Wenzhou History & Culture

Wenzhou, once known as Oudi, also known as Dong'ou, was established as a prefecture in the first year of the Taining reign (323 AD) and became Yongjia Prefecture. Legend has it that a white deer flew around the city carrying flowers during its construction, hence the name Lucheng. Wenzhou was officially renamed Wenzhou in the second year of the Shangyuan reign (675 AD), boasting a history spanning over 2,000 years. Wenzhou is a key regional center city on China's southeastern coast, a national model city for the private economy, a national comprehensive transportation hub, and a national historic and cultural city. Known as "the most beautiful landscapes in the southeast," Wenzhou boasts scenic spots such as Yandang Mountain, Jiangxin Island, Nanxi River, Tongling Mountain, Baizhang Waterfall, Nanji Islands, and Baidao Dongtou. The Yongjia School of Thought, exemplified by Ye Shi, and the Jianghu School of Poetry, exemplified by the "Four Spirits of Yongjia," during the Southern Song Dynasty, along with modern figures such as Sun Yirang, Xia Nai, Xia Chengtao, and Su Buqing, have all exerted significant influence on the history of Chinese thought, literature, and science.