Foshan Tops China’s Most Romantic Cities List; Ningbo and Dongguan Follow

▲ A promotional video of Dongguan is played in the waiting hall of Guangzhou South Railway Station. (Photo / From Yangcheng Evening News, archival image)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

When it comes to the most romantic city in China, which one comes to mind? Amazon China, a well-known online marketplace, has released its first-ever “China’s Most Romantic Cities Ranking.” Foshan in Guangdong Province took the top spot, followed by Ningbo in Zhejiang, while Dongguan—also located in Guangdong and recently cracking down hard on vice—ranked third. In contrast, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, the three first-tier cities, failed to make it into the top 10.

▲ “Feihong Tiandi” in Foshan, Guangdong. (Photo / Courtesy of Visual China)

According to a report by Beijing Morning Post, the rankings of Foshan, Ningbo, and Dongguan as the top three romantic cities came as a surprise to many. Especially Dongguan, often dubbed the “sex capital,” known for its nightlife full of bright lights and revelry and seen as a “paradise for men,” has been actively cracking down on vice in an effort to shed its negative image. Foshan is one of the birthplaces of Lingnan culture and also the hometown of the legendary martial artist Wong Fei-hung. Ningbo is one of China’s historic and cultural cities.

▲ Dongguan often gives off an impression of glitz and nightlife (left); the famous Keyuan Garden in Dongguan is one of the Four Great Gardens of Guangdong (right). (Photo / Screenshot from the internet, archival image; from Wikipedia)

▲ The Ningbo Museum, a famous attraction in Ningbo. (Photo / From Wikipedia)

The cities ranking from third to tenth in romance are Changsha, Wuxi, Kunming, Chongqing, Chengdu, Shenyang, and Dalian. According to Amazon China, the top 10 cities are mostly important economic and commercial hubs with long histories and rich cultural vibes, and it is the combination of these elements that enhances their romantic appeal.

According to reports, Shanghai is widely regarded as the most romantic city by the public, Guangzhou is seen as the place that best understands life, and Beijing is the political and cultural center—but these three major cities only ranked 13th, 19th, and 22nd on the list, respectively. Among the top 30 cities on the list, over 60% are from southern provinces such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Hunan, Zhejiang, Yunnan, and Sichuan; the two non-southern cities in the top 10 are both located in Liaoning Province.

The ranking of romantic cities was compiled based on a comprehensive analysis of sales data in 2013 across China for print books, e-books, and music CDs related to themes such as love, romance, marriage, and idols. Cities were ranked according to the proportion of their total sales volume relative to the overall national figures. (News source: CNA)