Guangzhou, also known as Goat City, is the provincial capital of Guangdong Province. It is the political, economic, cultural, and technological and transportation center of Southern China and the open coastal city is famous for being an example of a comprehensive reform experiment area within China.
The Guangzhou Government has jurisdiction over 10 districts including Yuexiu, Haizhu, Liwan, Tianhe, Baiyun, Huangpu, Huadu, Panyu, Luogang, Nansha and 2 county-level cities: Conghua and Zengcheng. Guangzhou has mild weather, abundant rainfall, green in all four seasons, and wonderful scenery. It enjoys the honor of being known as “Flower City”.
Guangzhou is famous for its history and culture. Legend has it that five immortals arrived in Guangzhou wearing colorful clothes and riding colorful immortal sheep and the sheep held ears of rice in their mouths. They presented ears of rice to the people and proclaimed Guangzhou would never have famine. Thereafter, Guangzhou was known as Goat City or Sui Cheng and Wu Yang (five sheep) became the symbol of Guangzhou. Historical documents state that, the city walls were established in 214 B.C., and the city’s history reaches 2210 years. It has many important cultural and historical sites, which vividly reflect the development of Guangzhou’s historical phases.
Guangzhou was the starting point of the Silk Route and hence has many historic spots which date from this period and later. Sites such as the Zhenhai Tower, Wu Xian Taoist Temple, Tomb of King of Southern Yue Dynasty, Chenjia Ancestral Shrine, Liurong Temple, Guangxi ao Temple, Huaisheng Temple and Shishi are of particular interest.Guangzhou also has a distinguished place in modern history as can be evidenced at Sun Yat-sen’s Memorial Hall, Mausoleum at Huang Hua Gang, Memorial Mausoleum to the Martyrs, Luxun’s Memorial, former site of Guangzhou Peasants Movement Institute, Sanyuanli Site of Revolting against British Rulers, and Site of Huangpu Military School.
These historic spots as well as Baiyun Scenic Spot, Yuexiu Park, Liuhua Park, Lake Lu, Southern China Botanical Garden, Oriental Paradise, Southern Lake Paradise, and World Sight all form part of the wonderful landscape of the urban area in Guangzhou. Guangzhou is a city full of heroes, many of whom rose to significance during the revolutions in modern China.
The ancient Silk Route played an important role in trade in ancient times and Guangzhou now takes it’s place a one of the most important trade centers in modern China. Since China’s opening Guangzhou has been a leader in promoting economic and cultural communications and developing friendly relationship with foreign counties and presents all of the aspects of prosperity that have come because of its leadership in this area.
One of Guangzhou’s other titles is “City of Overseas Chinese” because of the high number overseas Chinese and foreign residents in the city. According to statistics, Guangzhou has 1,350,000 overseas residents, including 520000 overseas Chinese and Chinese with foreign nationalities from over 116 countries and areas. 830,000 Hong Kong – Macau citizens, and more than 1,000,000 returned overseas Chinese and their families and relatives have been drawn to Guangzhou for business related reasons.
Located in southeast Guangdong Province and at the northern edge of Chu Chiang Delta, close to South China Sea it neighbors Hong Kong and Macao. Guangzhou is the transportation Liburan and communication hub for Southern China and is called the Southern Gate of China.
Beautiful mountains and rivers and wonderful scenery in the area add to rich resource of scenic and cultural spots of interest. In 1996, the Guangzhou Government selected the ten best scenic spots – Baiyueguan Ancestral Shrine (i.e. Chenjia Ancestral Shrine), Yuntai Park (Baiyun Mountain Scenic Spot), Wuyang Asgard – Zhenhai Tower (Yuexiu Park and Guangzhou Museum), Xin Hai Lights (Sun Yat-sen’s Memorial Hall and Huang Hua Gang Park), World Sight, Lianhuaxiaoqing (Lotus Hill Tourism Spot), Traveling East – Loving it (Oriental Paradise), Xiguan Business Corridor (Guangzhou Business Walking Street), Liuronghua Tower (i.e. Liurong Temple).
