The Oujiang River is surging with majestic waves. Since the reform and opening up, Wenzhou, Zhejiang has shaped a distinct urban brand with its unique "Wenzhou model". When it comes to Wenzhou, the thriving private economy and entrepreneurs traveling around are often the first iconic images that people think of. Even if they have never personally visited, the unique vitality of this city still comes to mind. In the public's impression, Wenzhou is often known for its thriving commerce and trade. Compared to sister cities such as Hangzhou, Shaoxing, and Ningbo, its cultural heritage is to some extent underestimated. However, behind this bustling commercial scene, Wenzhou has always carried a profound historical and cultural memory, showcasing a unique blend of beauty. The people on this land not only bravely move forward in the sea of commerce, but also devote the same enthusiasm to the inheritance and protection of culture. Today, Wenzhou is at a critical stage of accelerating the transformation of industrial structure and cultivating new quality productivity. Looking back at the over 2200 year history of this national historical and cultural city, its development has always been intertwined and complemented by its long-standing culture. Yizhen: Witnessing the Glorious Scenery of the "Maritime Silk Road" In March 2021, in order to alleviate the traffic pressure in the old city area, Wenzhou City unexpectedly excavated the ancient port site during the Wangjiang Road underpass project in Lucheng District. The ancient stone strips discovered by the construction workers are not only relics of the dock and boardwalk, but also direct evidence of Wenzhou's cultural exchange and economic activities as an important node on the "Maritime Silk Road". The cultural relics department quickly intervened, negotiated with the construction unit, and ultimately facilitated the main road to make way for cultural protection, and the project was rerouted. With the advancement of archaeological work, precious relics such as the Southern Song Dynasty riverbank, the Yuan Dynasty porcelain tile accumulation belt, and Song Dynasty sunken ships have been unearthed one after another, and a picture of a complete Song and Yuan port city is slowly unfolding. Since 2021, the archaeological excavation area of the Shuomen Ancient Port Site has reached over 8000 square meters, revealing the remains of water and land city gates such as Wangjiangmen and Feng'enmen in the ancient city of Wenzhou, as well as multiple docks, wharves, boardwalks, drywall style buildings and house sites. Over 10 tons of porcelain pieces, including a large amount of Longquan porcelain and Ou kiln porcelain, have also been unearthed. These findings not only demonstrate the prosperity of Wenzhou Port back then, but also prove the frequent economic trade and cultural exchanges between Wenzhou and overseas. The new plan not only protects precious historical sites, but also creates a visual resonance with the ancient pagoda on the central island of the Oujiang River, achieving a balance between cultural heritage protection and urban development. ”Jin Shenghong, the project manager of the Wangjiang Road underpass project (change plan), stated. Wang Wei, a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, highly praised this move, believing that it is a model for the protection of archaeological and cultural heritage in the new era. The Shuomen Ancient Port Site, as the first "Maritime Silk Road" heritage site in China that integrates "city port navigation mark", was listed as a supporting point for the "Maritime Silk Road" application in 2023. This site, with its unique "port city linkage" model, provides valuable reference for the study of similar cultural sites worldwide. These rich relics outline the prosperous scene of the "Maritime Silk Road" during the Song and Yuan dynasties. According to historical records, at that time, Wenzhou Port had frequent trade with countries such as Japan and Goryeo, and foreign merchant ships were constantly flowing in. Wenzhou is not only the main export destination of Longquan porcelain, but also an important river sea transit station. The prosperity of maritime trade has promoted exchanges between Wenzhou and people from different cultural backgrounds, bringing new ideas and concepts to Wenzhou. At the same time, with the increasing development of commerce, the status of the merchant class has been significantly elevated. Their pursuit of social status and recognition has promoted the birth of the Yongjia School with "practical application" as its core. Roots: Inheriting and Revitalizing the Vitality of the Times In the bustling city of Wenzhou, Haitanshan Park, with its serene beauty, safeguards the cultural soul of the city. Ascending along the winding path, the Yongjia School Museum, nestled among the green trees, showcases the wisdom of Wenzhou's thousand year old culture to the world with its quaint green bricks and grey tiles. This exhibition hall is not only a place for the inheritance of the Yongjia School's ideas, but also a symbol of Wenzhou's spirit of "practical application and balancing righteousness and benefit", injecting profound cultural heritage into the city's commercial civilization. Standing in front of the museum, a plaque engraved with the words' practical application 'comes into view. The Yongjia School is named after Wenzhou scholars such as Xue Jixuan, Chen Fuliang, and Ye Shi. It rose from the Southern Song Dynasty and experienced revival in the late Qing Dynasty. Its core ideology of pragmatism, emphasis on commerce, and promotion of achievements has become the cultural foundation of the Wenzhou spirit, deeply influencing the commercial development of Wenzhou. Scholars such as Li Yang, the president of Wenzhou Business School, believe that in the early stages of reform and opening up, Wenzhou was able to take the lead and become an important birthplace of