Kwangchow n : a city on the Zhu Jiangi delta in southern China; the capital of Guangdong province and a major deep-water port [syn: Guangzhou, Kuangchou, Canton]

Guangzhou (; jyutping : Gwong²zau¹; Yale: Gwóngjàu) is the capital and a sub-provincial city of Guangdong Province in the southern part of the People's Republic of China. The city is also known by an older English-language name, Canton. It is a port on the Pearl River, navigable to the South China Sea, and is located about 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Hong Kong. As of the 2000 census, the city has a population of 6 million, and a metropolitan population of roughly 8.5 million (though some estimates are as high as 12.6 million) making it the most populous city in the province and the third most populous metropolitan area in mainland China. The official estimate of the metro's population at end 2006 by the Provincial Government was 9,754,600.

Geography

Guangzhou is located at 112°57'E to 114°3'E and 22°26'N to 23°56'N. The city is part of the Pearl River Delta.

Population

Population（2006）： Metro - 9,754,600, Urban - 6,253,300, and City - 7,607,200

As of April 28, 2005, the districts of Dongshan and Fangcun have been abolished and merged into Yuexiu and Liwan respectively; at the same time the district of Nansha is established out of parts of Panyu, and the district of Luogang is established out of parts of Baiyun, Tianhe, and Zengcheng also a part of Huangpu making an exclave next to Huangpu.

Road names

History

The first known city built at the site of Guangzhou was Panyu (蕃禺, later simplified to 番禺; Poon Yu in Cantonese) founded in 214 BC. The city has been continuously occupied since that time. Panyu was expanded when it became the capital of the Nanyue Kingdom (南越) in 206 BC.

Recent archaeological founding of her palace suggests that the city might have traded frequently with by foreigners by the sea routes. The foreign trade continued through every following dynasty and the city remains a major international trading port to this day.

The Han Dynasty annexed Nanyue in 111 BC, and Panyu became a provincial capital and remains so until this day. In 226 AD, the city however became the seat of the Guang Prefecture (廣州; Guangzhou). Therefore, "Guangzhou" was the name of the prefecture, not of the city. However, people grew accustomed to calling the city Guangzhou, instead of Panyu.

Although the Chinese name of Guangzhou replaced Panyu as the name of the walled city, Panyu was still the name of the area surrounding the walled city until the end of Qing era.

Arab and Persian pirates sacked Guangzhou (known to them as Sin-Kalan) in AD 758, ² according to a local Guangzhou government report on October 30 758, which corresponded to the day of Guisi (癸巳) of the ninth lunar month in the first year of the Qianyuan era of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, a celebrated poet called Su Shi (Shisu) visited Guangzhou's Baozhuangyan Temple and wrote the inscription "Liu Rong" (Six Banyan Trees) because of the six banyan trees he saw there. It has since been called the Temple of the 6 Banyan Trees.

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive to the city by sea, establishing a monopoly on the external trade out of its harbor by 1511. They were later expelled from their settlements in Guangzhou (in Portuguese Cantão), but instead granted use of Macau (first occupied in 1511) as a trade base with the city in 1557. They would keep a near monopoly of foreign trade in the region until the arrival of the Dutch in the early seventeenth century.

After China claimed control of Taiwan in 1683, the Qing government became open to encouraging foreign trade. Guangzhou quickly emerged as one of the most adaptable ports for negotiating commerce and before long, many foreign ships were going there to procure cargos. Portuguese in Macau, Spanish in Manila, and Armenians and Muslims from India were already actively trading in the port by the 1690s, when the French and English British East India Company's ships began frequenting the port through the Canton System. Other companies were soon to follow: the Ostend General India company in 1717; Dutch East India Company in 1729; the first Danish ship in 1731, which was followed by a Danish Asiatic Company ship in 1734; the Swedish East India Company in 1732; followed by an occasional Prussian and Trieste Company ship; the Americans in 1784; and the first ships from Australia in 1788. By the middle of the 18th century, Guangzhou had emerged as one of the world's great trading ports under the Thirteen Factories, which was a distinction it maintained until the outbreak of the Opium Wars in 1839 and the opening of other ports in China in 1842. The privilege during this period made Guangzhou one of the top 3 cities in the world.

Guangzhou's monopoly on English trade ended with the Treaty of Nanking, signed in 1842 to end the First Opium War between Britain and China. The treaty opened four new treaty ports, allowing British merchants to trade in Fuzhou, Xiamen, Ningbo, and Shanghai in addition to Guangzhou.

In 1918, the city's urban council was established and "Guangzhou" became the official name of the city. Panyu became a county's name to the southern side of Guangzhou. In both 1930 and 1953, Guangzhou was promoted to the status of a Municipality, but each time promotion was cancelled within the year.

