Wenling

Wenling ( Wenling dialect: Ueng-ling Zy ; ) is a coastal county-level city in the municipal region of Taizhou, in southeastern Zhejiang province, China. It borders Luqiao and Huangyan to the north, Yuhuan to the south, Yueqing to the west, looks out to the East China Sea to the east. Wenling locates on 28°22'N, 121°21'E, approximately south of Shanghai.

Jiangxia Tidal Power Station is located there as well as a number of e-waste recycling centers which have contributed to soil contamination in the region.

Because of its geographical location, Wenling has long suffered from typhoons. On August 12, 2004, Typhoon Rananim, the sixth strongest typhoon in PRC history, landed in Shitang Town, Wenling. On 10 August 2019, Typhoon Lekima, the third strongest in PRC history, came ashore at Chengnan Town, Wenling.

Administration

The county-level city of Wenling currently administers 5 subdistricts and 11 towns.
* Taiping Subdistrict (Tha-bing Ka-dau)太平街道
* Chengdong Subdistrict (Zhing-tung Ka-dau)城東街道
*Chengxi Subdistrict (Zhing-shi Ka-dau)城西街道
* Chengbei Subdistrict (Zhing-puk Ka-dau)城北街道
* Hengfeng Subdistrict (Wang-fung Ka-dau)橫峰街道
* Daxi Town (Da-khi Cing)大溪鎮
* Zeguo Town (Dzak-kuk Cing)澤國鎮
* Xinhe Town (Shing-ghou Cing)新河鎮
* Ruoheng Town (Niak-wong Cing)箬橫鎮
* Songmen Town (Shiung-meng Cing)松門鎮
* Wenqiao Town (Ueng-giau Cing)溫嶠鎮
* Wugen Town (U-keng Cing)塢根鎮
*Chengnan Town (Zhing-nae Cing)城南鎮
* Shiqiaotou Town (Zhik-giau-deu Cing)石橋頭鎮
* Binhai Town (Ping-he Cing)濱海鎮
* Shitang Town (Zhik-dong Cing)石塘鎮

Climate

Language

Like the majority of areas in Zhejiang, most people from Wenling speak a dialect of Wu Chinese, known as Wenling Hua. It is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin Chinese, and partially intelligible with (also Wu) Shanghainese. There is also a small portion of Min Nan speakers in the southeastern regions, especially in Shitang Town. The linguistic diversity of some regions has resulted in a segment of the population becoming fluent in speaking up to three languages, when Mandarin is included.

History

During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, Wenling was not part of the Chinese state but rather part of the separate culture of Dong'ou. Following the third-century BC conquests of the Qin Empire, it was incorporated into the Minzhong Prefecture before being moved to Kuaiji under the Han. From the Tang to the Ming, Wenling was divided between Taizhou's Huangyan District and Wenzhou's Yueqing District.

In 1469, Taiping County was formed in the area from Fangyan, Taiping, and Fanchang, three villages formerly incorporated into Huangyan. Yueqing County's Shanmen and Yuhuan villages were ceded in 1476.
In 1513, the county seat built of city wall, roughly squared, giving it the name of "Square Castle".
In 1914, the county was renamed Wenling to distinguish it from counties with same name in Shanxi, Sichuan, and Anhui. Wenling ("warm mountain") was once another name of Wenqiao Town.

Wenling was conquered by Communist forces on May 28, 1949, and the county government was created. In March 1994, Wenling was made a county-level "city".

Transportation

Wenling Railway Station is located in Daxi Town, North-West of Wenling. It is part of the Ningbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou Railway, and has connected to high speed rail lines that runs in 300 km/h. In 2017, its annual ridership is about 8.5 million.

Wenling is 26 km (16 miles) away from the Taizhou Luqiao Airport, located in the city centre of Taizhou.

Wenling also connects to the Ningbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou expressway.

Food

# Qiangao (嵌糕; pinyin: Qiàngāo) is made with rice cake ( Niangao) and many different dishes like fried noddle, carrots, potatoes, pork, tofu, and whatever people want. Qiangao is shaped like a big dumpling, and all the dishes are stuffed inside of it.
# Shanfenhu (山粉糊; pinyin: Shānfenhú) is made with Shanfen which is the powder made from potato related plants. Shanfenhu is sticky and gelatinous. Different things are commonly added to it. For example, for a salty taste, pork, mushroom, beans, tofu, peanut, etc. can be added; for a sweet dish, red dates, raisins, lotus seeds, brown sugar, etc. can be added.
#Paoxia (泡虾; pinyin: Pàoxiā) is a famous street snack in Wenling. It is translated as "Fried Shrimp," but it is not actual shrimp. It is fried dough made with wheat flour and stuffed with pork and cabbage.
#Chuiyuan (炊圆; pinyin: Chūiyuán) is made with glutinous rice. Dried small shrimp, pork, tofu, and carrots are stuffed into the glutinous rice bun.
#Maibingtong (麦饼筒; pinyin: Màibǐngtǒng) are thin crepes made from wheat flour mixed with '' Pseudognaphalium affine'' and some other green vegetable juices. Additional ingredients such as pork, stir-fried eggs, shrimp, onions, stir-fried noodles, etc. are added onto the crepes, which are then rolled up.
#

Economy

The economy of Wenling is relatively developed. In 2018, its nominal GDP exceeds 100 billion, becoming the first city (or county, district) in Taizhou to have 100 billion GDP. Its GDP per capita is about 83,300 RMB (12,607 US dollar).

Listed companies

Disasters

On 13 June 2020, a fuel truck crashed and exploded, killing 19 and injuring over 170 people in Liangshan Village, close to the city of Wenling.

References

{{Authority control

County-level cities in Zhejiang
Taizhou, Zhejiang