Difference between revisions of "Guangzhou" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''Guangzhou''' is the [[capital]] and the [[sub-provincial city]] of [[Guangdong]] [[Province of China|Province]] in the [[northern and southern China|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 (China)|Pearl River]], [[navigable 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){{Fact|date=July 2007}} making it the most populous city in the province and the [[List of cities in the People's Republic of China by population|third most populous]] [[metropolitan area]] in mainland [[China]].
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'''Guangzhou''' is the [[capital]] and the [[sub-provincial city]] of [[Guangdong]] [[Province of China|Province]] in the [[northern and southern China|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 (China)|Pearl River]], [[navigable 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 [[List of cities in the People's Republic of China by population|third most populous]] [[metropolitan area]] in mainland [[China]].
 +
 
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The site of Guangzhou has been continuously occupied since  Panyu  (蕃禺, later simplified to 番禺) was founded there in 214 B.C.E..  Panyu became the capital of the [[Nanyue]] Kingdom (南越) in 206 B.C.E.. The recent  discovery of the remains of a Qin dynasty  shipyard under the archeological site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace, suggests that the city might have traded frequently with foreigners by the sea routes.  Foreign trade continued through every following dynasty, and the city remains a major international trading port to this day. By 1800, foreign trade had made Guangzhou the third most populous city in the world, with 800,000 residents. 
  
 
==Name==
 
==Name==
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The [[Chinese language|Chinese]] abbreviation of Guangzhou is '''Sui''' (穗; pinyin: sùi; Jyutping: seoi6; Yale: seuīh) or sometimes GZ. The city has the nicknames of '''Wuyangcheng''' (City of Five Rams), '''Yangcheng''' (City of Rams), '''Huacheng''' (City of Flowers), or '''Suicheng''' (City of Wheats).  The city can also be referred to as the '''MuMianCheng''' (City of [[Ceiba]]).
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The [[Chinese language|Chinese]] abbreviation of Guangzhou is '''Sui''' (穗; pinyin: sùi; Jyutping: seoi6; Yale: seuīh) or sometimes GZ. The city has the nicknames of '''Wuyangcheng''' (City of Five Rams), '''Yangcheng''' (City of Rams), '''Huacheng''' (City of Flowers), or '''Suicheng''' (City of Wheat).  The city can also be referred to as the '''MuMianCheng''' (City of [[Ceiba]]).
  
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"Canton" was the convenient [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] or [[French language|French]] [[romanisation]] of "Guangdong" Province.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}  The city Guangzhou is the [[capital city|capital]] of the province and frequently referred as 廣東省城 ("the Canton Province Capital City") or simply 省城 ("the Province City") by Cantonese people.  The city naturally represents the province and thus was erroneously used as the city's name.  It may have been more convenient for [[Europeans]] who during the colonial period generally did not understand Chinese nor the written logo graphic [[Chinese characters|characters]] (see [[exonym and endonym]]).  '''Guangzhou''' is the [[pinyin]] Romanization of the [[Standard Mandarin|Mandarin]] name for the city.
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"Canton" was the convenient [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] or [[French language|French]] romanization of "Guangdong" Province. The city Guangzhou is the [[capital city|capital]] of the province and frequently referred as 廣東省城 ("the Canton Province Capital City") or simply 省城 ("the Province City") by Cantonese people.  The city naturally represents the province and thus the name of the province was used as the city's name.  It may have been more convenient for [[Europeans]], who during the colonial period generally did not understand spoken Chinese nor the written logo graphic [[Chinese characters|characters]] (see [[exonym and endonym]]).  '''Guangzhou''' is the [[pinyin]] Romanization of the [[Standard Mandarin|Mandarin]] name for the city.
  
