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Guide Page
老怪物
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Nantong, located in Jiangsu Province in eastern China, is approximately 120 kilometers from Shanghai. Nantong is a port city well known for its ship yards where ships are both built and retrofitted or refurbished for international shipping companies. A mere seven years ago, visitors to Nantong found it to be a dirty and underdeveloped city relying on the shipping and textile industries for survival. Today though, Nantong is a clean, flourishing and lively, modern city offering both its residents and visitors every modern convenience that they can imagine or desire. The transition has been remarkable at the very least. Basic facts about Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China: Nantong lies in the the north wing of the Changjiang River Delta, covering 8,001 square kilometers (4,971 sq. miles) with a population of roughly 8 million people in the area. Nantong's economy has been developing rapidly, and the city now ranks in the top 50 cities which have the strongest comprehensive economic strength and in the top 40 cities enjoying the most favorable investment environment in China. Nantong and the Changjiang River Delta boasts a three-dimension commerce and transportation net consisting of expressways, railway and an airport which makes its traffic fast and convenient. Add to that an extensive river system which allows for barges to traverse in the area, the area is heavily industrialized. With the completion of the Sutong Changjiang Bridge, Nantong has been able to into integrate itself into a one hour accessed metropolitan zone. With its close proximity to Shanghai, the future may well find Nantong to be equivalent to a suburb of the more populated Shanghai. Nantong is one of China's key tourist cities, featuring the Langshan Scenic Spots and the Haohe Scenic Spots which are both nationally classified as Grade AAAA. The enchanting natural scenery and splendid cultural relics contribute to the unique charm of Nantong, which attracts many tourists every year. Nantong is a city famous for her educational facilities which include a university and medical college (all disciplines), numerous technical colleges as well as a shipping college. With it's thriving textile and construction industries, the economy continues to grow proportionately. Nantong also has an Olympic size and class stadium which hosts numerous sporting events as well as cultures functions throughout the year. Nantong is also renowned for its kites and is home to the famous Nantong Whistling Kites which sound like a thousand melodic flutes playing when flown. Locally called Banyao (Ban-yow), these kites are extremely large and fashioned from bamboo, gourds, rice leaves and silk. The sounds of these kits drift across the landscape, fields and city parks and often are heard before the kite can be seen. Kite flying is a common hobby in Nantong, and kites with their "pilots" can be seen year round given the common and varying winds of Nantong. While Nantong is modern and has all the modern conveniences - ranging from large discount department stores to four and five star hotels and an exceptional public transport system - it still maintains its unique independence from western civilization. Despite this, the local Chinese people are always extremely friendly and helpful despite language and at times, cultural barriers. There is no fear or distrust of foreigners, though the Chinese pride of their country and culture will always shine through and prevail. The local residents - everyone from the top government officials on down to the poorest of the poor seem to genuinely enjoy and appreciate interaction with their foreign guests. Smaller and no doubt friendlier than larger cities in China, Nantong is certainly The Old Codger's preferred choice here in China. It is not only a great place to visit for a few days or weeks, it is also an enjoyable place to live with a small but active ex-pat community from around the world. For more localized information, feel free to follow the links below:
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