Caozhai Town

Caozhai Town

Known as the "Hometown of Citrus," "Building Materials Base," and "Little Turpan Basin," Caozhai Town is located 10 kilometers east of downtown Jinhua, 30 kilometers from downtown Yiwu, and 5 kilometers from the emerging Jinsanjiao Industrial City. Provincial Highway 03 and the Hang-Jin-Qu Expressway run through the town, with two interchanges on the east and west sides less than 10 minutes’ drive from the town center. The town administers 64 administrative villages, has a population of 43,000, and covers an area of 92 square kilometers. It is recognized as a provincial-level historic town, a central town of Jinhua, and a municipal-level "Pearl of the East China Sea" town.

In recent years, Caozhai has vigorously implemented the strategic vision of “strengthening the town through industry, revitalizing it through tourism, and promoting urbanization and urban-rural integration.” With bold planning and substantial construction efforts, the town has achieved remarkable economic and social progress. The industrial sector is increasingly defined by leading industries such as dairy products, brewing, imitation rosewood furniture, and building materials. The agricultural layout features a well-balanced structure centered around citrus, grapes, and special breeding. In 2003, the total output value of industry and agriculture reached 1.242 billion yuan, with tax payments to the state totaling 19.06 million yuan. The built-up area of the town has expanded to 2.52 square kilometers.

Nestled against the mountains, Caozhai enjoys pleasant scenery, with the northern mountain range extending into its territory. The beautiful natural landscape has given rise to unique tourism resources here. The Grand Buddha Temple, a provincial-level scenic spot built during the Liang Dynasty Datong era (504 AD), is located in the northern part of the town and attracts 200,000 domestic and international visitors annually.

Caozhai has a long history and profound cultural heritage, with a large number of well-preserved ancient Ming and Qing architectural complexes. The area has produced many scholars and literary figures. Notable historical personalities include Zheng Gangzhong, a famous patriotic general of the Song Dynasty, and Du Heng, a renowned literati of the Ming Dynasty—both of whom are symbols of Caozhai.