Dasheng Cotton Mill

Dasheng Cotton Mill (大生纱厂) is a historic Chinese textile enterprise founded in 1895 (the 21st year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty) by Zhang Jian in Nantong, Jiangsu Province. It was one of the earliest modern cotton-spinning mills established by Chinese capital and became a cornerstone of Nantong's industrial development. The mill operated as a major textile producer and contributed to the region's economic modernization. Today, the original site of Dasheng Cotton Mill is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位). The surviving structures include the clock tower, the administrative hall (公事厅), the experts' building (专家楼), the cotton-cleaning workshop (清花间厂房), warehouses, the library and dormitory buildings of the Nantong Textile Specialized School (南通纺织专门学校), the Tangzha Industrial Primary School building (唐闸实业小学教学楼), the factory moat (护厂河), the Dasheng wharf ruins (大生码头遗址), and the site of the Nantong Dasheng No. 3 Textile Company (南通大生第三纺织公司旧址). In 2006, the mill was included as an extension of the Nantong Museum (南通博物苑) in the third batch of national protected sites. In March 2013, it was separated from the Nantong Museum and merged with the seventh batch site "Nantong Dasheng No. 3 Textile Company Old Site" under the unified name "Dasheng Cotton Mill." The brand remains associated with the Dasheng Group, which continues textile-related operations. The mill's legacy is preserved both as an industrial heritage site and as a symbol of China's early modern industrialization.

Dasheng Cotton Mill was founded in 1895 by Zhang Jian, a prominent Qing dynasty scholar-official and industrialist, in Nantong, Jiangsu Province. It was established during the Guangxu reign and represented one of the first modern cotton-spinning enterprises funded by Chinese capital. The mill grew to become a major textile producer in the region and played a key role in the industrial development of Nantong, often referred to as one of China's early modern industrial cities. Over the following decades, the enterprise expanded, and related facilities such as the Nantong Textile Specialized School and the Dasheng No. 3 Textile Company were established. The original site of the mill, with its clock tower, administrative hall, workshops, warehouses, and other structures, became a significant industrial heritage site. In 2006, the Dasheng Cotton Mill site was included as an extension of the Nantong Museum in the third batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. In March 2013, it was separated from the Nantong Museum and merged with the seventh batch site "Nantong Dasheng No. 3 Textile Company Old Site" to form a single protected unit named "Dasheng Cotton Mill." The site remains a testament to China's early industrialization and the legacy of Zhang Jian's industrial initiatives.

• 2013

  In March, Dasheng Cotton Mill was separated from the Nantong Museum and merged with the seventh batch site "Nantong Dasheng No. 3 Textile Company Old Site" under the name "Dasheng Cotton Mill."

• 2006

  Dasheng Cotton Mill included as an extension of the Nantong Museum in the third batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

• 1895

  Dasheng Cotton Mill founded by Zhang Jian in Nantong, Jiangsu.

• Cotton yarn and textiles

  The mill produced cotton yarn and related textile products as its core business.

1. 1Dasheng Cotton Mill - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2大生纱厂 - 维基百科zh.wikipedia.org