“一带一路”：人类文明互鉴之途

刘凡力 徐露路 马克强

张骞策马西行，郑和扬帆远航。

一条始于 2100 年前的商旅征途，恰如一座桥梁，联通了亚欧间的贸易，融汇着东西方的文明，被称为“丝绸之路”。

另一条始于秦汉时期，作为古代中国与世界其他地区进行经济文化交流交往的“海上丝绸之路”，从广州、泉州、宁波、扬州等沿海城市出发，经南洋到阿拉伯海，最远至非洲东海岸。

数千年后，“丝绸之路经济带”和“21世纪海上丝绸之路”（以下称“一带一路”）的重大战略构想在世界经济版图上从容铺展。民心相通，无远弗届，这条横跨数万公里的梦想之路，上承千年商行辉煌，下连时代壮阔前景，撬动颇具前途的国际合作，激发富有潜力的经济互惠，滋养饱有活力的发展机遇。

浙江，是古代“丝绸之路”尤其是“海上丝绸之路”的重要节点，浙江沿海的杭州、宁波、温州、台州等地，在中外交往史上留下了瑰丽篇章。如今，在“一带一路”的时代背景之下，浙江正全面展现丰硕的建设成果，践行着文明交流互鉴的历史使命。

杭州：丝绸业对外的一扇窗口

“千里迢迢来杭州，半为西湖半为绸。”三国时期以来，杭州一直是国内最大的港口之一，特别是到了南宋时期，杭州成为中国古代最主要的“海上丝绸之路”的港口。丝绸、茶叶、瓷器这3种最能代表古代中国的物品在杭州都可以找到，成为了江南地区的“金名片”。

南宋时期，杭州的蚕桑丝绸生产技术也有了很大进步。据《咸淳临安志》记载，南宋时，杭州生产的丝织品主要有绫、罗、锦、缎、刻丝、杜缂、鹿胎、纻丝、纱、绢、绵、紬等10多个大类品种。

民国时期以来，杭州的丝绸业由手工生产向机器生产转变，丝绸制造装备、技术水平都发生了历史性变化，丝绸产品质量显著提高，花色品种更加丰富，并诞生了一批著名的丝绸企业和绸庄，建立了一套相对完整的销售和教育体系。丝绸特色街、丝绸时尚节、丝绸旗袍秀等一系列丝绸文化活动，逐渐成为杭州丝绸业对外的一扇窗口。

此外，瓷器和茶叶也是经杭州地区外销的大宗代表性物品。宋代是传统制瓷工艺发展史上一个非常繁荣的时期。杭州的官窑在南宋时期工艺水平极高，专供宫廷御用，民间一般无法得见。

越窑是中国古代南方著名的青瓷窑，生产年代自东汉至宋。唐朝是越窑工艺最精湛时期，居全国之冠。因此，越窑一般是指坐落在唐代天宝年间越州辖区（会稽山阴、诸暨、余姚、剡县、萧山、上虞七县）内的窑场。进入10世纪后，越窑所产瓷器超过其他地方，一跃成为最重要的主流产品。井里汶沉船中出水的49万多件片器物中，中国瓷器占了75%，约36.7万余件，而其中越窑青瓷器数就超过了30万件。阿曼的苏哈尔则出土了属于十世纪初的越窑青瓷。在伊拉克底格里斯河畔的萨马腊遗址也发现了九世纪至十世纪的越州窑瓷和白瓷碗碎片。波斯湾古港西拉夫也出土过九世纪、十世纪的青瓷。

茶叶外销则集中于清代和民国时期，从浙江运到广州外销的龙井茶，曾一度被贯以“一种非常昂贵的最上等茶叶”的名号。

据传，最早来杭交流者是西印度人慧理，于东晋咸和（326年2月～334年）初年由中原云游入浙。《天竺山志》记载，他行至杭州某山中，见有一峰怪石嵯峨、风景绝异，喟而叹曰，“此乃中天竺国灵鹫山一小岭，不知何代飞来？佛在世日，多为仙灵所隐”，因此称为“飞来峰”。遂于峰后建寺，是为佛教传入杭州之始。

另一位较早来杭的外国人欧曼本 · 阿法尼，据说是埃及建筑大师。唐武德年间（618年—626年），来杭经商的他在今羊坝头附近出资建寺，这便是杭州凤凰寺的由来。根据《杭州府志》记载，在唐贞观年间，杭州的珠宝巷、弼教坊一带住有很多从波斯、埃及等地来做珠宝生意的商人。

