Yìwū

Yiwu lies in the hills and valleys of central Zhejiang. In 1559, amid the coastal raids that troubled the Ming empire, the general Qi Jiguang came here to recruit soldiers. He trained men from Yiwu and neighbouring districts into a disciplined force that fought raiders in Zhejiang and Fujian. The army later served on the northern frontier, carrying its experience from the southeastern coast to the Great Wall.