 
==Geography==
 
==Geography==
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*[[Conghua|Conghua City]]
 
*[[Conghua|Conghua City]]
  
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As of April 28, 2005, the districts of [[Dongshan, Guangzhou|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]], [[Huangpu, Guangzhou|Huangpu]], and [[Zengcheng]].
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As of April 28, 2005, the districts of [[Dongshan, Guangzhou|Dongshan]] and [[Fangcun]] were abolished and merged into [[Yuexiu]] and [[Liwan]] respectively; at the same time the district of [[Nansha]] was established out of parts of [[Panyu]], and the district of [[Luogang]] was established out of parts of [[Baiyun]], [[Tianhe]], [[Huangpu, Guangzhou|Huangpu]], and [[Zengcheng]].
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===Agglomeration or built-up area===
 
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{{original research}}
 
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In China it is difficult to define the real builtup area because there is no legal definition.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} This can lead to very important underestimation for cities like [[Shanghai]], Guangzhou, [[Beijing]], [[Shenzhen]] and many others undergoing fast development.
 
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There are nevertheless two ways of doing it:
 
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* Using official '''Urban Districts''' population statistics ''(and sometimes suburban)'' and add them to get an overview of the actual [[Built Up Area]]. This presents the inconvenience of sometimes encompassing vast rural areas incuded in urban or more often suburban districts. On the other hand, some of these definitions can neglect suburban districts which are largely part of the built up area ''(as in [[Wuhan]] for instance)'',
 
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* Using, generally admitted world definitions, all '''continuous built up area''' with a maximum of 200 m between two houses ''(except Highways, rivers and airports)'', whatever their jurisdictions ''(Cities, Towns, Councils, Districts, Departments... )'' and add their figures to assess the actual Built Up Area of any City. In China, it would consist of adding urban and suburban areas of any city with the same areas in adjoining cities or towns linked by urbanization ''(continuous built up area)''.
 
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In Guangzhou, it would encompass 7 out of 10 Urban Districts ''([[Yuexiu]], [[Liwan]], [[Haizhu]], [[Tiane]], [[Huangpu]], [[Huadu]] and [[Nansha]])'', but also built up districts of cities like :
 
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* [[Foshan]] : 3,389,000 Inh. in 2002, whose neighboring Guangzhou Districts ''([[Nanhai]], [[Changshen]] and [[Shunde]])'' would add more than 3,000,000 Inh. to Guangzhou agglomeration,
 
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* [[Jiangmen]] : 3,740,000 Inh. in 2002, whose Districts are part of Guangzhou [[Built Up Area]].
 
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Thus, it's built up area population would reach more than 12,000,000 Inh. instead of the official 6,560,000 for urban districts proper and would be closer to the data released for the Metropolitan Area ''(12,600,000 Inh.)'', instead of general datas about 9,950,000 Inh. See [http://www.citypopulation.de/World.html Principal Agglomerations of the World], whose definition still remains unclear regarding Chinese [[agglomeration]]s.
 
  
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<!-- NB : A table encompassing all these data would be great to improve this article and help to better compare Chinese [[agglomeration]]s or [[Built up Area]]s with others cities in the world. —>
 
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
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It is believed that the first city built at the site of Guangzhou was Panyu (蕃禺, later simplified to 番禺; ''Poon Yu'' in Cantonese) founded in 214 B.C.E.  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 B.C.E.   
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It is believed that the first city built at the site of Guangzhou was Panyu (蕃禺, later simplified to 番禺; ''Poon Yu'' in Cantonese) founded in 214 B.C.E...  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 B.C.E. . The recent discovery of the remains of a Qin dynasty shipyard under the site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace, and archeological findings in the palace suggest that the city might have traded frequently with foreigners by the sea routes.  Foreign trade continued through every following dynasty, and the city remains a major international trading port to this day. <ref>http://www.gz.gov.cn/vfs/subsite/QFZZQNCH-UEYR-RYE4-CQEP-PO0PXEO7LORY/content/content.jsp?contentId=422396&catId=3415 Guangzhou International (the official website of Guangzhou Municipality) </ref>
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Recent archaeological founding of her palace suggests that the city might have traded frequently with 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.
 