日本在大化改新（日本社会政治变革运动）之后，天皇开始以遣唐使的形式全方位向唐朝学习。他们学习唐代文化，如饮食服饰、雕刻建筑、音乐美术、社会习俗、典章制度、释道儒学等。其中有很多人来过杭州，将中国的茶叶及茶文化源源不断地向日本输出。

作為“一带一路”和“网上丝绸之路”（主要指eWTP杭州实验区）重要枢纽城市，杭州正积极推进与“一带一路”沿线国家的合作交流，积极打造“海外杭州平台”，“开拓国际市场、稳定外贸增长”，推动更多杭州企业“走出去”。

“未来期待可以开通更多的航线，从杭州到巴黎再到欧洲其他城市。”法国本土高端蕾丝企业Desseilles总经理Michel Berrier迫切希望借助“一带一路”释放的政策红利进入中国市场。这家去年刚被杭州萧山纺织企业永盛集团收购的法国企业，如今正焕发新的活力。

大华股份法国子公司目前的业务范围也已经由巴黎、马赛、里昂、波尔多等一级城市辐射整个法国市场。千岛湖啤酒海外业务已经遍及新加坡、马来西亚、韩国、美国、加拿大、澳大利亚、英国、法国、俄罗斯、丹麦、越南等16个国家。

据杭州市统计局公布，2020年杭州对“一带一路”沿线国家出口1170亿元，占出口总额31.7%。全年跨境电商进出口总额1084.2亿元，增长13.9%。其中出口756.8亿元、进口327.4亿元，分别增长14.9%和11.6%。

宁波：从古至今的华丽蜕变

在世界制图史上，曾经有一张地图，被称为“中世纪最好、最丰富完备的一幅世界地图”。在这张叫作《1375年加泰罗尼亚地图》的地图上，一个称为“MINGIO”（明州）的地名，被标注在突出的位置。

明州即宁波，春秋时为越国地，战国中期以后为楚国辖地。宁波江北区的勾章港遗址，见证了春秋战国时期港城的兴起。三江地区的江海相通，汇聚出商业的兴盛，也孕育出汉代时城市的繁荣。

唐开元二十六年，即公元738年，宁波正式建制，以境内的四明山而得名——“明州”。明州港的贸易关系遍及日韩、东南亚和阿拉伯等国。其中，尤以与日本的交流最为密切。当时的宁波，是日本乃至欧洲最熟悉的中国地名之一，“一部日本航海史，半部在宁波”，说的就是这个意思。

据统计，从公元630年到公元894年前后这260多年间，日本共派出遣唐使19次，实际到达13次，其中有3次是在明州登的岸。唐贞元二十年，即公元804年，日本僧人最澄所在的遣唐使团抵达明州，这也是日本遣唐使第二次登陆明州，并从明州到天台山学佛。第二年，最澄回国后，便创建了日本天台宗，成为日本佛教的始祖。同时带回去的，还有浙东的茶种和茶道。这是中国向海外输出茶叶的最早记录。

至今依然矗立的天封塔、高丽使馆遗址、市舶司遗址等，一一见证了这一时期宁波港对外交往的盛况。宋代时，天童寺与阿育王寺同列禅宗“五山十刹”，成为名扬海内外的禅宗名刹，因此阿育王寺、天童寺等佛教建筑也充分显示了宁波在与海外文化交流中的重要地位。

明洪武十四年，即公元1381年，因“明州”的“明”与国号相同，朱元璋遂取“海定则波宁”之意，改“明州”为“宁波”，地图上终于第一次有了“宁波”这个名字。

1840年，中英鸦片战争爆发，宁波正是鸦片战争的主战场之一。1842年8月，清朝政府被迫与英国签订《南京条约》。根据这份条约，清政府同意开放广州、福州、厦门、宁波、上海五个城市作为通商口岸。

宁波正式开埠之后不久，西方货轮便几乎垄断了宁波港的贸易，西方人纷纷来此开设工厂，先进西方工业使宁波的本土经济日趋萧条。宁波人不得不选择背井离乡，游走四方，去寻找新的生机。那时形成了两股潮流，一些宁波人去往海外，而更多的人则选择了上海作为他们创业的新天地。

