WN27560336
CULTURAL HERITAGE - HUMAN LANDSCAPE 08: THE FLOATING VILLAGE
Fujian people live by the sea. Xiapu and Ningde in Fujian share the same latitude with Okinawa in Japan. The mild weather favours agriculture and fishery. On Sandu'ao Bay, there are hectares of fish farms. Together they make a floating town in the sea.

Located southeast of Ningde city, Sandu'ao is the gate to Fujian east. It is made up of five islets and one peninsula. Its shape is like an urn and its water is calm. It stands as a world renowned natural harbour and the only living natural spawning area of the yellow croaker in the world. The great harvest made people call the place the home of yellow croakers. The fish has been produced through artificial breeding since 1988. Other seafood like abalones have also been raised recently.

The inner sea area of Sandu'ao reaches 700 square kilometres. It houses 120,000 net cages and more than 12,000 people. Protected by the mountains at their back, the fish farms form a self-contained community, with supermarkets, shipyards, gas stations and a police station.

The day there starts with hawker boats touring around selling fresh food to different families. Children go to school by boats. While repairmen are busy with their work, a new house with three bedrooms and a living room is being installed in a fish farm. In the evening, fish farmers feed their fish. The little town passes each day in an orderly way.

The sea is mysterious and prolific. Life in the sea goes up and down like the tides. Fish farmers regard the sea as their farmland. They have to sow and nurture their crops before they harvest. People living by the sea shall always follow the rhythm of nature.
DVD
30 minutes
2012
USD 500.00