Weifang, the famous Kite City and a tourism destination, is located in the center of Shandong Province, covering an area of 15,800 square kilometers with 8.6 million people, with 12 counties and districts, three development zones and one national-level export processing zone. The city is an important transportation hub in Shandong Peninsula, and a major base for manufacturing and agricultural products in the country. Boasting a strong industrial foundation and a complete industrial system, Weifang is flying high with its recent bullish economic performance.
●Location
●Climate
●History
●Architecture
●Economy
●Tourism
Location
Located in the center of Shandong peninsula, Weifang is called “the corridor of the province”. Under the jurisdiction of Weifang Municipal Government are 4 districts, 2 counties and 6 county towns. It faces Jinan and Zibo to the west, Yantai to the northeast and Qingdao to the southeast. Weifang is spread across a land area of some 15,900 sq km. The urban area of 1,472 sq km boosts some 1.2 million dwellers. Weifang owns the reputations of National Sanitary City, China’s Excellent Tourist City, National Model City for Environment Protection, as well as China Habitation Environment Award. It is an important traffic hub connecting the coastal areas and inland areas in Shandong province.
Climate
Against the continent and facing the sea, Weifang is situated in the monsoon region of the North Temperate Zone, which has a Weifang has a monsoon-influenced, four-season climate. The average annual temperature is 12.3℃, and the average annual precipitation is about 650mm. The city has a temperate climate with an average temperature of 12 degrees Celsius and an annual rainfall of 700 mm.
SICAS Reminder:
Generally speaking, the four seasons are all pleasant for living; especially in spring for the kite festival.The spring and autumn in Weifang are pleasant. In summer, it is advisable for international students to wear some T-shirts but remember to protect your skin against the sunshine. It will be the chilly winter time from Dec to Feb every year in Jinan and the temperature can be low to -9C. You need to prepare warm winter clothes and winter boots.
History
Weifang is a famous cultural city in Shandong province for its long history and rich cultural deposit. The historical city boasts well-known ancient cultural celebrities such as Fan Zhongyan, Su Dongpo, Li Qingzhao and Zhong Banqiao, who have left invaluable cultural heritages for Weifang. In addtion, Emperor Shun of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, the politician Yan Ying of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Confucian scholar Zheng Xuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the agriculturist Jia Simiao of the Northern Wei Dynasty were all from Weifang.It is also a land for folk customs with silver-inlaid lacquer wares, unique techniques and skills copper wares with ancient styles. Historic relics of more than 7,000 years ago were unearthed in this time-honored city. International students will be definitely attracted by the culture of the old city.
Architecture
Weifang constitutes the epitome of present-day China – a China that has achieved great success with accelerating industrialization and modernization, but has retained its old world charm. The plain-looking modern architecture of the downtown areas are a stark contrast to the much embellished structures of the imperial period, but there is no one will deny that they stand in unique harmony, one complementing the other.Some of Weifang’s architectural gems of the past and present are the Shiwu Garden, Million Yinlou, Fangong Pavilion Park, Zhucheng Museum, Wei Xian Memorial, Fu Amusement Park, Weifang Kite Museum, Fuwah Hotel, etc. Besides, a segment of the Great Wall of Qi (the oldest existing Great Wall in China), is also found in Weifang. The landmark architecture in Weifang is the builing in the left picture. It is constructed like a kite, which constitutes the landmark of the whole city.
Weifang World Kite Museum is located at 66 Xingzheng Street, Kuiwen District of Weifang city. Covering an area of 8100 square meters it is China’s first big kite museum. It is composed of eight exhibition halls displaying delicate kites from China and abroad, ancient and modern. The museum itself is an epitome of the World Capital of Kites. The ridge of the museum is a porcelain-made Chinese dragon and the roof is paved with peacock-blue-colored glazes, as if the dragon was flying in the sky. International students studying in Weifang can also feast their eyes on these unique kites. In addition, they can make kite in person and fly the kite at World Capital of Kites Square, which may remind them with their Childhood.
