Zhejiang province's Baisha and Zhujiajian are islands not only geographically but also psychologically.

They're sanctuaries of tranquility and tradition in China's sometimes-tempestuous waves of gale-speed urbanization and modernization.

The peaceful and picturesque isles off Zhejiang's northeastern tip are a 25-minute ferry ride apart.

Baisha's quaint cottages have white walls and blue doors.

Boardwalks that cling to cliffs offer sweeping vistas of the East China Sea.

The Yongjiang and Changjiang rivers' sediment has painted the waves that lap the strand yellow. But the elevated walkways offer clear views of the crisp delineation between cloudy waters and the brilliantly blue beyond.

The quiet island is mostly home to elderly people and fishermen.

Fishing has been the community's lifeblood for generations.

One of the oldest still-practiced traditions is a sacrifice to the Dragon King, who rules to ocean, to ritualistically implore safe navigation and nets lumpy with fish.

It culminates with anglers setting sail to gongs, drums and fireworks.

Vessels are so vital to life that they're even crucial to matrimony.

Couples decorate boats with colorful flags on the big day, when the groom ceremonially asks the bride aboard.

If he isn't back from his daily catch, a younger sibling performs the task on his behalf.

And a rooster accompanies her to her bridal chamber on the first night if the husband is still at sea. The fowl then becomes the family pet.

Visitors can join fishermen to watch them net fish, crabs and mantis shrimp.

Tourists can then find a restaurant to cook the catch.

Night skies are sometimes streaked with meteors and melt into stunning sunrises.

Indeed, the 0.38-square-kilometer Baisha seems like a crumb compared with the 74-sq-km Zhujiajian.

Visitors to the larger island can rent boats to catch crabs. Crews cook the crustaceans for them onboard.

Daqing Mountain National Park is an ideal starting point for explorations of Lisha, Qiansha and Qingsha. Promontories join these to Dongsha and Nansha beaches, creating a crescent of splendid shoreline.

Nansha hosts the Zhoushan International Sand Sculpture Festival, which gives shape to a different theme each year.

Outdoor performances of Impression of Putuo staged at Baishan Mountain's foot celebrate the island's position across the sea from the Putuo Mountain that's believed to serve as the home of the Guanyin bodhisattva, or Goddess of Mercy.

It tells the story of a man who becomes a monk through meditation. The show incorporates 3-D Buddhas, who materialize on massive screens.

Indeed, the scenes imbue the island with a different kind of divine spirit.

xulin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/09/2015 page19)