Get to know Xiangshan County
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- Administrative area
- County · 县
- Part of
- Ningbo
- Chinese name
- 象山县
- Local areas
- County guide
Area & population
- Area in the source
- 1,393.82 km²
- Population · 2020
- 567,600
Source: cited geographic source, as of the dates shown.
Setting and landscape
The county is named after a range north of the county seat said to be shaped like a crouching elephant (伏象). Mountains cover 71 per cent of the land; the highest point, Dongbanshan (东搬山) at 810.8 metres, is on the border with Ninghai. The two largest plains, Nanzhuang (南庄平原) in the east and Dingshan (定山平原) in the southwest, are called the "upper eighty thousand" and "lower eighty thousand" mu.
History
People were already living off the sea here 6,000 years ago, and gave rise to the Tashan culture (塔山文化). In the early Ming, the Changguo guard city (昌国卫城) and garrison posts at Juexi (爵溪) and Qiancang (钱仓) were built against Japanese pirates, and CCTV notes that troops of the general Qi Jiguang (戚继光) fought pirates at Shipu. On Huaao Island (花岙岛) is the site of the barracks of Zhang Cangshui (张苍水).
What to see
Shipu is a national historic and cultural town. CCTV calls it one of China's earliest centres of sea fishing, a noted fish-trading port in the Tang and Song and a coastal-defence town in the Ming and Qing; the film Song of the Fishermen (渔光曲) was shot there. The Shipu fishing-port old town (石浦渔港古城) keeps four complete old streets: Wanhang Street (碗行街), once lined with bowl shops, Fujian Street (福建街), Middle Street (中街) and Back Street (后街). The old town is linked with Yu Shiji (俞士吉), a vice-minister of justice remembered for honest service, and has a Vice-Minister's Mansion (侍郎府).
The Ocean Fishing Culture Museum (海洋渔文化馆) occupies the former Xiangshan No. 1 Freezing Plant and uses AR and glasses-free 3D displays. The county also has a film and television city at Xinqiao (新桥) and the Songlanshan (松兰山) seaside resort, and it hosts the China Fishing Festival (中国开渔节).
Food, crafts and traditions
Xiangshan white geese carry Chinese geographical-indication status. In Shipu, fish-bone pictures (鱼骨画), made from fish bones, are a traditional heritage craft, and fish lanterns (鱼灯) made by local lantern makers are carried in folk dances. Xiangshan fishermen's work chants (象山渔民号子), sung mainly at Shipu's Dongmen (东门) and at Juexi, include more than twenty kinds, from anchor-raising to sculling songs, and entered the national intangible-heritage list in 2011. Xiangshan bamboo-root carving (象山竹根雕), shaped around the natural form of moso bamboo roots, followed in 2021; the oldest known surviving pieces date from the Jiaqing reign of the Qing.
Highlights
- Shipu fishing-port old town 石浦渔港古城: Four complete old streets in a national historic town; filming location of Song of the Fishermen.
- Ocean Fishing Culture Museum 海洋渔文化馆: Fishing-culture museum in the former Xiangshan No. 1 Freezing Plant.
- Xiangshan Film and Television City 象山影视城: Film city at Xinqiao.
- Xiangshan fishermen's work chants 象山渔民号子: More than twenty kinds of work songs; national intangible heritage, 2011.
Sources for this guide
一座“活着的古渔镇”！在象山石浦，体验不寻常的渔家风情 · CCTV
象山深挖渔文化打造清廉"展示窗" · Zhejiang Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision
海洋号子（象山渔民号子） · China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (Chinese National Academy of Arts)
竹根雕（象山竹根雕） · China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (Chinese National Academy of Arts)
象山县 - 维基百科 · Wikipedia (Chinese) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Original English written from the listed sources and checked sentence by sentence against quoted extracts by a separate reviewer. Updated 2026-09-25.
Explore Xiangshan County
Core places to explore, with English and Chinese names.
Places to explore around Xiangshan County
A lantern-decorated alley leading to the old town gate of Shipu Fishing Port Ancient Town, Xiangshan County · 象山县石浦渔港古城，挂满彩灯的老街通往城门 Source-recorded photograph date: Taken on 3 May 2015.Shipu Fishing Port Ancient City石浦渔港古城
Shipu Fishing Port Old Town climbs the hills above the harbour in Xiangshan, with stepped lanes, terraced houses and streets shaped by fishing and maritime trade.
Read the place guide →
AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非该地点实拍）Dongdan Sports Beach东旦时尚运动海滩
Dongdan Sports Beach is a crescent of sand beside Dongdan Village in Xiangshan's Dongchen Township, with a coastal identity built around sailing and windsurfing.
Read the place guide →
China Fishing Village · 中国渔村China Fishing Village中国渔村
China Fishing Village is a modern seaside leisure development at Huangcheng Beach in Shipu, combining a sandy shore with fishing-culture themes.
Read the place guide →
Gate of the Spring and Autumn/Warring States set at Xiangshan Film and Television City, Ningbo · 宁波象山影视城春秋战国城城门 Source-recorded photograph date: 2011-11-23.Xiangshan Film City象山影视城
Studio town in Xiangshan, Ningbo, begun in 2003 for The Return of the Condor Heroes, with Song, Warring States, Tang and Republican-era sets.
Read the place guide →Plan your visit
Getting there
Xiangshan County is about 50 km in a straight line from central Ningbo. Search for 象山县 in a map app to find stations and your accommodation.
Where to stay →Build your route
Shipu Fishing Port Ancient City and Dongdan Sports Beach are both listed here. The linked place guides have entrance and visit details.
Continue with Ningbo →More in Ningbo
Sources & geographic information
Administrative names and parent areas: Official geographic directory · Reference date 2026-09-06.
Some facts checked against 象山县 — Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo: Shipu Fishing Port Ancient City · Danny Luo · CC BY-SA 3.0. Full frame retained; proportionally resized and converted to WebP. No retouching or changes to the photographed subject. Card displays may crop the view.
Photo: China Fishing Village · Source photographer · License not provided. EXIF orientation normalized; resized without changing aspect ratio; converted to WebP. No subject edits.
Photo: Xiangshan Film City · Siyuwj · CC BY-SA 3.0. Full frame retained; proportionally resized and converted to WebP. No retouching or changes to the photographed subject. Card displays may crop the view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins mark approximate centres, not entrances or boundaries.