Ningbo, one of the oldest cities in China, lies in the east of Zhejiang Province at the mid-point of the Chinese coastline. As the birthplace of Hemudu culture with a history of more than 7,000 years, Ningbo has witnessed the rise and fall of numerous dynasties.

    Present-day Ningbo is one of the most developed city in Zhejiang. As a port city, it is also a vital part of Shanghai's international airport system and offers regular flights to more than 600 ports in 216 countries.


   #10 Tengtou Village (滕头旅游景区)


    Tengtou Village, arguably the best village of China, is worth a visit to discover its rustic and environmentally friendly atmosphere and to get a taste of the bucolic life. Near Ningbo City, it has been recognized by the United Nations for its ecological care and was on display at the Expo 2010 Shanghai, the largest international world fair.


    Tengtou's charm lies in what makes it a modern village without industrialization. The tourism and environmental protection is mutually beneficial. Power is clean and recyclable and the cultural relics are well-preserved.

    Summer, when the fruits are fresh and ripe, is a good time to visit the village. The experience of seeing and taking part in rural production methods is another highlight for Tengtou visitors. The well-preserved stone windows, furniture and local relics dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) are the main draws to the village.

    #9 Xiao Putuo scenic spot (小普陀)

    It is said that Xiao Putuo witnessed the filial piety of a prime minister in ancient China. The prime minister's mother was Buddhist and had been longing to pay her homage to Buddha on Putuo Mountain, one of the four sacred mountains of Buddhism in China. Because his mother was blind and there was inconvenient traffic, the prime minister founded Xiao Putuo with similar physical characteristics. Xiao in Chinese means small.


    The Xiao Putuo scenic spot, a vital part of Dongqian Lake scenic area, mainly consists of Huxin Causeway and Xiayu Buddhist Temple, which has a more than 800-year-old history. The causeway divides the lake into southern and northern parts.

     #8 Lao Waitan (The Old Bund) (老外滩)

    During the First Opium War, the British captured an outlying district of present Ningbo. The signing of the Treaties of Nanjing in 1842 ended the war, and Ningbo became one of the five major seaports to open to Western powers.

    Since then, a foreign settlement along the Old Bund in Ningbo began, which antedated the Shanghai's better-known bund by more than 20 years. This bund has a range of restaurants, cafes and bars. Restored historic structures stand alongside newer buildings and create one pretty picture.

     #7 Ashoka Temple (阿育王寺)

    The famous Indian Buddhist emperor Ashoka (ca. 304-232 BC) was dedicated to the propagation of Buddhism across Asia. The Ashoka Temple in Ningbo City is the only temple in China named after the emperor.

   The temple, originally built in 282 A.D., contains 600 rooms covering a building area of about 14,000 square meters. It is best known for its pagoda housing the sarira, or ancient relics, of the historical Buddha. The carved stone pagoda rises from the golden-glazed tile roof covering the Buddha Relic Hall.

   Travel tips: the temple is famed for the dagoba which houses the Buddhist relics of Sakyamuni. Dagoba is similar to pagoda yet it usually refers to which houses the relics of the eminent monk.

  
    #6 Dongqian Lake (东钱湖)

    Dongqian Lake, lying in the southeast of Yinzhou District, Ningbo, is the largest natural freshwater lake in Zhejiang Province and is roughly four times the size of the famous West Lake in Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang. It has been a famous scenic spot since ancient times.

    Xiao Putuo, the island named after Mount Putuo, is located in the center of the lake. A statue of Guanyin Bodhisatta was built here. It also houses the Xiayu Buddhist Temple. Old houses featuring local restaurants cluster along the shore. Local fishing boats, including some traditional wooden boats, are moored nearby. The lake remains relatively undisturbed.

    #5 Tiantong Temple (天童寺)

    Tiantong Temple, originally built in 300 A.D., is one of the two most famous ancient temples in east Ningbo. At the base of Mount Taibai, Tiantong Temple contains over 720 rooms and covers an area of 60,000 square meters. Its grandeur is rare in China.

    As a holy place of Buddhism, Tiantong Temple is not only an important temple of Linji Sect but also the father of Soto (Caotong in Chinese Sect) in Japan with 8 million disciples in 33,000 temples. The temple plays an important role in the cultural exchanges between China and Japan. It is well-known in the southeast Asian countries.

    Situated in Tiantong's National Forest Park, Tiantong Temple is surrounded by thick woods and tall bamboo trees. In the temple there are the Imperial Inscriptions and Steles by ancient Chinese emperors.

    #4 Tianyi Square (天一广场)

   Located in the Ningbo City Center, Tianyi Square is the city's biggest square with an area of 193,000 square meters, 32 percent of which are the green belts.
As the one-stop shopping, entertainment and commercial plaza, it is known as the 'Business Aircraft Carrier of Ningbo' and 'name card' of the city.

    Completed in 2001, the square was co-designed by the Ningbo Architectural Institute and a U.S. architectural designing agency. The square's main architectural structures are building complexes with a touch of European flavor.

    With various shops, department stores and supermarkets, the square provides tourists with a pleasant paradise for relaxing.

      #3 Hemudu Site (河姆渡文化遗址)

     Ningbo is the birthplace of Hemudu civilization that thrived more than 7,000 years ago. The Hemudu site is one of the earliest Neolithic Age sites discovered in China. The Hemudu lived in long stilt houses and were one of the earliest people to cultivate rice.

   Situated in Yuyao Town, 20 kilometers from Ningbo City, the site covers 50,000 square meters and contains four layers that represent a different cultural age. The deepest layer has the longest history or more than 7,000 years. A number of tools made from bones, jade, wood and clay, jewelry, and the remains of buildings are displayed.

    The site, discovered in 1973, features an exhibition area and the original excavation site.

     #2 Baoguo Temple (保国寺)

    

     Baoguo Temple, situated 15 kilometers away from downtown Ningbo City on the side of Lingshan Mountain, is the oldest and most completely preserved wooden structure in South China. The main hall of the present temple dates back to 1013.

    It consists of Shan Men (Mountain Gate), Tian Wang Dian (Hall of Heavenly King), Da Dian (Grand Hall), and the Scripture Repository, occupying an area of 13,000 square meters.

    As the oldest and the best-preserved example of wooden architecture south of the Yangtze River, the Grand Hall is invaluable to the nation's architectural studies and still a mystery to scientists.

    The hall was built without a single nail or beam. In addition, no birds have ventured inside to make nests, nor have insects, and no dust has accumulated.
    The Bell Tower, the Drum Tower and the Guest House are scattered along the hall.

   
    #1 Tianyi Pavilion (天一阁)

   
    Having survived more than 430 years, Tianyi Pavilion is the oldest private library in China, one of the world's three oldest private libraries and the best-known tourist spot in the city.

   Situated beside the picturesque Moon Lake in west Ningbo City, the library covers an area of 26,000 square meters and has amassed a collection of 300,000 volumes, 80,000 of which are rare books. The founder of the library, a former official in several cities around China, collected books from his friends.

   Handwritten book copies were the main part of his collection.

   The pavilion also features exhibits chronicling the pavilion's history and Chinese art exhibits. Many buildings in the pavilion are dotted amongst ponds,rockeries and groves in intricate gardens.