Japanese troops occupied Guangzhou from October 12, 1938 to September 16, 1945, after violent bombings. In the city, the Imperial Japanese Army conducted bacteriological research unit 8604, a section of unit 731, where Japanese doctors experimented on human prisoners.

Communist forces entered the city on October 14, 1949. Their urban renewal projects improved the lives of some residents. New housing on the shores of the Pearl River provided homes for the poor boat people. Reforms by Deng Xiaoping, who came to power in the late 1970s, led to rapid economic growth due to the city's close proximity to Hong Kong and access to the Pearl River.

As labor costs increased in Hong Kong, manufacturers opened new plants in the cities of Guangdong including Guangzhou. As the largest city in one of China's wealthiest provinces, Guangzhou attracts farmers from the countryside looking for factory work. Cantonese links to overseas Chinese and beneficial tax reforms of the 1990s have aided the city's rapid growth.

In 2000, Huadu and Panyu were merged into Guangzhou as districts, and Conghua and Zengcheng became county-level cities of Guangzhou.

Economy

Guangzhou is the economic centre of the Pearl River Delta and is the heart of one of mainland China's leading commercial and manufacturing regions. In 2007, the GDP reached ¥705 billion (about US $100 billion), per capita was ¥85,000 (about US $12,000), ranking 6th among the other 659 Chinese cities.

The Chinese Export Commodities Fair, also called "Canton Fair", is held each spring and autumn by Bo Liu. Inaugurated in the spring of 1957, the Fair is a major event for the city.

Transportation

With the Guangzhou Metro, opened in 1999, Guangzhou is the fourth city in China to build an underground railway system. Currently there are four lines in operation with an ambitious plan to expand rapidly with three lines under construction and four lines that are being planned. The First Line of Dōngzhàn arrives in Hong Kong at the Hung Hom KCR station. The line covers the 182 km route in approximately two hours.

Daily ferry sailings include an overnight steamer, which takes eight hours, and high-speed catamarans and hydrofoils which take three hours to reach the China Ferry Terminal or Macau Ferry Pier in Hong Kong. The new Nansha Pier (新南沙客运港) is now open with 6 lines daily traveling between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The trip takes 75 minutes (¥116-230). However, Nansha is very far from the city center, although there is a bus route available from White Swan Hotel, running three times a day. Location Nansha Port: 1.6km South from Humen Bridge, Nansha District, Guangzhou. Passengers can take buses at White Swan Hotel to the Dock, 3 runs per day.

Schedule: Nansha to Hongkong: 09:30　 11:00　 12:00　 15:00 　16:00　 17:30 Hongkong to Nansha: 08:00　 08:20　 09:00　 13:00　 14:00 　15:30 Tickets: Economic ¥116.00, Business ¥170.00, VIP ¥230.00

Since Monday, 1 January 2007, the city government has banned motorcycles from the urban area. From Tuesday, 16 January 2007, motorcycles found violating the ban will be confiscated. The Guangzhou traffic bureau has reported reduced traffic problems and accidents since the motorcycle ban in downtown area.

According to the newspaper China Daily of 6 July 2007, all buses and taxis in Guangzhou will be LPG-fueled by 2010 to promote clean energy for transportation and improve the environment .

Tourist attractions

• Chen Family Confucian Academy ()
• Guangdong Museum of Folk Handcraft
• Shamian Island (; literally, "Sand Face Island")
• Guangdong Provincial Museum ()
• Museum of the Tomb of the King of Southern Yue in Western Han Dynasty
• Temple of the Six Banyan Trees ()
• Shishi Sacred Heart Cathedral
• Huaisheng Mosque ()
• Bright Filial Piety Temple ()
• Chime-Long Paradise ()
• Chime-Long WaterPark ()
• Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King南越王墓()
• Guangzhou Peasant Movement Institute广州市农民运动讲习所()

Local products

• Canton Sculpture includes Canton Ivory Carvings, Jade Sculpture, Wood Sculpture and Olive Sculpture.
• Canton Enamel is short for Guangzhou Colorful Pottery. It has a history of over 300 years.
• Canton Embroidery, namely Yue Embroidery, is one of the Four Famous Chinese Embroideries together with Su Embroidery, Xiang Embroidery and Shu Embroidery.
• Canton Bacon is the general designation of cured meat in the Guangzhou Area.

Parks

• Baiyun Mountain (; literally "White Cloud Mountain")
• Lie Shi Ling Yuan (）
• Yue Xiu Park (）

Significant buildings

• Guangdong Olympic Stadium (）
• CITIC Plaza (）
• Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower (）
• Guangzhou TV Tower (）
• Pearl River Tower (）
• Guangzhou Zhujiang Brewery Group (）

Plans are also underway to build what will become the world's tallest free-standing 610m tall Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower for the 2010 Asian Games.

