Travel
Travel and Enjoy your Stay in Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province and the center of politics, economy, science and technology, education and culture of the Province. Under its jurisdiction are ten districts - Dongshan, Liwan, Yuexiu, Haizhu, Tianhe, Fangcun, Baiyun, Huangpu, Panyu and Huadu, and 2 county-level cities of Zengcheng and Chonghua. Guangzhou covers a land area of 7,344.4 square kilometers with the household registered population of 7,251,900 (permanent residents total 10.15 million), and a daily floating population of 3 million on the average.

Located in the mid-south of Guangdong, Guangzhou is a regional center in south China in terms of its status as a transportation and telecommunication hub and trading port, known as the southern gateway to China. Guangzhou is a cultural city with a history of more than 2000 years. In the 9th century BC, it was called "Chu Ting" . As early as 226 A.D., Sun Quan -king of the Kingdom of Wu in the period of the Three Kingdoms (220-280) divided Jiaozhou District into two administrative regions, one was still named Jiaozhou and the other Guangzhou, hence name "Guangzhou". A legend has it that in ancient times five celestials riding on five rams holding ears of paddy rice in their months descended on to Guangzhou and gave the rice to the local residents and then they left behind the five rams that afterwards turned into stones. As a result, Guangzhou was also named the City of Ram, City of Ears. It is also called the City of Flowers as flowers can be seen all year round.

As one of the major hometowns of overseas Chinese in the country, Guangzhou has more than 1.06 million of folks residing abroad, and 880,000 compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao. 1.59 million of returned overseas Chinese, their family members and the relatives of compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao reside in Guangzhou. Guangzhou is endowed with various natural resources and some 52 kinds of minerals can be found here. Out of the total 8.129 billion cubic meters of water reserves, 409,000 KW equivalent of water reserve can be utilized for power generation. Guangzhou has thousands of floras and 210 kinds of wildlife. Its mainstay grain crop is paddy rice with two crops a year. Flowers, vegetables and fruit are the main cash crops here. Furthermore, Guangzhou is a home of fruit yielding some 500 varieties. Litchi, banana, oranges and pineapples are known as the four kinds fine fruit in Guangdong. In addition, Guangzhou is well known for its flowers and potted landscape, such as salisb (michealia), sweet hibiscus, gladiolus, chrysanthemum, kumquat, among others. In 2003, a flower-auction with the largest size and most advanced facilities in Asia was set up in Guangzhou. Guangzhou is adorned with hills and streams and attractions of historical relics. It has 156 locations which are listed as units for historical and cultural relics preservation by the national and provincial and municipal governments. The site of shipyard in the Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC) excavated in the downtown and the imperial garden of Nan Yue in the West Han Dynasty (206 BC - 25) are recognized as China's Top 10 new excavations and are shortlisted in the application for being included on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Favorable attractions include Chen Clan Temple, Yuntai Garden (at the foot of Mount Baiyun), Five Rams Stone Sculpture and Zhenhai Tower in Yuexiu Park, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Huanghuagang Park (Cemetery of 72 Martyrs), Hill Lianhua, the downtown bank along the Pearl River, CITIC Plaza (waterfall), Guangzhou Olympic Sports Center, Guangzhou New Gymnasium, Guangzhou Arts Museum, Guangzhou Shangxiajiu Shopping Street, Beijing Road Shopping Street, Six Banyan Temple, Hong Xiuquan's (1814-1864) Residence, Bao Mo Garden, Xiangjiang Safari Park and Chimelong Night Zoo. Out of them, Mount Baiyun, Hill Yuexiu, the Pearl River, Chen Clan Temple , Huanghuagang Park, Axis Line of New City, Olympic Sports Center and Hill Lianhua in Panyu are listed as the Top 8 Attractions in the City of Guangzhou in the new century.

The Pearl River

The Pearl River is where Guangzhou's scenic spots are. Praises to the beauty of the Pearl River have been"Red Heart of the Pearl Sea" and'Night Moon over the Goose Pool', selected in 1962 as of the Eight Sights of Guangzhou, plus the'Sunlight Reflection at Shimen' of the old Eight Sights of Guangzhou and the recently selected' Clear Waves of the Pearl River' of the Eight Sights of Guangzhou.

There are 10 bridges over the Pearl River: Renmin, Haizhu, Haiyin, Luoxi, Zhujiang, Guangzhou, and the newly-built Jiefang, Jiangwan, Huanan, Hedong, plus Zhujiang Tunnel, all of which connecting the south and north banks of the Pearl River and Fangcun District. There stands on both banks numerous star-grade hotels and commercial buildings: White Swan Hotel, Hotel Landmark Canton, Nanfang Mansion, Aiqun Hotel, Guangzhou Hotel, Gitic Riverside Hotel , all like sky-scrappers. In the evening, both banks are lit brightly, joined occasionally by the bright moon hanging in the sky. Full of passengers, pleasure boats for Pearl River cruise travel from the west to the east elegantly on the river, like playing happy melodies all together.

