Editor's Note: Wenzhou has amazed international friends who live in the city. In particular, foreign anchors and overseas journalists from the Wenzhou Overseas Media Center have recorded countless wonderful moments with their cameras and pens.
Not long ago, Alexandra Dobrynina, a Russian anchor, wrote something for us in English, describing how she fell in love with Dongtou, a district with a hundred islands. She wrote that Dongtou is building itself into an international eco-tourism island and is open to the entire world. The article was published in In Wenzhou, the only bilingual magazine at the prefecture level in Zhejiang province. Let's enjoy it together.
Midsummer. July. Wenzhou has been facing unusually hot weather. According to the stories, such a high-temperature alert was many years ago. It's stuffy in the city and almost impossible to breathe. The heatwave persists, and only by walking along the steep bridge over the sea can you enjoy the shade of trees and the beautiful views of the rocks emerging out of the water. The sea breeze helps to distract people from their dull daily routine, and a good book in your hands lightens your mood.
Alexandra Dobrynina, a Russian anchor, enjoys a sunset by the sea in Dongtou, Wenzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: WenzhouToday]
Let's imagine this book in our hands and look through as if we were reading about the outstanding Dongtou district, where one day I managed to escape from the sweltering weather and immersed myself in the thoughts of people living in this area.
Dongtou is a district consisting of 168 islands and is under the jurisdiction of Wenzhou. It is also often referred to as a fishing village. For generations, fishermen in Dongtou worked out on the sea and dreamt of returning with full loads of fish. The sea, the island, the fishing village, the fisherman were always closely tied to the sea.
I arrived in Dongtou by car on the bridge connecting this area with Wenzhou. Previously, it was only possible to get there by boat. But even from the bridge, you can see the floating villages of fishermen who live there all year round, going to the mainland only during typhoons. Modern Dongtou is no different from an ordinary city, with low–rise buildings in Chinese and European styles. However, as in Wenzhou, the district and its surroundings have a very ancient and deep connection with the outside world.
The first place I visited was the Wanhai Building, built in 434 during the Song Dynasty (420-479). The main building of Wanghai Tower is an imitation of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) building, facing north to south, with the top showing the whole county during the day and the trend of stars and the moon during the night.
Wanhai is a four-story building full of historical information, presented in the form of objects, paintings, and miniatures of the past that tell us the island's story, culture, and traditions.
As I have already mentioned, the primary industry of this city was and is fishing. The whole floor is dedicated to fishing vessels and industrial development. The Dongtou fishing industry went from using bamboo rafts to sampans, wooden junks, and much later to fishing ships, which was propelled by the workforce and wind power.
I want to try to imagine a day in the life of a fisherman on the pages of our book about Dongtou as it is presented in Wanhai Tower on the next floor.
Even before the sun rose and warmed the sea, there were men at work, braving the elements. Depending on the type of catch they wanted, the fishermen set out in the middle of the night or very early in the morning. Catching fish with metal hooks suspended by threads took the longest, as they had to travel far out to sea, but to make a catch using their nets, they would not have to travel far.
Once they returned in the morning, the boat was hauled to shore by the fishermen, who ventured out in groups, sharing the burden, cost, profits, and losses. There were days when they were blessed with plenty, but on other days they returned empty-handed.
The catch was removed from the nets and sorted according to the type of fish. Once sorted, the fishermen or their wives sold the fish at the market.
Various traditional festivals broke up the monotony of daily work. Many folk activities were held on the fishing boats, including “Yingtouzong”. “Yingtouzong” was a celebration for the fishing boat which caught the most fish. The ceremony took place amidst a warm and emotional atmosphere. "Red envelope" and the giant pig's head were the award to the boat's leader, and knocking gongs and drums and exploding firecrackers followed this award presentation event. Such award ceremonies made people feel that their work was valued.
A bird's-eye view of Dongtou, a coastal district in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: WenzhouToday]
With thoughts about people's lives, their hard work, and their contribution to the district's development, I went to Dashaao Beach. The beach was so soft; it felt like I was walking on a white, almost weightless cloud. The shimmering sand swirled around, hemmed in by towering cliffs. Far out to sea, streams of pulsing light saturated the surface with a golden haze. It was quiet and felt like paradise. The horizon seemed to be stitched with a line of silver. A flock of noisy seagulls were screeching over our heads and squabbling about something. They wheeled and raced, their raucous cries ringing off the cliffs. Their timeless call had a strange glamour as they soared above the sea. The sun laminated me with warmth, and a carnival of smells of nature drifted towards me.
The way to the beach lay on the steep bridge, and only by walking on it over the sea you could enjoy the shade of trees and the beautiful views of the rocks going into the depths of the blue water. The sea breeze helped to distract me from my daily routine, and a good book in my hands lightened my mood.