Hotels

• The Garden Hotel()
• China Hotel ()
• White Swan Hotel ()
• DongFang Hotel ()
• Holiday Inn City Centre Guangzhou ()
• Grand International Hotel ()
• Ramada Pearl Hotel Guangzhou ()
• Guangzhou Westin hotel()
• Guangzhou Chimelong Hotel ()

Media

Guangdong and the greater metropolitan area is served by several Guangdong Radio stations and Guangdong TV. There is an international station Radio Guangdong which broadcasts information about this region to the entire world through the World Radio Network.

Culture

• Cantonese (linguistics)
• Cantonese cuisine
• Cantonese opera
• Guangdong music (genre)

Education

Major educational institutions

International Schools

• American International School of Guangzhou

National

• Sun Yat-sen University (中山大学) (founded 1924)
• South China University of Technology (华南理工大学)
• Jinan University (暨南大学) (founded 1906)

Public

• Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (广东外语外贸大学)
• South China Agricultural University (华南农业大学) (founded 1909)
• Zhongkai Agrotechnical College (仲恺农业技术学院) (founded 1927)
• South China Normal University (华南师范大学)
• Shantou University (汕头大学)
• Guangzhou Medical College (广州医学院)
• Guangzhou University of TCM (广州中医药大学) (English-language site)
• Guangdong College of Pharmacy (广东药学院)
• Guangdong University of Technology (广东工业大学)
• Guangzhou University (广州大学)
• Guangdong Institute of Science and Technology (广东省科技干部学院)
• Guangdong Business College (广东商学院)
• Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (广州美术学院)
• Xinghai Conservatory of Music (星海音乐学院)
• GuangDong Polytechnic Normal University (广东技术师范学院)
• Guangzhou Physical Education Institute (广州体育学院)

Guangzhou Higher Education Mega

Guangzhou Higher Education Mega is home to 10 of the province's universities' campuses, many of whom also have campuses located elsewhere. They are listed as below:

• Sun Yat-sen University (中山大学)
• South China University of Technology(华南理工大学)
• South China Normal University(华南师范大学)
• Guangdong University of Technology(广东工业大学)
• Guangdong University of Forign Studies(广东外语外贸大学)
• Guangdong College of Pharmacy (广东药学院)
• Guangzhou University(广州大学)
• Guangzhou Acmdemy of Fime Arts
• Xinghai Conservatory of Music(星海音乐学院)

Guangzhou Higher Education Mega can accommodate up to 200,000 students, 20,000 teachers and 50,000 staff. .

High School

• The Affiliated High School of South China Normal University ()
• Guangzhou No.6 High School ()
• Guangdong Guangya Middle School ()
• Guangzhou Zhi Xin Secondary School ()
• GuangDong Experimental High School ()
• Guangzhou No.8 High School ()
• Guangzhou 109 Secondary School ()

Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed.

Sister locations

Canton is twinned with the following places:

• flagicon Japan Fukuoka, Japan (May 1979)
• flagicon USA Los Angeles, United States (March 2, 1982)
• flagicon Philippines Manila, Philippines (November 1982)
• flagicon Canada Vancouver, Canada (March 1985)
• flagicon Australia Sydney, Australia (May 1986)
• flagicon Chile Viña Del Mar, Chile (November 1986)
• flagicon Germany Frankfurt am Main, Germany (April 11, 1988)
• flagicon France Lyon, France (November 1988)
• flagicon New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand, (February 1989)
• flagicon South Korea Gwangju, South Korea (October 1996)
• flagicon Sweden Linköping, Sweden (November 1997)
• flagicon South Africa Durban, South Africa (July 2000)
• flagicon UK Bristol, United Kingdom (May 2001)
• flagicon Russia Yekaterinburg, Russia (July 10, 2002)
• flagicon Peru Arequipa, Peru (October 27, 2004)
• flagicon UK Birmingham, United Kingdom (Dec 2006)
• flagicon United Arab Emirates Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• flagicon Brazil Recife, Brazil
• flagicon Indonesia Surabaya, Indonesia (Dec 2005)
• flagicon UK Rainford, United Kingdom

See also

• Rafael Perestrello
• Fernão Pires de Andrade

References

Bibliography

• Historical Dictionary of Guangzhou (Canton) and Guangdong
• Modern Canton
• Canton, City of the Rams: A General Description and a Brief Historical Survey }}
• The journals of Major Samuel Shaw : the first American consul at Canton : with a life of the author Shaw, Samuel (1754-1794).
• Canton Under Communism: Programs and Politics in a Provincial Capita, 1949–1968

External links

• Guangzhou Government website
• wikitravel Guangzhou
• Life of Guangzhou