As the industrial, financial, commercial and cultural center in South China, Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, covers an area of 7,434 square kilometers and possesses of a population of over 7 million.

Guangzhou stands at the confluence of the East River, West River and North River, with its land sloping from north-east to south-west, and an alluvial plain in the south and south-west parts. It adjoins the South China Sea, and is crisscross with rivers and streams. The climate of Guangzhou is sub-tropical. The average year-round temperature is 22C. August is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 28C. January is the coldest month, with an average of 13C. The rainy season falls between April and August. Average annual rainfall is 1,720 mm. The city with long summer and no winter is always green with flowers in bloom all the year round, hence reputed as "Flower City".

Guangzhou's industry covers machinery, shipbuilding, carbuilding,textiles, sugar-refinery, household electrical appliances, computers, petrochemicals, light industrial products for daily use, rubber products and garments. Guangzhou has advanced agriculture, abounding in rice, sugarcanes, fruits, freshwater fish and oil crops.

Guangzhou is communication hub of Guangdong Province, with railways and highways radiating in all directions, and convenient inland-water, coastal and ocean transport. Huangpu is the biggest seaport in the South, ranking fifth in volume of freight handled in China. Its airport stands also in the forefront in passenger transport.

Guangzhou is China's famous historical and cultural city. Like Athens of Greece and Rome of Italy, it also has a history of more than 2,800 years.

There are a lot of interesting legends concerning its past. One of the beautiful stories which gives the city its name says that in ancient times five gods 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.

Guangzhou is also one of the most important centers of foreign commerce in South China. The Chinese Export Commodities Fair has been held twice a year in the city since 1957. It is also a cultural center. There are several universities, the Zhongshan University, the South China University of Technology, the Ji-nan University and so on. There are also higher educational establishments. The city is renowned for its arts and crafts, namely the Guang Dong embroidery, ivory-carving and ceramics.

Guangzhou is a beautiful city with an ever-green scenery and flowers blooming all the year round. The city boasts many tourist attractions, among which highlights are Chen Family 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 Family 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.. In the Suburbs, there are such scenic spot on Conghua Hot Springs, Xiqiao Hill Scenic spot, Seven Star Crags, and Foshan City. Lots of tourists to Guangzhou like to cover one or two of them for out-of-city pleasure.

"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 is among the most famous four in the country.

As for hotel accommodations, there are Garden Hotel, China Hotel, White Swan Hotel, Dongfang Hotel, Nanhu Hotel, the Overseas Mansion, the Overseas Chinese Mansion, the Overseas Hotel and others.

Famous Tropical or Subtropical Fruits: banana, lichee, longan and pineapple

Local Highlights: Yue Drama

Famous Guangdong Folk Music: Bubugao and Xiyangyang

Handcraft: Ivory Carving, Sandalwood Fan

Guangdong Museum of Art

The Guangdong Museum of Art holds the largest collection of contemporary Chinese art in China. Special exhibitions often present experimental work that reflects the changing political and social environment of this developing country. The museum also presents a large number of exhibitions of work by well-known artists from other Asian and Western countries.

Address: 38 Yan Yu Lu Er Sha Island Guangzhou, P.R. China 510105

Telephone number: 873751087

Zhenhai Tower (Guangzhou Museum)

Standing on the top of Yuexiu Hill in Yuexiu Park, the 28-metre-high five-storey tower -- also known as Five-storey Pagoda -- was built on the order of Zhu Liangzu, the Yongjia Marquis of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), to flaunt his power that was able to "shake the seas and mountains". A magnificent building, it commands a bird's-eye view of the whole city. The tower now houses the City Museum, with exhibits which describe the history of Guangzhou from Neolithic times till the early part of this century.

Chen's Ancestral Temple (Chen Family Temple)

Chen's Ancestral Temple is specially recommended to readers, which has long been looked upon as the ultimate in Cantonese construction of the past glory. The temple is located on Zhongshan Qilu (7th Road) with a history of over one hundred years and still in its original shape. The construction began in 1894, sponsored by Chen Xianglin, a founder of the local charity organization, together with Chen Ruinan and Chen Yaonan, who returned from abroad. The buildings are known for their exquisite and mythical decorations, such as the brick carvings of historic figures.

Bright Filial Piety Temple

Bright filial Piety Temple is also called Guanghua Temple. Situated in the city proper and first built in the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), the temple is known as the "first ancient temple in South China". The Sixth Ancestor Hall in the temple was built in memory of Huineng, the sixth master of the Chan Sect of Buddhism, who was also the most influential monk in the history of Chinese Buddhism. In the temple there is also a pagoda where Huineng's hair was buried. Other ancient structures in the temple include The Sakyamuni Hall, The Samgharama Hall, The King of Heaven Hall, and two iron towers.

Temple of the Six Banyan Trees

The temple is known as Liu Rong Temple in Chinese. Situated inside the city, the temple, first built in the Five Dynasties period (907-960), was originally called Baozhuangyan Temple. It was renamed in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as Su Shi, a great writer of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), was found to shave written the two characters of Liu Rong when he saw the six ancient banyan trees there on a visit to the temple. In the temple there is a 57-metre-high, 17-story octagonal pagoda, which has on its top a bronze column with 1,000 Buddhist sculptures. The column, with its metal accessories, weighs five tons, something rarely seen in ancient China. The pagoda is also called Flower Pagoda for its colorful exterior. In the temple there are also three large bronze Buddhist sculptures made in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), each standing six metres high and weighing 10 tons.