BaiYun Mountain

Baiyun Mountain (known locally as White Clouds Mountain) is located in north of Guangzhou city. It is named "the most beautiful place in the "Sheep City" (the nick name of Guangzhou City is "Sheep City")", and it is also one of the first 4A Grade interest places in China. This mountain is clustered round by over 30 ridges, with an area of 28 square kilometers. The highest peak is Moxing Ridge, 382 meters above the sea. When the sun shines again after the rain, white clouds are twisting the peaks, the green mountain and refreshing water are enshrined in the boundless sea of clouds,hence came the name of Baiyun (white cloud) Mountain.

Guangzhou is a long-history city, and it was founded since the Qin & Han Dynasties 22 20 years ago, but Baiyun Mountain was well-known for its nice scenery even earlier than the foundation of Guangzhou City. For its adjustment to the city environment and its rich natural & literary resources' Baiyun Mountain is called "green lung" of Guangzhou.

Baiyun Mountain has 7 sight-seeing regions. From south to north are: Crane Fluttering Crag, Lu Lake, Santai Crag, Mingchun Valley, Moxing Ridge, Bright Pearl Pavilion, and the new Heyi Ridge.

Yuexiu Park

Yuexiu Park, named after Yuexiu Mountain, built in 1952, is the biggest comprehensive sight-seeing park.

Yuexiu Park consists of seven hummocks-the peak Yuejing Hummock, Guihua Hommock, Muke Hummock, and Liyu Hummock and so on, and three artificial lakes-Beixiu Lake, Nanxiu Lake, and Dongxiu Lake. So Yuexiu Park has been well-known for the beautiful hills and waters and plenty of antiques which you can enjoy at ease in the park. There are verdant grasses and trees, birds' singing, and fragrant flowers all through the year. The verve of Yuexiu Park as one of the new Eight Attractions of Guangzhou is completely presented by verdant trees, thriving bamboos, and blooming flowers. Travelers will be lost in the elaborately engraved and Linnan-styled pavilions, platforms, towers, and corridors; and the rippling water of Dongxiu Lake, Nanxiu Lake, and Beixiu Lake. There will hold great flower exhibition which attracts millions of tourists in spring and autumn every year.

Besides the splendid natural wonders in Yuexiu Park, there have many famous scenic sites of different historical period successfully decorating the park, such as the well-known "Statue of the Five Goats", Zhenhai Tower, the Ancient City Wall of the Ming Dynasty, Sifang Emplacement, Zhongshan Monument.

What's more, there has built the Yuexiu Mountain Stadium which can hold about 30,000 people; Yuexiu Natatorium meeting the demand of international matches; Jinyin Natatorium, Flower House, Guangzhou Museum of Art, Attractions for the Journey to the West and some other entertainment facilities. Nowadays, due to its long-running changes, Yuexiu Park has become the substitute name for Guangzhou.

The Waterfall in East Railway Station Plaza

New Central Axis of Guangzhou City starts from Shougouling, East Railway Station, CITIC Plaza, Tianhe Sports Center, Zhongyang Dadao Avenue of Zhujiang Xincheng Buildings, and Haixinshadao Island to Chigang on the southern bank of the Pearl River. The most beautiful place along the axis is the East Railway Station Square and CITIC Plaza, especially, the waterfall scene of the Square is called Huangguoshu Waterfall at Guangzhou, closing to its south is the green square with the third largest area of its kind in China. The square with a green area of 4.7 hectares covers about 100,000 square meters.

Chen Clan Academy

The Chen Clan Academy, locally named the Chen Ancestral Hall, was located outside the west gate Guangzhou City and built during the 14th -20th years of Guangxu Reign of the Qing Dynasty(1888-1894).Contributed by the Chen families in seventy-two counties of Guangdong province,the academy served as the hall for ancestor worship as well as a temporary residence for the Chen descendants when they came to the provincial capital for official discussion,imperial examination or litigation.Covering a total area of 15,000 square meters, a floor space of 6,400 square meters, the Chen Clan Academy is a symmetrical complex comprising nineteen single buildings in a square form. The central axis is flanked on both sides by halls and wing-rooms; the single building are interspaced by courtyards and connected with verandas. The Chen Clan Academy is the largest, best-perserved and most gorgeously decorated traditional building in Guangdong Province and is acclaimed as a bright pearl among the artistic building in the south of the Five Ridges.