然而，时光荏苒，沧海桑田，今天为宁波这片宁静的故土书写辉煌的，正是那时被迫离家、远走四方的宁波人。凭着勤劳和智慧，宁波商人在中国商界成就了辉煌的事业，离家的游子终于衣锦还乡。当代海内外宁波人如邵逸夫、包玉刚、李达三等，更是爱国爱乡、报效桑梓的典范。他们身上镌刻着港口文化的基因密码，他们的言行映衬着这片土地所具有的开放格局、大气胸怀和包容心态。

今天，宁波提出了全新的城宣口号：书藏古今，港通天下。“书藏古今”寓意宁波历史悠久、文化厚重，是一座书香之城和文化之城;“港通天下”直指宁波舟山港将世界上近200多个国家、600多个港口紧紧相连，通达四海。现在宁波正积极开发海丝之路文化旅游带，集聚形成“名城、名镇、名村、名街、名居”+“大港、大佛、大儒、大海、大山”的“五大五名”旅游目的地体系。从船只往来如鲫到“数字丝路”扬帆，从携手中东欧到强化港口“辐射圈”，从打造“一带一路”先行示范区到创建国家级综合试验区……宁波从顶层设计到形成共识，全面展现了“一带一路”建设的高质量版本。

温州：“走出去”是一种历史惯性

在温州博物馆二楼历史厅的显眼位置，陈列着一件30多年前出土的镇馆之宝——北宋瓯窑青釉褐彩蕨草纹执壶。整个器型呈现出一种古波斯银器的造型特征，也因为这点，曾让不少人一度猜测其并非出自瓯窑。

专家推测，这件执壶的主人很可能是來自中亚某国的商人，他们通过古代“海上丝绸之路”来到当时的温州，并定制了这样一款瓯窑质地的宝壶，但是因为各种原因，商人最终没有带走它，而是将其留在了温州。

小小的执壶，构成了温州对外交流和贸易历史画卷中的一角，也成为“海上丝绸之路”中外文化交流的重要见证物。

作为一座有着2200多年建城史的历史文化名城，温州一路创造了灿烂的港口城市文明：战国时期，温州已成为见诸史籍的中国沿海九大港口之一;三国时期，温州为东吴三大造船基地之一;唐宋时期，随着“海上丝绸之路”的兴盛，温州港口城市的重要性愈发凸显，比如青瓷、漆器、丝绸和印刷品已源源不断地从这里销往海外，同时吸引了来自世界各地的商人聚集温州。

瓯江流域制陶业源远流长。瓯江的瓯，古时即指陶器。瓯人善于制陶，瓯江也因此得名。瓯窑和龙泉窑瓷器，是温州经“海上丝绸之路”输出的重要商品。1875年，温州重新被开辟为通商口岸，并与日本、新加坡、苏门答腊、槟城和我国等地建立起直接的贸易关系。

身处“海上丝绸之路”的重要节点，“走出去”是温州人的历史惯性：温州有近70万人分布在世界130多个国家和地区，其中，有38万就云集在“一带一路”沿线57个国家和地区。他们的经商创业行为，在完成积累资本、融合文化的同时，也构建起了较为完善的营销网络、信息网络和乡情资源。

温州有联结全球的网络优势，目前在“一带一路”沿线国家和地区有135个温籍侨团、70多家海外投资促进联络处，架起了一座座联通沿线国家和地区的桥梁;温州有遍布天下的温商优势，许多知名温商、侨领成为促进中外友好交流合作的使者;温州有充满活力的商会优势，拥有较大影响力的温州市中非商会等，都成为了推动合作双方共同发展的纽带。

在聚焦“一带一路”沿线投资建厂方面，温州的民营企业也始终扮演着排头兵的角色。通过加快“走出去”步伐，温州在积极抢抓“一带一路”机遇的前提下，不仅实现了从产品“走出去”到企业“走出去”，以及从尝试性“走出去”到规模化“走出去”的转变，更从最初的设立贸易机构到境外办市场，从境外投资办厂到建设境外经贸合作区，再从境外资源开发利用全产业链布局向本土跨国公司成长，在对外投资方面形成了多种形式并举的格局。

