🌊 On September 25, we mark World Maritime Day with the theme "Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity." It reminds us that the sea is more than a horizon—it’s a source of life, livelihoods and global innovation. ☀️🧂
Facing the East China Sea, Xiangshan County in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province on the Chinese mainland hosts a coastal gem: Hua’ao Island. There, Dafotou Mountain once guided passing ships like a natural lighthouse. At its base, ancient salt fields span as far as the eye can see.
For over 1,300 years, local families have practiced the art of sun-dried sea salt. In 2008, the Xiangshan sea-salt sun-drying technique was inscribed on the Chinese mainland’s list of national intangible cultural heritage. Today, Hua’ao Salt Field is the only active site keeping this living tradition alive, where workers carefully tend evaporation pans from sunrise to sunset.
This craft is more than salt—it’s a story of coastal resilience, cultural roots and sustainable practice. Next time you sprinkle that mineral-rich salt, remember the generations who turned ocean water into a timeless treasure. 💙
Reference(s):
Guardians of the blue planet: Zhejiang sea salt sun-drying heritage
cgtn.com