China's private economy against the backdrop of resource scarcity and policy disadvantages. Its deep driving force was derived from the cultural inheritance of the Yongjia School's "practical application". The wisdom of seeking dialectical unity between seeking truth and practicality has become the spiritual driving force for Wenzhou people to constantly innovate and climb new heights. The first individual business license in China, the first professional market in China, the earliest joint-stock cooperative enterprise in the country, and the first rural city in China... Wenzhou has vividly demonstrated its unique position as a key hub of the private economy through a series of milestone initiatives. As of 2023, there are over 1.4 million operating entities and 390000 private enterprises in Wenzhou, providing 90% of employment opportunities for the city. 12 enterprises have been selected as one of the "Top 500 Private Enterprises in China", fully demonstrating the strong vitality of Wenzhou's economy. Standing at a new historical starting point, Wenzhou's development is still rooted in its profound cultural core. In August 2024, the "Four Thousand" Spirit Exhibition Hall, which had been prepared for over a year, officially opened in Yueqing City. This exhibition hall, covering an area of over 2300 square meters, displays nearly 400 physical objects, vividly depicting the struggle of Wenzhou entrepreneurs who have traveled thousands of mountains and rivers, spoken countless words, tried every means possible, and endured countless hardships. It profoundly reveals the spiritual code of the rise of Wenzhou's private economy. Nan Cunhui, Chairman of the Zhejiang Federation of Industry and Commerce and Chairman of Chint Group, pointed out that the "practical application" ideology of the Yongjia School and the "four thousand" spirit nurtured in the reform and opening up have jointly nurtured the entrepreneurial spirit of Wenzhou, inspiring them to constantly innovate and make greater contributions to economic and social development. Reconstruction: Integrating and Utilizing Cultural Heritage Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the revitalization and utilization of cultural relics and heritage in China has entered a new stage, presenting unprecedented vitality and vigor. Wenzhou actively explores the deep integration of culture, commerce, and tourism in this wave of innovation, allowing ancient cultural heritage to shine with new brilliance in modern life. On both sides of the Tanghe River in Ouhai District, Wenzhou, the Qingdeng Market held every spring and autumn has become a model for the integration of local culture and commerce. Relying on the profound cultural heritage of the Qingdeng Stone Carving Art Museum, the market not only provides a platform for life artists to exchange ideas, but also creates a cultural cluster that integrates the great achievements of Eastern life aesthetics. At the National Life Aesthetics Conference held in the spring of 2024, over 1000 life aesthetics brands gathered here, attracting a large number of tourists. The market is bustling day and night, with a scene of cultural creativity and commercial vitality intertwined everywhere. Zhang Jincheng, the director of Qingdeng Stone Carving Art Museum and initiator of Qingdeng Market, believes that "Qingdeng Market, driven by aesthetics, not only greatly promotes the prosperity of cultural tourism industry, but also injects strong impetus into the economic transformation and upgrading of the city." In the beautiful Yandang Mountain of Yueqing, the modern vitality of cultural heritage is presented in another way. Combining the geological wonders of billions of years, the coffee shop has become a new "internet celebrity" check-in spot for tourists. In the Lingfeng Scenic Area of Yandang Mountain, the ancient cave coffee is cleverly set up in a natural cave. The managers, Zhu Shuangshuang, and partners keenly captured the enormous potential of the new business model of "cultural tourism+coffee". They fully utilized the unique tourism resources and scenic environment of Yandang Mountain, carefully created a unique cultural space, and launched specialty drinks such as dendrobium coffee and volcanic coffee, attracting a large number of tourists to experience. A couple born in the 1980s in Xianglingtou Village, Yandang Town, Yueqing City, transformed their own building into a coffee shop called "Shanli Coffee". Shop owner Lin Minmin hopes to create a vibrant social space through the modern medium of coffee. During the Yandang Mountain Tieding Liuchun Music Festival, over 200 cups of Shanli Coffee were sold daily, becoming a popular gathering point for tourists to exchange ideas. Culture nourishes commerce, and commerce feeds back culture. The flourishing development of Wenzhou's cultural industry has greatly enhanced the brand influence of Yandang Mountain. Yueqing City has launched the "Three Year Action Plan for Revitalizing Yandang Mountain", which is committed to six major aspects: tourism route reconstruction, ecological restoration, cultural reconstruction, village reconstruction, business format reconstruction, and IP reconstruction, and has achieved significant results. From January to October 2023, the tourist reception and ticket revenue of Yandang Mountain increased by 16.28% and 11.65% respectively year-on-year, setting a new historical high. The intangible cultural heritage techniques such as Ou sculpture, Ou embroidery, boxwood carving, and colored stone inlay are inherited through innovation; The play comes from Wenzhou "sings the timeless melody of the hometown of Nanxi... Wenzhou has achieved fruitful results in cultural inheritance and innovation. The millennium commercial port, happy Wenzhou "radiates new vitality in the tide of the times, and Wenzhou will surely write a brilliant new chapter in the new journey of" building the third pole of Zhejiang ". (New Society)