目前，温州拥有6个境外经贸合作区，国家级园区数量居全国地级市之首，它们是温州参与“一带一路”建设的亮点。其中，国家级园区3家，包括俄罗斯康吉工业园、越南龙江工业园、乌兹别克斯坦鹏盛工业园;省级园区3家，为塞尔维亚商贸物流园、乌兹别克斯坦农林科技产业园;以及2019年上半年新建的印尼纬达贝工业园。这6家境外园区均布局于“一带一路”沿线，规划面积超12平方公里，入驻企业238家，其中温企26家，带动当地税收1.7亿美元，主要涉及纺织、制鞋、机械、建材、五金、电子、不锈钢、宠物制品、木材加工等行业。

舟山：海天佛国 苍龙卧海

1979年，考古工作者在舟山市定海区马岙镇这个滨海的山丘平原地带，发现了面积达14万平方米的古文化遗址群，出土了大量的印纹硬陶，而在马岙“洋坦墩”出土的夹砂红陶碎片上，更是发现了稻谷痕迹。考古专家据此认为，这里就是舟山先辈最早的集居之地，他们在5000年前就开始大量栽种水稻。

春秋时，舟山属越国，称“甬东”，又喻称“海中洲”;秦朝，徐福奉命在东南沿海的蓬莱、方丈、瀛洲三岛寻找长生不老药，历尽艰辛来到烟雾缥缈的舟山群岛，认定境内的岱山岛为“蓬莱仙岛”。唐开元二十六年（公元738年）舟山置县，归属明州。自彼时起，舟山海上贸易日趋繁荣，并逐渐兴起成为外贸的重要商埠和“海上丝绸之路”的重要通道。

作为自古以来中国的东大门，舟山是古代对外开放港口明州港通往高丽、日本等国的必经航道。这条航道早在唐代中期已经形成，并使得舟山的命运，与“海上丝绸之路”血脉相连。随着中国经济重心南移，“海上丝绸之路”的发展也达到了前所未有的高峰。

16世纪中叶，葡萄牙等欧洲殖民主义势力东侵，当时的双屿港地区（舟山市普陀区六横岛中间），成为亚、非、欧诸国商人云集的繁华商港，常住外商3000余人，成为事实上的“自由港”。

千百年来，这里百舸争流，贡艘浮云。来自美洲、欧洲、日本的白银源源不断地运到这里，以换取中国的丝绸、瓷器等商品，堪称当时全球性的贸易中心。徐福东渡、鉴真东渡、遣唐使往来、郑和下西洋都曾经将舟山作为始发站或中转站。

今天的舟山，是中国最大的群岛，也是第一个以群岛建制的地级市。东海之滨，天阔潮平。1390个岛屿，3000多处海礁如颗颗温润的珍珠，撒落在浩瀚无垠的大海中。碧波万顷，千岛环翠，似一轴山海长卷，让人看到了大处留白的绵绵意韵。

前人曾说：“普陀山有室皆寺，有人皆僧。”明代徐如翰也曾为普陀作诗曰：“山当曲处皆藏寺，路欲穷时又遇僧。”作为观音道场，普陀最为人熟知的大概就是岛上的南海观音像了。这座观音铜像总高33米，其中台基高13米，铜像高18米，莲花座为2米，重70多吨，是世界上最大的铜制观音像。

海天佛国，苍龙卧海，最终造就的是舟山人山容海纳的处世精神。

在建设“21 世纪海上丝绸之路”的大背景下，舟山海岛旅游得到了快速发展。以佛教文化、海岛旅游为重点的旅游产业，已成为舟山经济的支柱产业。亚太旅游协会、欧洲小岛屿联盟分别与舟山市政府签订了《国际海岛旅游战略合作协议》;2019年国际海岛旅游大会共吸引了25个国家和地区代表团、近千名中外专业嘉宾参会。会议期间，有超过20个涉及海岛及文旅等领域的项目签订合作框架协议和正式投资协议等，项目总投资约495.57亿元人民币。

随着国际海岛旅游大会知名度的提高，有越来越多的人在舟山“筑巢”，用特色海岛民宿的方式实现面朝大海的梦想。嵊泗的枸杞岛、花鸟岛，普陀的白沙岛、东极岛，朱家尖岛，已成为民宿优选地。多达918家特色民宿，渔家客栈、主题民宿、生态民宿等多种形式的丰富业态，让这片蔚蓝海域燃起了星星之火。

