Group Photo (Photo/Duan Ran)

Nothing, not even mountains and oceans, can separate people who share similar goals and visions. For all countries and regions with a shared mind focusing on co-development and common prosperity, distance is not a problem at all.

From September 7 to 9, the “in Zhoushan, Islands Connect The World” 2022 Archipelago Zhoushan Global Communication Event was held in Zhoushan, involving international friends coming from Slovakia, Morocco, Kazakhstan and many other countries to take a media trip to Zhoushan, the beautiful archipelagic city, where they explore the local marine cultures, folklore, night market and many other traditional Chinese marine activities, bring them fresh and impressive experiences.

The event is organized by Zhoushan Publicity Department and hosted by Zhejiang Online and Zhejiang Media Convergence Technology (Zhejiang) Inc., hoping to bring closer the international community to a more cohesive body, so as to contribute to more diversity and dialogues between different cultures.

Zhoushan, the archipelagic city located in East China’s Zhejiang Province, is an archipelagic city living by the sea and prospering by the sea. The marine nature is a born nature of Zhoushan and as such, Zhoushan has embodied a special meaning in its endeavour of becoming a global marine hub.

In his reply letter to international students at Peking University, President Xi has encouraged overseas students to gain a deeper understanding of China as it really is, inviting them to share their thoughts and experiences with more people and play an active role in promoting friendship between the peoples of all countries. For all cross-cultural communication, field visiting and field works are necessary means to unveil the reality of a targeted culture as it really is.

The city includes countryside that strives to become “zero-carbon” as well as Daishan County which is known as the “fairyland above the sea surface”. Zhoushan has also a long history of festival cultures. Famous examples could be the Fisherman Painting Festival, China Marine Culture Festival, Mount Putuo Avalokitesvara Culture Festival, and so forth.

During the three-day trip, the group strolled around the coastal avenues, had a taste of the seafood in the local night market, and explores the marine customs in the local countryside...getting more field knowledge and experience about Zhoushan, the shining archipelagic city in the world.

International friends experience the folk paintings with the local experts (Photo/Duan Ran)

A glimpse of the “zero-carbon” coastal countryside

Motorless entertainment equipment, energy-saving power station, sewage recycling...walking along the streets of Xinjian Village of Dinghai District, the group was deeply impressed with the natural landscape and beautiful countryside scenery around. In the meantime, the concept and practice of “zero-carbon” countryside are also impressive.

According to the local authorities of the village, the village has been always sticking to an ecological approach towards the development of the coastal countryside, focusing on green and low-carbon development.

During the trip, many international friends took out their cameras to take photos and videos to record the beauty of Xinjian Village and shared them with their families and friends, inviting them to visit this beautiful place sometime in the future.

Experience the life vibes at the seafood night market

The Putuo District of Zhoushan is full of vitality and poetry. That is, the place will bring you a strong feeling of marine cultures, such as the sea, delicious seafood, bright sunshine and gentle sea breeze. When night falls, seeing from a long distance, the row of stores looks like a long string of stars dotted the vast night sky.  

The group of guests sit around the table with strong life vibes around them. Looking around, visitors and residents chat and drink merrily. Store owners shuttle between the kitchens and the tables, busy greeting the customers and transmitting dishes. The fresh seafood is carefully processed by the store owners, keeping the freshness of the food itself and also integrating the life vibes of Zhoushan.

Diana from Kazakhstan experience the marine cultural performance with local farmers (Photo/Duan Ran)

Meet the marine traditions of Zhoushan 

When arriving at the Dongsha Ancient Town in Daishan County, the group was really impressed with the stores selling intangible marine cultural heritages and residential houses scattered around, bringing hospitality and kindness to the foreign guests.

In the long history of Daishan County, the marine way of living gives birth to the marine culture of Daishan County. Up to now, many intangible cultural legacies have been preserved and protected, in order to mark and celebrate the spirit and legacies of marine culture and the way of living of the Zhoushan people.

Reporter: Ye Ke, Duan Ran