Qingtian – China’s Most European City

Qingtian, a county in Zhejiang province, is renowned for its strong ties to its overseas Chinese community. For generations, countless Qingtianese have migrated abroad — particularly to Europe — working as entrepreneurs and traders while maintaining close bonds with their hometown. These overseas Chinese have sent back investments, cultural ideas, and support, helping Qingtian modernize and develop. The result is a town with a uniquely international feel, where people speak multiple languages, and shops cater to global tastes. Walking through Qingtian’s streets, you sense how its residents have integrated global influences while staying rooted in their Zhejiang traditions.

Qingtian is also famous for its exquisite stone carving, a craft with over a thousand years of history. Skilled artisans transform locally mined soapstone into intricate figurines and delicate seals, highly prized across China and abroad. Many Qingtian carvers took their skills with them overseas, gaining international fame and exporting their works worldwide. As a result, stone-carving culture here has absorbed foreign artistic ideas, creating pieces that blend Chinese tradition with modern global design trends. Visiting Qingtian’s carving workshops or its stone museum offers a vivid look at how this heritage art continues to evolve thanks to its far-reaching diaspora.

The everyday life of Qingtian is shaped by this international perspective. Returning migrants have opened restaurants serving Italian pizza next to traditional Zhejiang noodles, and multilingual signs dot the town center. Festivals often include both local dragon dances and international cultural performances, reflecting its cosmopolitan ties. The people of Qingtian are proud of their reputation as world travelers who never forget their hometown roots. This balance of local pride and international experience gives Qingtian a welcoming, open-minded atmosphere that few other Chinese towns can match, making it a remarkable example of how global migration enriches even small communities.