近年来，舟山围绕“海岛、生态、海鲜、渔村、民俗文化、佛教文化”等特色资源，打造海岛民宿、运动健康、海鲜美食、渔家风情、特色文化旅游等六大特色休闲度假旅游产品，形成多元化的浙江海洋旅游产品体系。

舟山悠久的海洋文化历史，见证了舟山人民几千年来开发和建设舟山群岛的辉煌历程，凝聚着舟山民众开发海岛的热血和汗水，积淀着舟山人民利用海洋资源的智慧和经验，表现了海洋文化所蕴含的传统观念、审美情趣、思维方式等特有的文化内涵。

无论是站在国家战略层面还是从浙江新一轮发展的角度上，千岛之地舟山都处在极其重要的位置。它是“一带一路”上的新门户城市，也是浙江经略海洋、走向深蓝的重要序章。站在新“丝路”起点上的舟山，必将延续辉煌的历史，向着世界文化交流中心迈进。

义乌：“小城大事”好风光

说起义乌商贸的起源，跟大家熟悉的义乌兵还有些关系。

据说，明朝时追随戚继光南征北战的义乌兵，其中一部分人在战后回到了家乡。义乌人多地少，土地贫瘠，而这些义乌兵不谙农事，却善于游走，于是他们就肩挑糖担，手摇拨浪鼓，走街串巷，用本地出产的红糖饼，换取鸡、鸭、鹅毛和废铜烂铁获取微利，这就是有名的义乌商人“鸡毛换糖”的历史来源。

改革开放40多年来，以国际商贸城为主体的第五代义乌小商品市场开放建成。义乌人协同作战、族群团结的文化积淀，让义乌的小商品市场一步步从“马路市场”发展为名副其实的“世界超市”。他们用鸡毛换糖的精神，把一个贫困的农业县变成了世界小商品之都。

作为一个县级市，义乌的开放包容让人印象深刻。这里有各类涉外机构6800多家，其中外商投资办企业2500多家，约占全国的75%。

作为首批来到义乌经商的非洲人，希拉常说，當年我看到了义乌远大的前景，如今我也见证着义乌的奇迹。2002年，希拉在义乌开设了公司，那时，希拉公司的不少客人不知道这个小城市，不相信这里能够采购到物美价廉的商品。

此后，希拉公司的固定客户很快就达到了100多位，外贸生意遍布非洲各个国家。2008年，他更是在上海成立了进出口公司，将义乌的商品销往肯尼亚、东非等更多非洲国家和地区。这几年，为了适应新的经济形式势，希拉与一些企业合作，在非洲加纳建立了海外仓，并积极筹备科特迪瓦的海外仓，转型升级，更好地服务客户。

在义乌，数以万计的非洲商人，怀揣淘金梦而来，在义乌这片创业创新的热土上拼搏，将自己的梦想与中国梦紧紧联系在一起。据2018年统计数据显示，义乌有来自非洲50多个国家和地区的2500多名常住外商，以及每年9.5万多人次的入境非洲客商，他们在经商的同时，也将义乌这张贸易金名片发往非洲各地。

在义乌，这些外商被称为“新义乌人”，他们来自不同的国家，有着不同的肤色，但相同的是，义乌是他们实现梦想的地方。在感叹中国大地发生巨变的同时，他们更庆幸自己搭上了中国发展的快车。

义乌已绘制了更美好的蓝图，三大新区——丝路新区、陆港新区和科创新区崛地而起。丝路新区，带着建设国际贸易转型升级高地和对外交流合作平台的使命，将成为义乌的“城市芯，万国城”。这座国际化商贸城市，将以日新月异的卓越身姿，领航在东方新丝绸之路的新起点上。

公路、鐵路、海路、航空、邮路、网路、义新欧、义甬舟的物流体系，在义乌被称为“新八路”。向西，借着“丝绸之路”出境;向东，借“海上丝绸之路”出洋;线上，借“网上丝绸之路”抢单，在地理和观念上与世界接轨的义乌，不仅正在加速贸易互通，更是促进了“一带一路”沿线国家之间的沟通和联系。

2014年12月，首趟“义乌—马德里”中欧班列鸣笛出征，在古老的丝绸之路上，挥出一条气势如虹的黄金弧线，这是驰骋在北半球的两万六千里新长征，这条钢铁“丝带”横跨了整个亚欧大陆，创造了“从太平洋直到大西洋”的互联互通，延伸的铁轨犹如杠杆，撬动颇具前途的洲际合作、激发富有潜力的融合方案、滋养饱有活力的沿线经济。

Expeditions that Han dynasty （202 BC-220 AD） diplomat Zhang Qian （ca. 164-114 BC） took 2，100 years ago eventually helped establish what was later known as the “Silk Road”， which， like a bridge， connects trade between Asia and Europe and integrates the Eastern and Western cultures.