Economy
Weifang is among the key industrial cities in China and produces a variety of products like fabrics and clothing, foodstuff, chemicals, paper and packaging material, machinery, etc. The adoption of new technology has also enhanced Weifang’s agricultural produces –from vegetables to special varieties of beef, chicken and duck, prawn, etc. Tourism, chiefly centered round the International Kite Festival has also emerged as a key economic contributor.
Weifang is one of the main places of agricultural and sideline products. Recent years a series of technological and industrial major products with certain market advantages and market potency has been formed throughout the city, including grain, cotton, oil producer, tobacco, cocoon, vegetable, edible mushroom, fruit, flower, etc. More than 1200 leading enterprises of various kinds have been set up. Weifang is an important base for producing, processing and exporting quality agricultural products in China. In addition, So far, Weifang is the biggest salt and salt chemical industry base nationwide.
Attracted by the desirable investment environment, favourable investment policies and great development potentials in Weifang, a great number of world famous companies have set up operation in Weifang, such as Caterpillar from US, Bayer from Germany and Itochu from Japan. Recent years, over 18 World Top 500 companies have established operations in Weifang. It is a great opportunity for international students to find a good job after they graduate from the universities or colleges in Weifang. If you are one of them, you will have a promosing future here!
This is Weifang Binhai Economic-Technological Development Area.
Shandong Weifang Binhai Economic-Technological Development Area (BEDA) was established in August 1995. The coastline of BEDA stretches a distance of 69 kilometers covering more than 200,000 mu offshore lands BEDA with rich resources such as wind power, brine petrol natural gas, geothermaI reservoir, etc. The static reserve of underground brine amounts to 6 billion cubic meters, which makes BEDA the Iargest salt and bromine production base in China. BEDA possesses a large state—owned industrlal land for use with an area of 400 square kilometera. A great number of international students have brought their potentials into full play here, and they have gained plenty of working experience in the development area.
Tourism
Weifang is renowned as the "Kite Capital of the World". It is famous for its kites and kite-festivals. International students can come to the kite museum and kite factories in this region. If this gets you thinking that Weifang is all about kites, then go visiting the fossil sites as well as the historical landmarks and feast your eyes on the rich cultural legacy. Besides, there are a number of natural/scenic spots and other tourist attractions. Weifang is famous for its seafood-variety apart from the regular Chinese-fare. To top it all, the tourism sector is quite well-developed with world-class hotels and good
transportation infrastructure.
Annually The Weifang International Kite Festival is held from April 20th to 25th in Weifang (Shandong Province) for 27 sessions continuously from 1984 until now. This year, the 28th International Kite Festival will be held from April 16, 2011. It is a brand-new competitive event with more distinctive features than ever before. There will be new-style kites, super-big kites and brought by competitors from every part of the world which spectators have never ever seen. Till now, 20 countries and regions have registered in various competitive events, which is more than what we have expected. The night before the festival started, there was an opening ceremony that would equal most any Olympics opening ceremonies. During the opening ceremony and awards ceremony at the stadium, there was a huge show on stage with thousands of people.
Fuhua Amusement Park
Literally translated from Chinese, the words “Fu Hua” mean “Rich China”. The distinctive guest circulation is fashioned after a five–pointed star, conceived as a strong symbol for the project’s marketing efforts. The five–pointed star plan was well received in that it works in concert with Chinese symbols of government and also the National Communist Party.
For those international students who are crazy for theme amusement park or Disneyland, Fuhua Amusement Park can meet their demands and enrich their life to a large extent. The client requested that the primary elements of the park include the “best” features of Western entertainment parks including a “Main Street” entrance and a fantasy castle at the park’s center hub. Guests enter and exit the park along this "main–street" which offers the traditional retail and food service opportunities. A 7,500 square meter indoor–recreation center and a 3,500 square meter conference center flank the hotel anchor.
To see Weifang education please click here