−
 
 
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The [[Han Dynasty]] annexed Nanyue in 111 B.C.E., and Panyu became a provincial capital and remains so until this day. In 226 C.E., the city 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.
 
  
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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.
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The [[Han Dynasty]] annexed Nanyue in 111 B.C.E., and Panyu became a provincial capital. In 226 C.E., the city became the seat of the Guang Prefecture  (廣州; Guangzhou), and the Chinese name of Guangzhou replaced Panyu as the name of the walled city. Panyu remained the name of the area surrounding the walled city until the end of [[Qing]] era.
  
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[[Arab]] and [[Persian people|Persian]] [[pirate]]s 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 [[Chinese calendar|lunar]] month in the first year of the [[Chinese era name|''Qianyuan'' era]] of [[Emperor Suzong of Tang China|Emperor Suzong]] of the [[Tang Dynasty]].<ref>{{cite book | first=Frank | last=Welsh | editor=Maya Rao | year=1974 | title=A Borrowed Place: The History of Hong Kong | id=ISBN 1-56836-134-3 | pages=13}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | first=Joseph | last=Needham | year=1954 | title=Science & Civilisation in China | year=1954 | pages=1, 179 | publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=[[Sima Guang]] | title=Zizhi Tongjian | language=Chinese}}</ref>
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According to a local Guangzhou government report, [[Arab]] and [[Persian people|Persian]] [[pirate]]s sacked Guangzhou (known to them as '''Sin-Kalan''') on October 30, 758, which corresponded to the day of ''Guisi'' (癸巳) of the ninth [[Chinese calendar|lunar]] month in the first year of the [[Chinese era name|''Qianyuan'' era]] of [[Emperor Suzong of Tang China|Emperor Suzong]] of the [[Tang Dynasty]].<ref>{{cite book | first=Frank | last=Welsh | editor=Maya Rao | year=1974 | title=A Borrowed Place: The History of Hong Kong | id=ISBN 1-56836-134-3 | pages=13}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | first=Joseph | last=Needham | year=1954 | title=Science & Civilisation in China | year=1954 | pages=1, 179 | publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=[[Sima Guang]] | title=Zizhi Tongjian | language=Chinese}}</ref>
  
 
During the Northern Song Dynasty, a celebrated poet called Su Shi visited Guangzhou's [[Temple of the Six Banyan Trees|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 Six Banyan Trees.
 
During the Northern Song Dynasty, a celebrated poet called Su Shi visited Guangzhou's [[Temple of the Six Banyan Trees|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 Six Banyan Trees.
  
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The [[Portugal|Portuguese]] were the first Europeans to arrive to the city by sea, establishing a monopoly on the external trade out of its harbour by 1511. They were later expelled from their settlements in Guangzhou (in Portuguese Canton or Cantao), 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 [[17th century|seventeenth century]].
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The [[Portugal|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 Canton or Cantao), and instead granted use of [[Macau]] (first occupied in 1511) as a trade base with the city in 1557. The Portuguese dominated foreign trade in the region until the arrival of the Dutch in the early seventeenth century.
  
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{{wikisourcepar|Littell's Living Age/Volume 160/Issue 2072/The Defence of Canton|an overview of Canton's defences during its heyday.}}
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After China brought [[Taiwan]] under its control 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 eighteenth 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 War]]s in 1839 and the opening of other ports in China in 1842. The privilege during this period made Guangzhou the third most populous city in the world, with 800,000 residents in 1800. <ref>[http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201e.htm Top 10 Cities of the Year 1800]</ref>
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After China brought [[Taiwan]] under its control 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 War]]s 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.<ref>[http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201e.htm Top 10 Cities of the Year 1800]</ref>
 
  
 
Guangzhou was one of the five Chinese [[treaty ports]] opened by the [[Treaty of Nanking]] (signed in 1842) at the end of the [[First Opium War]] between [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and [[China]]. The other ports were [[Fuzhou]], [[Xiamen]], [[Ningbo]], and [[Shanghai]].
 