Huaisheng (Remember the Sage) Mosque

Built in the city during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the building is one of the oldest mosques in China. The name of the mosque means "Remember the Sage", in memory of the prophet. The 1,000-year-old Guangta, or Smooth Tower, a 36-metre-high brick structure with a smooth surface, is of the Arabic architectural style. In the mosque are the Praying Hall and other buildings.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, a key historical relic protected by Guangdong Province, is a memorial building built with the funds raised by the Guangzhou people and overseas Chinese in memory of Sun Yat-sen, the great revolutionary forerunner. Located in the original site of the then Sun Yat-sen's Presidential Office, it was designed by Mr. Lu Yanzhi, the great architect of the country. Construction work started in 1929 and finished in 1931.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is a gorgeous octagonal structure, with solemn and magnificent looks, and strong national features. The designer smartly applied the structural theory of architectural mechanics and adopted the mixed structure of reinforced concrete. The construction space with the span of up to 71 meters is pillar-less, much to its grandeur. The memorial hall and the courtyard cover a land area of six hectares. The principal building occupies an area of 12,000 sq. meters, and 47 meters high. The stage measures 15 meters at the front and 20 meters in depth, together with 3,238 seats. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is the most symbolized building of Guangzhou, and a key venue for the city's large-scale meetings and performances as well.

Shamian Islet

Located on the north bank of the Pearl River, Shamian is an oval islet, covering a tiny area of 0.3 sq. meters. Shamian used to be an alluvion made by the Pearl River, called Zhongliusha and Shicuizhou in the early stage.

It had been a tourist attraction as well as an important port for Guangzhou's foreign trade from Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. What is worth mentioning on Shamian is its restricted planning area, namely the area protected by the state as key historical relics, including the architectural complex built during the concession period in Shamian's modern times. The area became concession in 1859, and afterwards the British, French, American, German, Japanese, Italian, Netherlands and Portuguese set up consulates, banks and trade offices, one after another. The Kuomintang (KMT) government took over Shamian after winning the Anti-Japanese War in 1945. Quite a few of the old buildings are of Western classic layout.

Yuexiu Park

Located in the north of Guangzhou proper and around one km southeast to Guangzhou Railway Station, Yuexiu Park is the largest park with an area of up to 920,000 sq. meters. Apart from Yuexiu Hill, it also includes the neighboring six hillocks and three man-made lakes, i.e. Dongxiu Lake, Nanxiu Lake and Beixiu Lake. Yuexiu Hill got its name from the Chaohan Platform built by Zhao Tuo, king of Southern Yue in the Western Han period. It is also called Guanyin Hill, as Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy, was found during the Yongle years in the Ming Dynasty.

Major attractions in the park include: Yuexiu Tower - the historical Zhenhai Tower, one of the Top Eight Sights of Guangzhou, the Five Rams Stone Sculpture, Sun Yat-sen Monument, the ancient city wall, the Rectangular Fort, Memorial to the place where Sun Yat-sen once pursued study and administration, etc., coupled with Jinyin Amusement Park, Children's Playground, Palace of the Monkey King Story, Gardens of Chinese idioms and fables, the White Pigeon Square. The scenery of Dongxiu Lake and Nanxiu Lake is so nice that they are a must for painting from life, whereas Beixiu Lake is good for boating and fishing for the green weeping trees around.

Baiyun Mountain

Baiyun Mountain is a park with natural hills and waters, and an ideal sightseeing place and summer resort, with a development history of over 1,000 years. So far six sightseeing zones have been developed: Mingzhu Tower, Moxing Ridge, Santai Ridge, Mingchun Valley and Luhu Lake.

Evening Cruise on the Pearl River

Evening Cruise on the Pearl River is one of the tourist highlights in the southern city of Guangzhou, and the beauty of the Pearl River scenery can be compared with that of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor.

Flower Markets

"Walking on the Flower Street" is the folk custom of the people of Pearl River Dela that has a long history. Held to greet the upcoming Lunar New Year, the flower market will start three days before the Spring Festival. The New Year��s Eve is the climax of flower market, when huge crowds of people will surge to the street. The fresh flowers contain the implication of unusual luck and realization of great ideals.

Qingping Market

Qingping Market has over 2,000 stalls along 1km of Qingping Lu and Ti Yun Lu just north of Shamian Island. It is the largest street market in Guangzhou and over 60,000 people shop here every day. The most infamous section of Qingping is the meat market where live chickens, rabbits, cats, dogs, anteaters, turtles and all sorts of animals are sold, and often slaughtered on the spot to provide fresh meat. Definitely not for the faint hearted. The Chinese medicine section is interesting and less disturbing, perhaps as the by-products of endangered species are not so instantly recognizable. Behind the packed crowds and stalls there are also some jade and antique stalls and the antique shops along nearby Daihe Lu are also worth a visit.