Wenzhou is located at the middle section of the circum-Pacific 18,000-kilometer-long west coast of China, intersecting the two economic zones of the Yangtze River and the Pearl River Deltas. It is the economic, cultural and transport center of south Zhejiang Province.
Wenzhou was a prosperous foreign treaty port, which remains well-preserved today. It is situated in a very mountainous region and, as a result, have been isolated for most of its history from the rest of the country, making the local culture and language very different from those of neighbouring areas. It is also known for its emigrants who leave their native land for Europe and the United States, with a reputation for being enterprising natives who start restaurants, retail and wholesale businesses in their adopted countries.
Wenzhou is reputed as the birthplace of the Southern Opera and the hometown of singers and dancers. The mass cultural activities are extensively developing. The social cultural markets are even more lively, with various song and dance halls, Karaoke halls, video rooms and billiard saloons. The city now has 12 cultural gallery, 303 film showing units, 12 public libraries, with the collection of 2.22 million copies, The newly-built Wenzhou Cultura] and Art Centre has become the visual image of the urban civilization.
Wenzhou is one of the best and key tourist cities in China. It has multitudinous islands, crisscrossing lakes, stretching mountains and fascinating sceneries. With the tourist scenic spots covering 22.2 percent of the total land area, the city boasts 3 state-designated scenic spots of the Yandang Mountain, Nanxi River and the Baizhangji waterfall, 2 state- designated natural protection zones of the Wuyanling Ridge and the Nanji Islands which are known as " the kingdom of shell and algae" and 9 provincial-designated tourist scenic spots including the Dongtou Islands, the Yaoxi Stream, the Zeya Mountain and the Xianyan Cliff. Wenzhou enjoys the reputation of a "City Famous for Dresses", a "City Famous for Delicacies" and a "City Famous for Enjoyment". Now it has 60-odd hotels of over three-star level with golf courses, bowling alleys, theatrical and recreational halls, amusement parks and Wenzhou Garden. With complete tourist facilities and colorful night life, Wenzhou is the paradise of eating, shopping, tourism and recreation in China.
