary
Ningde is the producer of many nonmetallic mineral resources, such as
granite,
diorite and
basalt. The confirmed volume of granite reserves extends to 1,140 million cubic meters, while estimated amount of deposits undiscovered stands at several thousand million cubic meters. The mining area for basalt in Bailin,
Fuding, known as Fuding Black, covers 0.21 square kilometers with a total deposit of up to 50 million cubic meters.
Secondary
Ningde's rich hydropower resources give it a headstart in metallurgical industries. Products such as
magnesium,
zirconium oxide,
aluminum, high-purity
silicon carbide, and a series of other
silicon products from plants in the prefecture enjoy high reputation and are exempted from examination when exported to
Japan. Advances in metallurgical technology also aids the
shipbuilding industry, a traditional trade in Ningde. In recent years, local shipyards have been capable of constructing 10,000-ton steamships.
From its many agricultural produces sprouted the long-running
food processing industry in Ningde. New techniques and formula adopted in recent years have allowed products such as tea, fruits and vegetables, mushrooms and marine products to be exported to the international market.
An old district in urban Ningde City. Like many other
Chinese cities, Ningde is developing fast economically and old houses like these are giving way to new, modern buildings.
Demographics
Ningde has a
population of over 3.3 million. It is also the primary residential region for the
She minority people, who take up 24.72% of the population.
Culture
The folk arts in Ningde are varied and colorful. Among them ''bangtieji'' parade (搬铁技),
puppet lion dance, and
paper art are the most representative.
The ''bangtieji'' parade, mostly seen during the
Chinese new year, is a folk art performance popularized in Ningde since the
Qing Dynasty. During the parade, children dressed as characters from various
Chinese folklore sit or stand on parade vehicles, which were also decorated to resemble classic scenes such as the Heavenly Palace. The vehicles then cruise along the streets in the company of jovial music.
The puppet lion dance, popular in
Huotong Town and
Jiaocheng District, originated from toys of the local children. The lions, made of colorful fabrics, are connected to wooden racks by ropes. Each individual rope controls a part of the lion's body, such as the head, tail or foot. The racks are set on vehicles moving through the streets. Performers on the vehicles pull on the ropes to make the lions dance or perform various tricks.
Paper art, mainly practised by women, is a specialty of
Zherong County. Common forms of the art include traditional flower patterns, words and daily life objects. Because of her paper art achievements, Zherong County was named "Home of Chinese Folk Arts" by the Ministry of Culture in 2000.
The
She people have also created and left many precious cultural heritages in their long historical practice. Owing to projects in recent years to protect the She heritage, three volumes of She folk tales, songs and proverbs have been published. In total, 184 tales, 330,000 words in songs, and 6,000 proverbs have been included. Art works have also been produced out of She folklore, which reflects their way of life.
There are many
covered bridges in Ningde, particularly in Pingnan.
[1]
External links
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Window on Ningde City
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Guide to Ningde (photos & text)
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Guide to Ningde's Zhouning (photos & text)
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http://www.nds.gov.cn Ningde Government Website
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