From Chinas coastal cities like Guangzhou， Quanzhou， Ningbo and Yangzhou， via Southeast Asia and the Arab Sea， to the east coast of the African continent， the “Maritime Silk Road”， best known for the expeditions of Ming （1368-1644） explorer Zheng He （1371？-1433？）， has been facilitating cultural and economic exchanges between China and other regions of the world since the Qin （221-207 BC） and Han periods.

Fast forward to the present day， the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road （the Belt and Road Initiative） are now driving global economic development through building connectivity and cooperation， stimulating potential and providing development opportunities.

As an important part of the ancient Silk Road， in particular the Maritime Silk Road， cities in Zhejiang like Hangzhou， Ningbo， Wenzhou and Yiwu are witnessing the flourishing of ancient Chinese wisdom under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Hangzhou： Silk Industrys Window to the World

“Coming to Hangzhou from a thousand miles away， half is for the West Lake and half for silk，” as a popular saying goes. Since the Three Kingdoms period， Hangzhou has already been one of the largest ports in China. In the Southern Song dynasty （1127-1279）， it became a major port of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Silk， tea and porcelain， the three items that may best showcase traditional China， can all be found in Hangzhou.

In Southern Song， Hangzhous sericulture technology made great progress. According to Annals of Linan during the Reign of Xianchun， at that time， over a dozen types of silks were produced in Hangzhou， including satin， fabric yarn， cotton， still silk， among others.

Hangzhous silk industry went through mechanization during the Republican period， and silk production equipment and technologies saw historic transformation. The quality of silk products was significantly improved， and silk designs and colors grew ever more diverse. A number of silk enterprises and shops that later became famous brands were born at this time， and a corresponding sales and education system for silk was established. Later， silk streets， silk cultural activities such as silk fashion festivals and silk cheongsam shows have gradually become a window for Hangzhous silk industry.

Apart from silk， porcelain and tea are also exported in bulk from Hangzhou. In the 10th century， Yue porcelain wares surpassed those from elsewhere and became the most important ceramic product. Among over 490，000 pieces of porcelain wares found in the Cirebon shipwreck， Chinese ceramics accounted for 75%， or about 367，000 pieces， while the number of Yue celadon exceeded 300，000 pieces. In Sohar， Oman， Yue celadon from the early 10th century was unearthed， and fragments of Yue porcelain from about the same period have also been found along the Tigris River in Iraq as well as Siraf， an ancient port in the Persian Gulf.

Later， the Song dynasty saw the booming development of traditional porcelain manufacturing. The ceramic craftsmanship at official kilns reached its zenith in Southern Song， and they produced porcelain exclusively for the imperial court.

Unlike silk and porcelain， it wasnt until the Qing （1616-1911） and the Republican periods that tea began to be exported in bulk. Hangzhous Longjing tea， also known as the Dragon Well tea， was notable for being “a very expensive and top-class tea”.

As an important hub along the Belt and Road and the “Online Silk Road”， Hangzhou is actively promoting cooperation and exchanges with countries along the Belt and Road， building Hangzhou platforms overseas， exploring international market and pushing for the steady growth of foreign trade， so that more Hangzhou companies can “go abroad”.

Ningbo： A Blend of Tradition and Modernity

On Catalan Atlas， a world map drawn in 1375 and considered the best and most detailed representation of the known world in the middle ages， the name “MINGIO” was marked prominently on a place.

MINGIO or Mingzhou was the ancient name of Ningbo city， which was part of the State of Yue （2031-222 BC） during the Spring and Autumn period （770-476 BC） and then was controlled by the State of Chu （？-223 BC） during the Warring States period （475-221 BC）.

In the year 738 during the Tang dynasty （618-907）， Ningbo was formally established as a prefecture and was named Mingzhou after the Siming Mountain within the area. By then， cultural and economic exchanges by way of Mingzhou Port had already been quite developed， and a trade network that extended to East Asia， Southeast Asia and the Arab countries was formed. In particularly， Mingzhou had built close relations with Japan. Indeed， the name Mingzhou was one of the Chinese place names that Japanese people were most familiar with at the time. It is even said that half of the Japans maritime history could be found in Ningbo.