Guangzhou was one of the five Chinese [[treaty ports]] opened by the [[Treaty of Nanking]] (signed in 1842) at the end of the [[First Opium War]] between [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and [[China]]. The other ports were [[Fuzhou]], [[Xiamen]], [[Ningbo]], and [[Shanghai]].
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[[Image:Situationskärtchen von Kanton, Makao, Hongkong.jpg|thumb|1888 German map of Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangzhou]]
 
[[Image:Situationskärtchen von Kanton, Makao, Hongkong.jpg|thumb|1888 German map of Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangzhou]]
  
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In 1918, "Guangzhou" became the official name of the city, when an urban council was established in it. Panyu became a county's name south of Guangzhou. In both 1930 and 1953, Guangzhou was promoted to the status of a Municipality, but each promotion was cancelled within the year.
+
In 1918, "Guangzhou" became the official name of the city, when an urban council was established there. Panyu became the name of a county' south of Guangzhou. In both 1930 and 1953, Guangzhou was promoted to the status of a Municipality, but each promotion was cancelled within the year.  
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Japanese troops occupied Guangzhou from 1938-10-12 to 1945-09-16, after violent bombings. The [[Imperial Japanese Army]] established in the city the bacteriological research [[unit 8604]], a section of [[unit 731]], where Japanese doctors experimented on human prisoners.
 
  
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Communist forces entered the city on October 14, 1949. Their urban renewal projects improved the lives of many 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.
+
Japanese troops occupied Guangzhou from October 10, 1938 until September 16, 1945.  Communist forces entered the city on October 14, 1949. Urban renewal projects, including new housing on the shores of the Pearl River for the poor [[boat people]], improved the lives of many residents. Economic and trade reforms instituted under [[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.
  
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As labor costs increased in Hong Kong, [[manufacturer]]s 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.
+
As labor costs increased in Hong Kong, [[manufacturer]]s 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 business connections with Chinese overseas, and beneficial tax reforms during 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.
 
In 2000, [[Huadu]] and [[Panyu]] were merged into Guangzhou as districts, and [[Conghua]] and [[Zengcheng]] became county-level cities of Guangzhou.
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==Modern Guangzhou==
 
==Modern Guangzhou==
 
===Economy===
 
===Economy===
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{{update}}
+
Guangzhou is the economic center of the [[Pearl River Delta]] and is the heart of one of [[mainland China]]'s leading commercial and manufacturing regions. In 2006, the GDP exceeded ¥600 billion (USD 76.8 billion), about ¥85,000 (about US $11,000) per capita, [[List of cities in the People's Republic of China by GDP per capita|ranking first]] among the other 659 Chinese cities.
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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 2006, the GDP exceeded ¥600 billions (USD 76.8 billions),  per capita was ¥85,000 (about US $11,000), [[List of cities in the People's Republic of China by GDP per capita|ranking First]] among the other 659 Chinese cities.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
 
  
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The [[Canton Fair|Chinese Export Commodities Fair]], also called "Canton Fair," is held each [[Spring (season)|spring]] and [[autumn]] by Bo Liu. Inaugurated in the spring of 1957, the Fair is a major event for the city.
+
Inaugurated in the spring of 1957, the [[Canton Fair|Chinese Export Commodities Fair]], also called "Canton Fair," is held each [[Spring (season)|spring]] and [[autumn]] by Bo Liu, and is a major event for the city.
  
 
===Transportation===
 
===Transportation===
 
[[Image:Guangzhou-bus.jpg|thumb|One of the new buses]]
 
[[Image:Guangzhou-bus.jpg|thumb|One of the new buses]]
 
[[Image:Guangzhou metro.jpg|thumb|The Guangzhou Metro station at [[Sun Yat-Sen University]] is among several stations that serve the city.]]
 
