"Ningbo"

Ningbo, located in the northeast corner of the province of Zhejiang just 25 kilometers from the East China Sea, has been one of the country's most important ports since the 7th century. Crisscrossed by countless navigable canals, this busy city is dubbed "Little Shanghai" and can trace its history back some 2,300 years to the period of the Qin Dynasty.

It's best known attractions include such historic sites as the magnificent Tianyi Ge Library. Built by high-ranking official Fan Qing between 1561 and 1566 to house his private book collection, it's one of the oldest of its kind in China. Consisting of some 80,000 rare Chinese volumes and manuscripts, this remarkably preserved collection also includes a large number of stone inscriptions dating from the 14th century. Also of interest is the artificial pond outside this splendid old two-story structure, intended to provide water in the event of a fire.

You'll also want to visit the 55-meter-tall, seven-story Tianfeng Ta Pagoda. Also known as the Tang Pagoda, this stunning structure was built in AD 695 and is well worth the climb for its panoramic views of the old city.

Ningbo is also somewhat of a popular seaside destination for Chinese tourism and has a number of wonderful, white sandy beaches. It's also popular for its shopping and dining options, too.

Food in Ningbo

1. Crystal Sugar Turtle (Bingtang Jiayu)

Crystal Sugar Turtle, as one of Ningbo’s top ten dishes, is also known as "No 1 Scholar Turtle" (Zhuangyuan Turtle). The dish is golden in color, tasty and nutritious. A legend tells that in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a candidate for the imperial examination (a kind of talent selection in ancient China) was on his way to the capital. During his stay in Ningbo, he ate this dish in a small restaurant and fell in love with the flavor. When he asked for the name of the dish, the manager of the restaurant replied with the name "No 1 Scholar Turtle" as a good wish for the customer. Luckily, the competitor earned the top score in the examination, becoming the No 1 Scholar (Zhuangyuan) of the year. Thinking the dish he ate in Ningbo had brought him the luck, he returned to the restaurant naming the dish "No 1 Scholar Turtle" and the restaurant "No 1 Restaurant”. Later on, the dish gained further reputation and became renowned at home and abroad.

2. Dry Fried River Eel (Guoshao Manyu)

Ningbo has lots of rivers and lakes, and thus it is abundant with river eels.The cooking process of the dish is complicated and skillful. Chefs prepare 0.5 kg eel, cook it until soft, remove the bones, and fry it with spices. The successfully-cooked dish should be attractive in shape, golden in color, fresh and slightly sweet in taste. 

3. Fried Lichen Cubes (Taicai Xiaofangkao)

This dish is made from fried slices of pork belly, lichen slices seasoned with Shaoxing wine, red preserved bean curd and sugar. Because of its nice shape and color, the dish is incredibly appetizing and goes well with wine.