Zhang Jian (1853-1926) founded the Tonghai Kenmu Co in 1901, which was the first agricultural joint-stock company in China.

Under his visionary leadership, the once-barren beaches underwent a remarkable transformation, becoming the nation's largest agricultural reclamation area and a major commodity cotton field at that time.

This initiative not only ensured the prosperous growth of Dasheng Cotton Mills but also sparked a wave of agricultural reclamation and mudflat development. It contributed to the region's economic progress and signaled the beginning of modern coastal development in China.