[[Image:Guangzhou metro.jpg|thumb|The Guangzhou Metro station at [[Sun Yat-Sen University]] is among several stations that serve the city.]]
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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 operational with an ambitious plan to expand rapidly with three lines under construction and four lines that are being planned.
+
When the [[Guangzhou Metro]] opened in 1999, Guangzhou became the fourth city in China to build an underground railway system. Currently four lines are operational, and there is an ambitious plan to expand rapidly, with three lines already under construction and four more planned for the future.
  
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Guangzhou's main [[airport]] is the [[Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport|New Baiyun International Airport]] in [[Huadu]] District, that opened on 5 August 2004 replacing old [[Baiyun International Airport]] close to the city centre.  
+
Guangzhou's main [[airport]], [[Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport|New Baiyun International Airport]] in [[Huadu]] District, opened on August 5, 2004, replacing old [[Baiyun International Airport]] close to the city center.  
  
 
Guangzhou is connected to [[Hong Kong]] by train, bus and ferry services. Express trains depart to Hong Kong from the [[Guangzhou East railway station]] and arrive in Hong Kong at the [[Hung Hom (KCR)|Hung Hom KCR station]]. They cover the 182&nbsp;km route in approximately two hours.
 
Guangzhou is connected to [[Hong Kong]] by train, bus and ferry services. Express trains depart to Hong Kong from the [[Guangzhou East railway station]] and arrive in Hong Kong at the [[Hung Hom (KCR)|Hung Hom KCR station]]. They cover the 182&nbsp;km route in approximately two hours.
  
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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 [[Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier, Hong Kong|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.
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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 [[Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier, Hong Kong|Macau Ferry Pier]] in Hong Kong. The new Nansha Pier (新南沙客运港) is now open with six lines traveling daily between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The trip takes seventy-five minutes (¥116-230).  
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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
 
  
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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.<ref>[http://www.lifeofguangzhou.com/node_10/node_37/node_85/2007/01/03/116778797013245.shtml Life of Guangzhou - Guangzhou Bans Motorcycles]</ref> The Guangzhou traffic bureau has reported reduced traffic problems and accidents since the motorcycle ban in downtown area.<ref>[http://www.lifeofguangzhou.com/node_10/node_37/node_85/2007/01/19/116916856413959.shtml Life of Guangzhou - Traffic Jam Improve after Motorcycle Ban]</ref>.   
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Starting on  Monday, January 1, 2007, the city government banned motorcycles from the urban area, and the Guangzhou traffic bureau has reported reduced traffic problems and accidents since the motorcycle ban in downtown area.<ref>[http://www.lifeofguangzhou.com/node_10/node_37/node_85/2007/01/19/116916856413959.shtml Life of Guangzhou - Traffic Jam Improve after Motorcycle Ban]</ref>.   
  
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According to the newspaper China Daily of 6 July 2007, all buses and taxis of Guangzhou will be [[Liquefied petroleum gas|LPG]]-fueled by 2010 to promote clean energy for transportation and improve the environment <ref>[http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-07/06/content_911176.htm
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According to the newspaper China Daily of July 6, 2007, all buses and taxis of Guangzhou will be [[Liquefied petroleum gas|LPG]]-fueled by 2010 to promote clean energy for transportation and improve the environment <ref>[http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-07/06/content_911176.htm
 
China Daily - Date set for LPG-fueled buses, taxis]</ref>.
 
China Daily - Date set for LPG-fueled buses, taxis]</ref>.
  
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=== Fairs ===
+
Guangzhou will hold the [[16th Asian Games]] in November 2010. The city will have to spend about 220 billion yuan (US$26.5 billion) in the run-up to the 2010 event to improve infrastructure, build an athletes'  village and a new railway station, as well as complete the second phase of the new Baiyun International Airport.
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[[Guangzhou International Motor Show]] in Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center.
 
