Have you ever heard of a town born from a shoal? Welcome to Haiyong a unique place on Chongming Island. Haiyong is a town in Jiangsu province but it’s geographically nestled within Shanghai. Its story is one of reclamation and perseverance.
Imagine a time before Haiyong existed. The Yangtze River flowed. A shifting sandbar Yonglongsha reappeared in 1937. It was a small area of land. However its location made it important.
In 1966 workers from Haimen began reclaiming this land. By 1968 enough land was stabilized. A dispute arose between Haimen and Qidong. Nantong mediated. The island was divided between them. Over 3000 workers toiled. They reclaimed 2 square kilometers by 1970.
Haiyong became part of Haimen in 1972. It was called Yonglongsha Farm then. More reclamation and natural processes joined it to Chongming Island in 1975. The town of Haiyong was established in 1992. It was later upgraded to Haiyong Town in September 2015.
Before its connection to Chongming’s road network Haiyong relied on ferries. Ferries connected it to Haimen’s Lingdian Harbor and Qidong’s Sanhe Harbor. The Chongqi Bridge opened in 2011. This bridge connected Haiyong to Jiangsu by road. More land was reclaimed. Haiyong’s area grew by another 3.2 square kilometers.
Today Haiyong is known for its agriculture. It grows rice sugarcane watermelon and cotton. Vegetables are grown too. The area also raises pigs hairy crabs and whiteleg shrimp. Plans are underway for more green and organic farming. The produce will be marketed in Shanghai.
Haiyong’s unique location its history of reclamation and its agricultural products make it a fascinating place. It is truly a town born from the river and shaped by human effort. Now you know Haiyong’s story. A story of land reclaimed from the sea a story of cooperation and growth. A story of Haiyong.