The taste of a unique island, in four bites

Urban retreat serves up a paradise of flora and fauna

Chongming is the world's largest sand island, and with its location on the estuary of the Yangtze River and the East China Sea and its unique soil traits, it is endowed with ideal conditions for growing many plants, vegetables and fruits.

Between 2010 and 2015, the local government shut down 156 factories and plants considered environmentally unfriendly, at a loss of 1.73 billion yuan ($260 million), to turn the 1,267-square-kilometer island into both an urban retreat for people and a paradise for flora and fauna. Last year its agriculture generated 5.9 billion yuan in output, accounting for one-third of the agricultural products consumed by the 24 million people of Shanghai. In addition to the produce the island grows, it has attracted an increasing number of urbanites fleeing city life to become farmers.