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===Guangzhou in recent news===
 
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Guangzhou will hold the [[16th Asian Games]] in November 2010. The city would have to spend about 220 billion yuan (US$26.5 billion) in the run-up to the 2010 event to improve infrastructure, build an athletes'  village and a new railway station, as well as complete the second phase of the new Baiyun International Airport.
 
  
 
=== Tourist attractions ===
 
=== Tourist attractions ===
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* [[Guangzhou Zhujiang Brewery Group]]
 
* [[Guangzhou Zhujiang Brewery Group]]
  
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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]].
+
Plans are also underway to build what will become the world's tallest free-standing [[Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower]] for the [[2010 Asian Games]], 610 meters tall.
  
 
===Media===
 
===Media===
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* {{flagicon|UK}} [[Birmingham]], [[United Kingdom]] (Dec 2006)
 
* {{flagicon|UK}} [[Birmingham]], [[United Kingdom]] (Dec 2006)
 
* {{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} [[Dubai]], [[United Arab Emirates]]
 
* {{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} [[Dubai]], [[United Arab Emirates]]
 +
  
 
===See also===
 
===See also===
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==External links==
 
==External links==
−
{{commonscat|Guangzhou}}
 
 
* [http://www.chinamedicaluniversity.org China Medical University]
 
* [http://www.chinamedicaluniversity.org China Medical University]
 
*{{zh icon}} [http://www.guangzhou.gov.cn/ Official Guangzhou Website]
 
*{{zh icon}} [http://www.guangzhou.gov.cn/ Official Guangzhou Website]

Revision as of 18:31, 14 October 2007


Guangzhou
Simplified Chinese: 广州
Traditional Chinese: 廣州
Cantonese Jyutping: Gwong2 zau1
Hanyu Pinyin: Guǎngzhōu
Guangzhou
An Overview of Guangzhou
An Overview of Guangzhou
Nickname: The Flower City
Location within China
Location within China
Coordinates: {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:23|06|32|N|113|15|53|E|type:city
name= }}
Country People's Republic of China
Province Guangdong
Officiated 1918
Government
 - Mayor Zhang Guangning
Area
 - City 3,718.8 km² (1,436.1 sq mi)
Elevation 11 m (37 ft)
Population (2000)[citation needed]
 - Urban 6,560,500
 - Metro 12,600,000
Time zone UTC (UTC+8)
Website: http://www.guangzhou.gov.cn/

Guangzhou is the capital and the 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 site of Guangzhou has been continuously occupied since Panyu (蕃禺, later simplified to 番禺) was founded there in 214 B.C.E.. Panyu became the capital of the Nanyue Kingdom (南越) in 206 B.C.E.. The recent discovery of the remains of a Qin dynasty shipyard under the archeological site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace, suggests that the city might have traded frequently with foreigners by the sea routes. Foreign trade continued through every following dynasty, and the city remains a major international trading port to this day. By 1800, foreign trade had made Guangzhou the third most populous city in the world, with 800,000 residents.

Name

The Chinese abbreviation of Guangzhou is Sui (穗; pinyin: sùi; Jyutping: seoi6; Yale: seuīh) or sometimes GZ. The city has the nicknames of Wuyangcheng (City of Five Rams), Yangcheng (City of Rams), Huacheng (City of Flowers), or Suicheng (City of Wheat). The city can also be referred to as the MuMianCheng (City of Ceiba).

"Canton" was the convenient Portuguese or French romanization of "Guangdong" Province. The city Guangzhou is the capital of the province and frequently referred as 廣東省城 ("the Canton Province Capital City") or simply 省城 ("the Province City") by Cantonese people. The city naturally represents the province and thus the name of the province was used as the city's name. It may have been more convenient for Europeans, who during the colonial period generally did not understand spoken Chinese nor the written logo graphic characters (see exonym and endonym). Guangzhou is the pinyin Romanization of the Mandarin name for the city.

