Guangzhou---Travel In China

Guangzhou (Traditional Chinese: 廣州, Simplified Chinese: 广州, pinyin: Guangzhou, Wade-Giles: Kuang-chou) is the capital of the Guangdong Province in southern China. It was formerly known as Canton or Kwangtung (named after the province).

The Chinese abbreviation of Guangzhou is Yue (TC: 廣州; SC: 广州; pinyin: yuè), like Guangdong Province. Population (1999): city: 6.85 million; urban population: 4.05 million.

Administration
Guangzhou has direct jurisdiction over twelve districts: Yuexiu, Dongshan, Liwan, Haizhu, Tianhe, Baiyun, Huangpu, Fangcun, Huadu, Conghua, Zengcheng, Panyu.

History
It is believed that the first city was built in 214 BC, named Fanyu and have had a continuous occupation since that time.

In 206 BC, it became the capital of Kingdom Nanyue, and the city was expanded.

Han Dynasty annexed Nanyue in 111 BC, and Fanyu became a provincial capital and remains so until this day.

Fanyu was renamed Guangzhou in 226 AD.

Guangzhou was sacked by Arabs and Persians in AD 758, based on a local Guangzhou government report on October 30, 758, which corresponded to the day of Guisi of the ninth lunar month in the first year of the Qianyuan era of Emperor Suzong of Tang Dynasty.

During Song Dynasty, Su Shi, a celebrated poet, visited Baozhuangyan Temple (founded in 537 AD), and left his hand-writing "liu rong" (six banyan trees) to the temple, so the name "Liu Rong Temple".

In 1711, the British East India Company established a trading post in Guangzhou.

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

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

Economy
The Pearl River Delta is one of mainland China's leading economic regions and a massive manufacturing centre.

Guangzhou's main airport is Baiyun International Airport, a hub for China Southern Airlines.

The GDP per capita was ¥38568 (ca. US$4660) in 2003, ranked no. 8 among 659 Chinese cities.

Touristic highlights

Shamian Island

Museum of the Tomb of the King of Southern Yue in Western Han Dynasty

Temple of the Six Banyan Trees

Shishi Holy Heart Cathedral

Guangzhou (Canton), a prosperous metropolis full of vigor, is the capital city of Guangdong Province located along the south coastline of China. Being an excellent port on the Pearl River navigable to the South China Sea, and with fast accessibility to Hong Kong and Macau, Guangzhou serves as the political, economic, scientific, educational and cultural center in Guangdong area.
Being the first cities benefited from China's Reform and Opening Up policy since 1978, Guangzhou acts as the pioneer of the economic development of the country, with thousands of large, small and medium-sized enterprises, which offer more job opportunities and make the city a heavily populated area. The city is especially prosperous in commerce, tourism, dining, finance and real estate. For travelers, Guangzhou shows much attraction through its famous sights such as the Five Ram Statue in Yuexiu Park, Pearl River and White Cloud Mountain.