Statistics show that of the 19 Japanese missions to Tang （13 missions successfully made it） between 630 and 849， 3 landed in China via Mingzhou， the second of which was in 804， when the Japanese monk Saicho （767-822） joined the embassy. After returning to Japan， he founded the Tendai school of Buddhism based on Chinas Tiantai school he was exposed to during the trip. He is also believed to have brought Mingzhou tea seeds and tea-making ceremony to Japan， the first recorded export of tea from China to a foreign country.

In 1381， Mingzhous name was changed to Ningbo， which means “calm waves”， by Zhu Yuanzhang （1328-1398）， the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty， as it shared the same Chinese character as the dynastic title.

Roughly five centuries later， the first Opium War broke out in 1840 between China and Britain. As one of the main battlegrounds， Ningbo suffered and was captured. In August 1842， the Qing government as forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing with Britain， and five ports， namely Guangzhou， Fuzhou， Xiamen， Ningbo and Shanghai， were opened for trade.

Shortly afterwards， with the influx of foreign industries and the eventual monopoly of the economy by Western powers， local people in Ningbo had no choice but to seek a living abroad or start businesses in Shanghai.

Nowadays， Ningbo is developing a maritime tourist route so that visitors can fully enjoy its rich history and culture， and with the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo helping its investment and trade， Ningbo is living up to the reputation as a historical and cultural city that connects with over 200 countries and 600 ports throughout the world.

Wenzhou： “Going Out” Is in the Genes

Among the items displayed in the history hall of Wenzhou Museum is a treasure unearthed more than 30 years ago—a green-glazed ewer with fern grass pattern dating to the Northern Song dynasty （960-1127）. As the shape of ewer resembles Persian silverware， many initially thought it was not from the ancient Ou kiln.

Experts believed the owner of the ewer was most probably a merchant from Central Asia who came to Wenzhou via the ancient Maritime Silk Road and ordered a custom-made pot from an Ou kiln. However， for various reasons， the merchant didnt take it and left it in Wenzhou.

Although small， the ewer is part of Wenzhous history in international trade and communication， and an important testimony to the cultural exchanges between China and the West along the Maritime Silk Road.

As a port city， Wenzhou has a history of more than 2，200 years. In the Warring States period， Wenzhou was already one of the nine important coastal ports in various historical records and documents. During the Three Kingdoms period （220-280）， Wenzhou was one of the three shipbuilding bases for the State of Eastern Wu （222-280）. In the Tang and Song dynasties， thanks to the Maritime Silk Road， Wenzhous export of celadon， lacquer ware， silk and printed matters grew rapidly， and merchants from all over the world were attracted to the city as well.

As an important port along the Maritime Silk Road， Wenzhou has been well known for its adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit， and “going out” has been in the genes of Wenzhou people. At present， there are about 700，000 people from Wenzhou who live in more than 130 countries and regions across the globe， of whom roughly 380，000 live in 57 countries and regions along the Belt and Road. Apart from accumulating capital， their business and entrepreneurial activities have helped integrate Chinese and local cultures， and build a comprehensive network of marketing， information and local resources.

At present， people of Wenzhou origin have set up 135 overseas Chinese organizations， and the city has established more than 70 overseas investment promotion liaison offices along the Belt and Road countries and regions. Indeed， with such a vast global network， Wenzhou merchants can be found everywhere in the world and many well-known Wenzhou merchants have become “ambassadors”， promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries. Moreover， Wenzhou boasts quite a number of dynamic chambers of commerce. For example， the influential Sino-African Chamber of Commerce in Wenzhou has become a crucial link in promoting the common development of both sides.of both sides.

Zhoushan： Island of Buddhism and Global Trade Hub

In 1979， a set of ancient ruins covering an area of 140，000 square meters was unearthed by archaeologists in Maao township， Dinghai district， Zhoushan city. Not only were a large number of red pottery shards unearthed， traces of rice were also found. Archaeologists believed this area is the earliest place where the ancestors of Zhoushan people gathered， and they began to cultivate rice as early as 5，000 years ago.