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.

CITIC Plaza

Administrative divisions

Guangzhou is a sub-provincial city. It has direct jurisdiction over ten districts and two county-level cities.

Districts
  • Yuexiu District
  • Liwan District
  • Haizhu District
  • Tianhe District
  • Baiyun District
  • Huangpu District
  • Huadu District
  • Panyu District
  • Nansha District
  • Luogang District
County-level cities
  • Zengcheng City
  • Conghua City

As of April 28, 2005, the districts of Dongshan and Fangcun were abolished and merged into Yuexiu and Liwan respectively; at the same time the district of Nansha was established out of parts of Panyu, and the district of Luogang was established out of parts of Baiyun, Tianhe, Huangpu, and Zengcheng.


History

It is believed that the first city built at the site of Guangzhou was Panyu (蕃禺, later simplified to 番禺; Poon Yu in Cantonese) founded in 214 B.C.E.. 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 B.C.E. . The recent discovery of the remains of a Qin dynasty shipyard under the site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace, and archeological findings in the palace suggest that the city might have traded frequently with foreigners by the sea routes. Foreign trade continued through every following dynasty, and the city remains a major international trading port to this day. [1]

The Han Dynasty annexed Nanyue in 111 B.C.E., and Panyu became a provincial capital. In 226 C.E., the city became the seat of the Guang Prefecture (廣州; Guangzhou), and the Chinese name of Guangzhou replaced Panyu as the name of the walled city. Panyu remained the name of the area surrounding the walled city until the end of Qing era.

According to a local Guangzhou government report, Arab and Persian pirates sacked Guangzhou (known to them as Sin-Kalan) 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.[2][3][4]

During the Northern Song Dynasty, a celebrated poet called Su Shi 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 Six 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 Canton or Cantao), and instead granted use of Macau (first occupied in 1511) as a trade base with the city in 1557. The Portuguese dominated foreign trade in the region until the arrival of the Dutch in the early seventeenth century.

After China brought Taiwan under its control 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 eighteenth 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 the third most populous city in the world, with 800,000 residents in 1800. [5]

Guangzhou was one of the five Chinese treaty ports opened by the Treaty of Nanking (signed in 1842) at the end of the First Opium War between Britain and China. The other ports were Fuzhou, Xiamen, Ningbo, and Shanghai.

1888 German map of Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangzhou

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

Japanese troops occupied Guangzhou from October 10, 1938 until September 16, 1945. Communist forces entered the city on October 14, 1949. Urban renewal projects, including new housing on the shores of the Pearl River for the poor boat people, improved the lives of many residents. Economic and trade reforms instituted under 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 business connections with Chinese overseas, and beneficial tax reforms during 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.

Modern Guangzhou

Economy

Guangzhou is the economic center of the Pearl River Delta and is the heart of one of mainland China's leading commercial and manufacturing regions. In 2006, the GDP exceeded ¥600 billion (USD 76.8 billion), about ¥85,000 (about US $11,000) per capita, ranking first among the other 659 Chinese cities.

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

Transportation

File:Guangzhou-bus.jpg
One of the new buses
The Guangzhou Metro station at Sun Yat-Sen University is among several stations that serve the city.

When the Guangzhou Metro opened in 1999, Guangzhou became the fourth city in China to build an underground railway system. Currently four lines are operational, and there is an ambitious plan to expand rapidly, with three lines already under construction and four more planned for the future.

Guangzhou's main airport, New Baiyun International Airport in Huadu District, opened on August 5, 2004, replacing old Baiyun International Airport close to the city center.

Guangzhou is connected to Hong Kong by train, bus and ferry services. Express trains depart to Hong Kong from the Guangzhou East railway station and arrive in Hong Kong at the Hung Hom KCR station. They cover 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 six lines traveling daily between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The trip takes seventy-five minutes (¥116-230).

