Ant Island

Ant Island

Ant Island is a small island in the Zhoushan Archipelago of the East China Sea. When viewed from above, it is extremely tiny, with mountainous terrain that resembles an ant crawling across the sea—hence its name. It is the smallest island in the Zhoushan Archipelago.

Ant Island is located in the southeastern part of the Zhoushan Archipelago and forms its own township. It lies adjacent to "Peach Blossom Island from Jin Yong’s novels" across the harbor and is 6.5 nautical miles from Shenjiamen Fishing Port. The township covers a land area of 2.64 square kilometers, has a population of 4,600, and includes three administrative villages. Ant Island Township has been recognized as a National Advanced Unit in Rural Socialist Construction; a Demonstration Township for Fishery and Rural Modernization in Zhejiang Province; a Strong Education Town in Zhejiang Province; an Advanced Unit in Zhejiang Province’s “Six Ones” Environmental Protection Project; a Sanitary Township in Zhoushan City; a Demonstration Site for Ecological (Township) Construction in Zhoushan City; and one of the first Well-Off Townships in Zhoushan.

Ant Island serves as the seat of the Ant Island Township Government in Putuo District. It lies 8.5 kilometers north of Shenjiamen Town and 1.7 kilometers south of Peach Blossom Island, across the Qingsizimen Channel. Its highest point, Dapinggang, rises 157.3 meters above sea level, and the coastline stretches 7.82 kilometers. The island is roughly rectangular in shape, resembling an ant—thus its name. Oriented east-west, it is slightly wider in the west, measuring 2 kilometers in length, 1.4 kilometers in width in the west, and 1.1 kilometers in the east. The land area covers 2.22 square kilometers, and the coastline is rugged, dotted with bays, coves, and horseshoe-shaped harbors that provide excellent shelter for fishing boats. The residents mainly rely on fishing. In the 1950s, the island was known as an advanced unit in hard work and thrift. It was once commended by the State Council. There are five administrative villages on the island. By the end of 2000, the population was 1,203 households and 4,485 people.

When Ant Island was liberated in 1950, the local fishermen lived in extreme poverty. But hardship did not crush the spirit of the islanders. Under the leadership of the People’s Government, they organized themselves for self-rescue through production. The fishermen were highly motivated, sparking a wave of self-reliance, mutual aid, and hard work. In those days, there was even a saying that “tiny Ant Island could outperform the Soviet Union,” making it a role model for the entire nation. In 1952, the first fishery production mutual aid group in Zhoushan was established here, marking the embryonic form of the people's commune. In September 1958, Ant Island founded the country’s first people’s commune—the Ant Island People’s Commune. From then on, the island became a national model of rural hard work and a flagship of China’s fishery industry. The call to “plant the red flag of the Ant Island People’s Commune across all fishing areas of the country” brought this tiny island great renown during the 1950s and 1960s. Numerous central leaders, including [Names Redacted], visited the island. Perhaps many don’t know that the famous song “Night at the Naval Port” was written by military writer Ma Jinxing during his time living and experiencing life on Ant Island.

“Back then, us folks on Ant Island were determined to 'not take a single cent from the state.' With the strong resolve to 'run everything thriftily,' we relied on our own efforts to work hard and build the once-poor and barren Ant Island into a well-known fishery model not just along the coast of Zhejiang, but throughout the country.” Liu Yazhu, the manager of the Ant Island Pioneer Memorial Hall, served as deputy head of Ant Island Township and deputy director of the People’s Commune in the mid-1950s. He has deep feelings about the enthusiastic pioneering efforts of the islanders in those years.

Over the years, Ant Island has been committed to building an ecological tourism island. Currently, the forest coverage rate across the island reaches 46.4%, and green spaces cover 60% of the area. The variety of plants used for garden greening on the island totals up to 300 species. The air is fresh and the environment clean, making it a true green island. Greening is only part of Ant Island’s ecological development. Two years ago, it became the first among Zhoushan’s smaller islands to establish an ecological township construction plan, aiming to develop Ant Island into a beautiful home with a relatively developed eco-economy, a virtuous cycle ecological environment, and pleasant surroundings.

Admission Fee

20 RMB for Ant Island, 50 RMB for offshore fishing trips

Location

Within the Golden Triangle Tourist Area, Putuo District, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province