Dongmen Fishing Village

Dongmen Fishing Village

Dongmen Fishing Village is situated on Dongmen Island in Shipu Town, Xiangshan County, Zhejiang Province, facing Shipu Town across the harbor. It owns 240 high-horsepower steel fishing vessels and has a well-developed fishing economy, being hailed as “Zhejiang’s No. 1 Fishing Village.” The village currently has 1,210 households, with a population of 3,806, an orchard area of 274 mu, a mountainous forest area of 1,799 mu, and a marine aquaculture area of 200 mu. Over 80% of the village's young and middle-aged adults are engaged in marine fishing. ?? Dongmen Fishing Village features both mountain and sea landscapes, boasts picturesque scenery, has a long history of coastal defense, and is rich in historical sites, ancient architecture, cultural landmarks, and maritime heritage. With its strong fishing culture ambiance, it serves as a "living" museum of fishing culture. Tourism themed around “fishermen’s experiences” has been developing vigorously. In 2007, the village’s total economic income exceeded 300 million yuan, including 200 million yuan from fisheries, with collective village assets reaching over 18 million yuan and an average annual per capita income of 13,800 yuan among farmers and fishermen.

Across the sea from Shipu Fishing Port lies Dongmen Fishing Village, where the famous film “Song of the Fishermen” was shot. Visitors following in the film’s footsteps can choose to drive, following the Harbor Avenue over the Tongwamen Sea-Crossing Bridge straight to Dongmen Island, or opt for the ferry, passing by rows of brand-new steel fishing boats moored in the harbor. Within fifteen minutes, they can disembark. However, there is no trace of the humble home of “Xiao Mao” (the little girl cat) seen in the film: uniform modern residences, countless masts dotting the seascape fluttering bright red dragon flags, and the marble plaque on the shore that reads “Zhejiang’s No. 1 Fishing Village,” all create an atmosphere steeped in a modern fishing vibe. Only the monument commemorating the filming of “Song of the Fishermen” silently converses with your soul, taking you back through time and evoking images of the fishing village from the movie.

In an outdoor fishing net workshop stretching over 1,000 meters, rows of net racks stand imposingly, with fishing nets in varying shades of green. Among them sit fashionably dressed local women weaving nets—descendants of the long-braided fishing girls like “Xiao Mao.” For visitors seeking scenes where “Xiao Mao” once acted, they offer a fun fishing activity called “Net-Weaving Joy”; for those looking for the “long-braided girl” who taught “Xiao Mao” how to row a boat, they have set up a “Sampan Racing” competition. When you sit at a seaside table, gentle waves play soft music for you while the sea breeze brushes off the dust. Sipping wine and sampling seafood, today’s “Xiao Mao” girls will tell you—September 16th each year marks the end of the three-month fishing moratorium and the first day of the fishing season, when thousands of boats head out to sea. The catch often returns within a day or two, and they welcome you to come back then and taste the freshest “first-net” seafood from the East China Sea.

Many visitors may not know that Dongmen Island is also a place rich in historical and cultural heritage. Its unique geographical location makes it a shield for Shipu. During the Song Dynasty, Dongmen Fort was established as the first military camp in Xiangshan’s history. The island is dotted with many historic sites and relics, such as the Mazu Temple at Guji Mountain near Laodao Tou, built in the early Ming Dynasty. Covering an area of over 2,000 square meters with a construction area of 1,200 square meters, the temple follows a unique local custom related to Mazu: legend says Mazu once visited the island. Therefore, on the traditional birthday of Mazu, the 23rd day of the third lunar month—a lucky day—local fishermen set sail north to the Daquyang fishing grounds. They hold a Mazu birthday celebration and a farewell ceremony for loved ones heading out to sea, a rare tradition along China’s coasts. This custom has now evolved into a key event during China’s Fishing Festival—the Mazu Patrol and Fireworks Gala. The island also houses an ancient Chenghuang Temple, General Wang’s Temple, and Dongmen Temple, as well as fortress walls and beacon towers built during the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties. There is also the Men tou Shan Lighthouse, built in the early Republic of China, and recently restored Qing Dynasty-era cannons, a statue of Cai Yuanpei, and inscribed stone tablets. Towering above is a over ten-meter-high statue of the sea goddess Mazu.