Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province, it covers a total area of 7,435 square km, with an urban area of 1,444 square km. Administratively, it consists of 8 districts, 3 counties, and one municipality. The population is 6.3 million, of which 3.94 million live in the urban areas and 1 million are seasonal laborers. With a history of over 2800 years, Guangzhou has always been a port for foreign exchanges and trade, and is still one of the largest ports in China.

Here the China Export Commodities Fair is held every spring and autumn, which attracts business people from the world over. Known as "City of Flowers", Guangzhou is famous for being a city with flowers all year round. The top four fruits of Guangzhou are lychees, bananas, pineapples and sweet oranges.People in Guangzhou speak Cantonese, a spoken language quite different from Mandarin. The delicious Cantonese cuisine is noted for its freshness, tenderness, smoothness and crispiness.

Guangzhou stands at the confluence of the East River, West River and North River, with its land sloping from north-east to south-west, and an alluvial plain in the south and south-west parts. It adjoins the South China Sea, and is crisscross with rivers and streams. It has south subtropical marine climate with an annual average temperature of 21.8 degree Celsius, rainfall of 1694 millimeters, and a frost-free period of 345 days. It's abundant in agricultural and aquatic resources. Its mineral resources include coal, salt, copper, iron, zinc, lead and limestone.

Guangzhou's industry covers machinery, shipbuilding, textiles, sugar-refinery, household electrical appliances, computers, petrochemicals, light industrial products for daily use, rubber products and garments. The Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone situated in Huangpu has already taken shape. Guangzhou has advanced agriculture, abounding in rice, sugarcanes, fruits, freshwater fish and oil crops.

Guangzhou is communication hub of Guangdong Province, with railways and highways radiating in all directions, and convenient inland-water, coastal and ocean transport. Huangpu is the biggest seaport in the South, ranking fifth in volume of freight handled in China. Its airport stands also in the forefront in passenger transport.

Guangzhou is South China's biggest national-and-foreign-oriented city with flourishing commerce, and China's chief foreign trade center as well. It's also China's famous historical and cultural city. The city with long summer and no winter is always green with flowers in bloom all the year round, hence reputed as "Flower City". Its scenic spots and historical sites include Guangxiao Temple, Liurong Temple and White Clouds Mountain scenic area etc.

The points of historical interest include Zhen-hai Tower, the Guangxiao Temple, Liurong Temple, Huaisheng Mosque, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and so on.

SCENIC PLACES OF INTEREST

THE SUN YAT-SEN MEMORIAL HALL:
Located on Dongfeng Road, it was built between 1929-1931, with the fund from overseas Chinese and the local people to the memory of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who led the overthrow of the last dynasty in 1911 and founded the first republic ever in China in 1912. It houses an assembly hall with a seating capacity of 4,700 people.

THE TOMB OF 72 MARTYRS AT HUANGHUAGANG:
Built in 1918 in memory of the martyrs who died in the Guangzhou Uprising against the Qing court led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen on April 27, 1911.

THE MEMORIAL HALL OF THE CHEN FAMILY:
Located on Zhongshan Qilu, also known as the Chen's Academy of Learning, it was built between 1890-1894, to serve as the ancestor temple of the Chens in 72 counties in Guangdong, as well as a learning academy for their descendants. It was well furnished with a strong local architectural style.

THE SIX-BANYAN TEMPLE:
Also called Flower Pagoda 1000-Buddha Pagoda, it was first built in 537. It was named Liurong/six-banyan because the famous song writer Su Dongpo wrote the two characters here. It is 57.6 metres high, nine stories on the outside and 17 stories inside. A climb on the pagoda can give a full view of the city.

CONQUERING THE SEA TOWER:
Atop Yuexiu Hill, also called the Five-storied Tower, Conquering the Sea Tower was built in 1380 by Zhu Liang, a Yuan general who gave in to the Ming, to mark the conquest by the Ming.

THE TOMB OF NANYUE PRINCE:
Located on Jiefang Beilu, excavated in 1983, it is the tomb of the second prince of the Western Han Dynasty of 2,100 years ago. More than 2,000 cultural relics unearthed in the tomb are of great value for the study of the politics, economy and people's life of south China at that time.

GUANGXIAO TEMPLE:
The earliest temple in Guangzhou, it got its current name in 1151. Many famous monks from India and China have carried on Buddhist activities there.

THE MOSQUE:
Located on Guangta Road, also known as Huaisheng Mosque or popularly known as Light Tower, it was said to be built by two Arabian missionaries in 627 in memory of Mohammed. It was called Light Tower because it is smooth and was once used as a beacon for the boats on the Zhujiang River.

YUEXIU PARK:
Located on Dahei Road, 920,000 square metres in area. It is the largest park in Guangzhou, including seven hills, three artificial lakes, Conquering the Sea Tower, the Monument to Sun Yat-sen, the Statue of Five Rams, the Seaman's Pavilion, the Jinyin Children's Amusement Ground and a swimming ground.

GUANGZHOU ZOO:
Located on Xianlie Road, 430,000 square metres in area, it is the largest zoo in South China. More than 2,000 animals in 200 species are on exhibition in the zoo, including the giant panda, golden-haired monkey, red-crowned crane and other precious animals unique to China.

THE ORCHID GARDEN:
Located on the west of Liuhu Lake, it is a small park featuring orchids. The garden grows more than 10,000 pots of orchids in over 100 varieties. With trees and flowers and winding paths, the park presents a scene as beautiful as a painting.

THE GUANGZHOU IMPORT AND EXPORT COMMODITIES FAIR:
A biannual event, which, usually referred to as the Guangzhou Spring Trade Fair, 15APR96-30APR96, and the Guangzhou Autumn Trade Fair, 15OCT96-30OCT96, brings thousands of traders from around the world. It is so far the biggest and the oldest international trade fair -40 odd years old-, on the mainland of China.