Coastal Guangdong touts its maritime Silk Road past

The Maritime Silk Road Museum on Shangchuan Island has become a must-visit tourist destination. [Photo by Zheng Caixiong/chinadaily.com.cn]

Jiangmen, Guangdong province, aims to become a major destination for tourists by promoting its islands and beaches, natural scenic spots, historic sites, ancient villages and hot springs, city authorities said on Tuesday.

In particular, Jiangmen has great potential to further develop its island and beach tourism, they said, with its long coastline featuring 561 islands.

Shangchuan Island, for example, covers an area of 157 square kilometers, and Xiachuan Island, covering 98 sq km, are the second- and sixth-largest islands in the province and the starting points of China's ancient maritime Silk Road.

Already, the two islands have a population of 36,000 and rich tourism resources. But both are becoming must-visit destinations in a sort of return to their ancient roots.

A tourist takes photos on Shangchuan Island, a major tourist attraction in Jiangmen, Guangdong province. [Photo by Zheng Caixiong/chinadaily.com.cn]

The Maritime Silk Road Museum of Guangdong, located on Shangchuan shows how the island had been an important transit station along the ancient maritime Silk Road. Many foreign merchant vessels arrived there to trade with local people when China closed its doors to the outside world.

In 1554, the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) agreed with the Portuguese to host an annual trade fair on Shangchuan. Westerners mainly brought spices to Shangchuan and sold them to Chinese people, while purchasing silk and ceramics.

At the island's Dazhouwan archaeological site, many examples of ceramics have been unearthed, indicating that the island had been a trade center in earlier times.

In addition, many ancient merchant vessels that sank in the waters around Shangchuan and Xiachuan islands have been found in recent years.

Dried aquatic product market on Shangchuan island,a major tourist attraction in Jiangmen, Guangdong province. [Photo by Zheng Caixiong/chinadaily.com.cn]