Part of the State of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period， Zhoushan was known as Haizhongzhou， or “Island in the Ocean”. During the Qin dynasty， Xu Fu （？-？）， who tasked by Qin Shi Huang （259-210 BC） to seek the elixir of immortality， reached Zhoushan， and believed its Daishan Island to be the legendary “Island of Immortals”. In the year 738， Zhoushan was set up as a county， under the administration of Mingzhou （present-day Ningbo）. Since then， Zhoushans maritime trade has grown from strength to strength， and Zhoushan has become one of the most important ports along the Maritime Silk Road.

For over a thousand years， countless ships， boats， barges…came and went from Zhoushan， bringing mountains of silver from places including Americas， Europe and Japan， in exchange for Chinas silk， porcelain， tea and various other goods and products. A de facto global trading hub， Zhoushan was either the starting point or a crucial transfer stop for Xu Fus mission to seek the elixir of immortality， for monk Jianzhens （688-763） travels to Japan， for the Japanese missions to come to Tang， and for Zheng Hes expeditions.

As Chinas largest archipelago， Zhoushan is the first archipelagic prefecture-level city， whose 1，390 islands and over 3，000 reefs dotting the East China Sea like pearls. It is also home to Putuo Mountain， one of Chinas “Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism”.

“Where there are rooms， there are temples; where there are people， there are monks，” people thus said of Putuo Mountain. “Around corners unclear， temples are secretly hidden; at a seemingly the paths seem to end， monks appear all of a sudden，” a Ming poem concurred in its depiction of the mountain. Putuo Mountain is now perhaps best known for the giant statue of the Buddhist deity Guanyin of the Southern Seas. Measuring 33 meters high and weighing more than 70 tons， it is the worlds largest bronze statue of Guanyin.

Thanks to the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”， Zhoushans tourism has witnessed rapid growth. Focused on Buddhist culture and island travelling， tourism industry is now a major contributor to Zhoushans economy. For example， the 2019 International Islands Tourism Conference brought roughly 1，000 delegates from 25 countries and regions to Zhoushan， attracting an investment of 49.557 billion yuan.

Now， with the prospering of family-run hotels and a host of tourist products featuring its unique maritime resources and Buddhist culture， Zhoushan is developing into a new “gateway” for the Belt and Road.

Yiwu： Small City， High Aspirations

Trade in Yiwu is believed to have started with Yiwu soldiers. It is said that some of these soldiers， who fought alongside Qi Jiguang （1528-1588）， a Ming dynasty general， returned home after the Japanese pirates were repelled. As Yiwu had little land to support its population， let alone these returned soldiers， they had to sell goods as peddlers， akin to todays travelling salesmen. Rattle drums swigging， they went from street to street， selling brown sugar cakes， a popular local snack， for chickens， ducks， goose feathers and scrap copper and iron， and to earn whatever profit there was. This is how the “sugar for chicken feathers” tradition started.

Now， Yiwu has quickly become a world-renowned international trade city. From a street market to a veritable “world supermarket”， Yiwus small commodity market has witnessed transformative development， thanks to the cooperation and unity among Yiwu people. The spirit of “sugar for chicken feathers” has helped turn Yiwu from a poor agricultural county into the “capital” of worlds small commodities.

A county-level city， Yiwu is impressive in its openness and inclusiveness： there are more than 6，800 foreign-related institutions， of which more than 2，500 are foreign-invested partnerships， accounting for 75 percent of Chinas total.

As one of the first Africans to come to Yiwu to do business， Cheickina Sylla opened his company in 2002. While his customers initially knew nothing about the city， Sylla saw great potential in Yiwu back then， and he is proved to be prescient. Now his company is trading with every African country.

In Yiwu， tens of thousands of African traders like Sylla are starting their business and realizing their dreams. According to statistics， there are currently 2，500-odd businessmen from over 50 African countries and regions with permanent residence in Yiwu and African traders make 95，000 entries every year into Yiwu. These foreign businessmen are called the “new Yiwu people”. While they come from different countries and have different skin colors， they all have something in common： Yiwu is the place where their dreams come true.

Yiwu has drawn a blueprint for a better future. Three new areas—the Silk Road New Area， the Inland Port New Area and the Science and Technology Innovation New Area—will be established. A logistics network encompassing road， railway， sea， air， postal services and the internet are stimulating trade and promoting communication and exchanges between countries along the Belt and Road.