All the architectural decorations in the academy, the wood carvings brick carvings, stone carvings, ceramic sculptures, lime sculptures, iron castings and paintings are of varied topics and super workmanship, which make a comprehensive expression of the exquisite folk arts and handicrafts of the local province.

As an important historical and cultural site under state protection, the Chen Clan Academy is chosen one of the Eight Sights of the Goat City in the New Century with the name Gu Ci Liu Fang.

HuangHuaGang Mausoleum of 72 Martyrs

Tomb of 72 Martyrs in Guangzhou was built in 1918 to pay homage to the martyrs who died in the Guangzhou mutiny led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen on April 27, 1911 against the Qing dynasty. This is a park which is located at Huanghuagang Hillock on Xianlie Road. Behind the stone tomb is a granite monument inscribed with the names of 72 martyrs, and on its top stands a replica of the Statue of Liberty. History says that Mr. Sun Yat-sen, the precursor of the Democratic Revolution in China promoted the Alliance Society to carry out activities against the imperialism and feudalism. On the day of the martyrdom, a revolution was initiated in Guangzhou City to overthrow the Qing government. More than 130 people were led by Huang Xiang to attack the government offices for one day and a night. Lin Juemin, Yu Peilun, Lin Shishuang and many other heroes gave their lives in the process. It was Pan Dawei, a member of the Alliance Society, who risked his life to bury 72 of the martyrs at Huanghuagang in the Tomb of 72 Martyrs in Guangzhou.

Features of Tomb of 72 Martyrs in Guangzhou: Spread across 30,000 square meters. There is an archway at the entrance and three other archways. The tomb is perched on a hilltop. The square base of the tomb has rough stones and a kiosk encrypted with the words meaning The Tomb for the 72 Martyrs. Beside the tomb, there is a monument with pyramid shaped head built of 72 stones. The Statue of Liberty God holding a torch high is placed on the top of the monument. If you go behind the monument, you will find a stele with records of the uprising.

GuangDong Olympic Sports Center

It is a modern complex stadium built to hold the 9th National Games of the PRC. With main arena covering an area of 300,000 square meters, it is one of the largest stadiums with best facilities in Asia holding 80,012 audiences. The roof design changed traditional round style, it was designed into a "Ribbon" style, which is the first one in China. Twenty-one bleachers with different colors look like petals and it looks like a kapok flower, city flower of Guangzhou when you see them as a whole.

 

 

Lotus Mountain

With the submit of 105 meters above sea level and composition of 40 massifs, Lotus Mountain got the name from the graceful lotus-form stones in it. When you visit the Lotus Mountain Tourism Spot honored "Lianhua Wonderland", you will enjoy the special landscape with combining ancient roughness with modern beauty. There is one unique ancient quarry site with a history of more than 2,000 years, which is famous for its artificial stone wonders. The perilous cliffs and steep rocks and fantastic caves enjoy a fame of "Artificial Danxia Mountain". Climbing to the top of Lotus Mountain, the historic sites such as Lotus Pagoda built at Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and Lotus Fortress built at Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty are waiting for you.

Guangzhou City Snack

"Eating in Guangzhou" has become a popular saying both at home and abroad. Guangzhou ranks first in the number of restaurants and tea-houses in the country. Cantonese cuisine is good in color, fragrance, taste and presentation. In addition, the delicate Cantonese pastry is also well-known for its wide range of varieties, delicious flavor and beautiful color.

Cantonese cuisine,one of the eight major cuisines in China, uses a wide range of ingredients from the sky, the earth, and the water., everything that walks, crawls, flies, or swims is edible. It consists of three styles: Guangzhou, Chaozhou and Dongjiang styles. .

Major features of Cantonese cuisine: good at steaming, braising, frying, baking skills; stressing that dishes should be fresh, tender, crisp or smooth; tastes are mainly raw, crisp, fresh and thin; clear but not tasteless, fresh but not strong, tender but not half-cooked, oily but not too greasy; stressing the use of strong fire to cook to get full tastes and flavors. Cantonese food features over one hundred of famous dishes, e.g. Baked Suckling Pig, Longhudou (battle between dragon and tiger) and Taiye Chicken (County Magistrate Chicken), etc.

Located in tropical area, Guangzhou has got a reputation of"Hometown for Fruits" for its variety of tropical fruits. There are over five hundreds kinds of fruits in Guangzhou, among which the most famous four are lichee, banana, papaya and pineapple.They have been known as the kings of fruits in Lingnan area (Guangzhou city)