Starting on Monday, January 1, 2007, the city government banned motorcycles from the urban area, and the Guangzhou traffic bureau has reported reduced traffic problems and accidents since the motorcycle ban in downtown area.[6].

According to the newspaper China Daily of July 6, 2007, all buses and taxis of Guangzhou will be LPG-fueled by 2010 to promote clean energy for transportation and improve the environment [7].

Guangzhou will hold the 16th Asian Games in November 2010. The city will have to spend about 220 billion yuan (US$26.5 billion) in the run-up to the 2010 event to improve infrastructure, build an athletes' village and a new railway station, as well as complete the second phase of the new Baiyun International Airport.

Tourist attractions

  • Chenjiaci Chen Family Confucian Academy(陈家祠)
  • Guangdong Museum of Folk Handcraft
  • Shamian 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 Holy Heart Cathedral
  • Huaisheng Mosque
Shishi Holy Heart Cathedral

Parks

  • Baiyun Mountain (白云山)
  • Lie shi ling yuan （烈士陵园）
  • Yue Xiu Park (越秀公园)

Significant buildings

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

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

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

Temple of the Six Banyan Trees

Major educational institutions

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 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)

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

Sister cities

Pearl River at night

Canton is twinned with the following cities:


See also

  • Whampoa Military Academy
  • Guangzhou Uprising (1927)
  • Canton porcelain
  • Lingnan University (Guangzhou)
  • Current events in Guangdong

Notes

  1. ↑ http://www.gz.gov.cn/vfs/subsite/QFZZQNCH-UEYR-RYE4-CQEP-PO0PXEO7LORY/content/content.jsp?contentId=422396&catId=3415 Guangzhou International (the official website of Guangzhou Municipality)
  2. ↑ Welsh, Frank (1974). in Maya Rao: A Borrowed Place: The History of Hong Kong, 13. ISBN 1-56836-134-3. 
  3. ↑ Needham, Joseph (1954). Science & Civilisation in China. Cambridge University Press, 1, 179. 
  4. ↑ Sima Guang. Zizhi Tongjian (in Chinese). 
  5. ↑ Top 10 Cities of the Year 1800
  6. ↑ Life of Guangzhou - Traffic Jam Improve after Motorcycle Ban
  7. ↑ [http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-07/06/content_911176.htm China Daily - Date set for LPG-fueled buses, taxis]

External links


Preceded by:
Nanjing 		Capital of the Republic of China (during Chinese Civil War)
1949 		Succeeded by: Chongqing


Prefecture-level divisions of Guangdong
Sub-provincial cities: Guangzhou | Shenzhen
Prefecture-level cities: Chaozhou | Dongguan | Foshan | Heyuan | Huizhou
Jiangmen | Jieyang | Maoming | Meizhou | Qingyuan | Shantou | Shanwei
Shaoguan | Yangjiang | Yunfu | Zhanjiang | Zhaoqing | Zhongshan | Zhuhai


Major cities of Greater China

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People's Republic
of China

Direct-controlled municipalities

Beijing · Chongqing · Shanghai · Tianjin

Sub-provincial cities

Changchun · Chengdu · Dalian · Guangzhou · Hangzhou · Jinan · Harbin · Nanjing · Ningbo · Qingdao · Shenyang · Shenzhen · Wuhan · Xi'an · Xiamen

Provincial capitals
(not included above)

Changsha · Fuzhou · Guiyang · Haikou · Hefei · Hohhot · Lanzhou · Lhasa · Nanchang · Nanning · Shijiazhuang · Taiyuan · Ürümqi · Xining · Yinchuan · Zhengzhou · Kunming

Special administrative regions

Hong Kong · Macau

Flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Republic of
China (Taiwan)

Direct-controlled municipalities

Kaohsiung · Taipei

za:Gvangjcouh zh-classical:廣州 ug:گۇاڭجۇ شەھىرى tt:Kanton

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