Shangdong Province

Geography

Shandong (literally means east of mountain) takes its name from its location to the east of the Taihang Mountains. It is situated on the eastern coast of China, in the lower Yellow River valley. The Shandong Peninsula in the east protrudes between the Bohai Sea and the Huanghai Sea from the land mass and faces the Liaodong Peninsula in the north across the Bohai Straits, forming the maritime outpost of the nation’s capital, Beijing. Situated 34″25″-38″23″ north latitude and 114″36″-112″43″ east longitude, the province has an area of 153,000 square kilometers, of which 55% is plain.

 Climate

Shandong has a warm-temperate monsoonal climate, with hot, rainy summers and dry, sunny winters. It has a mean annual temperature of 10.5oC-13.5oC — the hottest month, July, averaging 24-27oC and the coldest month, January, -4-1oC — and a mean annual precipitation of 550-950 mm.

 Administrative Division and Population

It is divided into 17 prefecture-level cities, 31 county-level cities and 61 counties, with a population of 90.79 million by 2000.

 Food

Lu Cuisine (Shandong Cuisine) is one of the Eight Great Cuisines in China.

 Culture

Lü Opera, Shandong Kuaishu (singing and reciting, an art genre of Chinese Quyi)

 Local Special Products

Renowned traditional local products include clocks and watches of Yantai, porcelain of Zibo, kites of Weifang, shell carving and beer of Qingdao.

 Brief Introduction

Shandong Province is called Lu for short. Shandong is a key production area of grain, cotton and oil crops. It usually ranks first or second in production output. Shandong is also well known for its tobacco, fruit, peanuts, tussah silks, meat, and marine products. Its major mineral deposits include coal, petroleum, iron, aluminium, and gold. The coastal area is abundant in fish and salt. Shandong’s industry covers oil extraction, processing, machinery, electric power, chemicals, foodstuff, textile, arts and crafts, and papermaking, etc.

With railway as its mainstay of transport, Shandong is one of the provinces with the most dense highway network. It has seaports like Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai, and Rizhao, etc. Major cities are Jinan, Qufu, Qingdao, Yantai, Weifang, and Zibo.

Shandong is rich in historical and cultural resources, and gifted with beautiful landscapes, with 157 cultural relics preservation sites under the state protection. Among its famous scenic spots and historical sides are Taishan Mountain, Laoshan Mountain, the Lingyan Temple, seaside of Jiaodong Peninsular, Confucius Family Mansion, Confucius Woods and Temple in Qufu, etc. Qufu and Jinan cities are famous historical and cultural cities in the world. Jinan, capital of Shandong Province, is known as the City of Springs with the famous Daming Lake and at least 72 famous springs.

Jiangsu Province

Geography

Jiangsu lies in East China and the lower reaches of the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers, with an area of 102,600 square kilometers. Jiangsu borders the Huanghai Sea in the east, Shandong Province in the north, Anhui Province in the west, and Zhejiang Province in the south. The vast plains, dotted with lakes and crisscrossed by rivers, cover 18% of the province’s total land mass. With three major river systems from north to south — the Yishu River, the Huaihe River and the Yangtze River, Jiangsu has well-developed irrigation systems and shipping. The Grand Canal is an artery between the north and south.

Climate 

Situated in the climatic transition zone of warm-temperate and sub-tropical zones, Jiangsu has mild weather, moderate rainfall and clear-cut seasonal changes. The climate differs between north and south: The mean annual temperature is 13-16oC, increasing from north to south, while the mean annual precipitation is 800-1,200 mm. There are frequent “plum rains” between spring and summer, and typhoon rains between late summer and early autumn.

Administrative Division and Population

It is divided into 13 prefecture-level cities, 31 county-level cities and 33 counties, with a population of 74.38 million as of 2000. It is one of the most densely populated provinces.

Food

Jiangsu specialties include West Lake fish, Nanjing Salted Duck, Lake Tai Whitebait and Beggar’s Chicken (the chicken is baked in lotus leaves and clay).

Culture

Suzhou Pingtan (a kind of opera), ditty, etc

Special Local Products

The special local products are Suzhou embroidery, Yixing pottery, Yangzhou lacquer ware, Wuxi clay figurine, Nanjing Yuhua Stone (rain flower pebbles), etc.

Brief Introduction

Jiangsu Province, Su for short, lies in East China. The industries and the agriculture here are well developed. Among its agricultural produces, the outputs of rice, cotton, silk, tea, oil and freshwater fish hold important positions in China. Its most important industries are machinery, chemical industry, electricity, electronics and cement. Known as a “land of fish and rice”, Jiangsu gets its name from the first character of its two cities, Jiangning (now Nanjing) and Suzhou.

Jiangsu boasts the largest number of historical and cultural cities, such as Worldly Heaven Suzhou, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Huai’an, and Xuzhou, etc. Of the more than 200 lakes, the larger ones are the Hongze Lake, the West Lake, the Tai Lake, the Xuanwu Lake, and the Gaoyou Lake, which earn Jiangsu the name “Water Countryside”. Historical relics include the Stone City in Nanjing, Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Tomb, the Xiao Tomb of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Han Mausoleum and Pits of Terracotta Soldiers, etc. Other places of interest are Yuntai Mountain, Zhongshan Mountain, the Suzhou Garden and the Three Caves in Yixing.

Zhejiang Province

Geography

Zhejiang Province, which is reputed as “the Land of Silk” and produces one third of China’s raw silk, brocade and satin, lies on the southeastern coast. Situated 118′01″-123′08″ east longitude and 27′01″-31′10″ north latitude, it has an area of 101,800 square kilometers and a coastline of 2,200 kilometers. Zhejiang boasts the largest number of isles in China, totaling more than 2,100.

Climate

Zhejiang has a sub-tropical monsoonal climate, warm, humid and rainy. It has a mean annual temperature of 16-19oC, and a mean annual precipitation of 1,100-1,900 mm. “Plum rains” occur between May and June and typhoons between summer and autumn.

Administrative Division and Population

It is divided into 11 prefecture-level cities, 24 county-level cities, 38 counties and 1 autonomous county, with a population of 46.77 million by 2000, mainly ethnic groups of Han, Hui, Manchu and Miao.

Food

Zhejiang Cuisine, one of the Eight Great Cuisines in China, is best represented by Hangzhou dishes, including Beggar’s Chicken (which is especially delicious with a pleasant aroma of lotus leaves), Dongpo Pork, West Lake Vinegar Fish, Songsao Shredded Fish Soup, etc.

Culture

Kunqu, Shaoju, Yueju, etc.

Special Local Products 

Among famous specialties are Hangzhou silk satin and brocade, Dragon-Well Tea, Jinhua Hem, sweet oranges of Huangyan, rice wine of Shaoxing.

Brief  Introduction

Zhejiang Province, Zhe for short, got its named after its largest river, now known as the Qiantang River.

Zhejiang has well-developed fishery and light industry and textile industry, and its output of tea, Jute, and silk ranks the first place nationwide. Zhejiang is abundant in croakers, hair-tail fish, inkfish and freshwater fish. It is also the main producing place of green tea and bamboos. The North Zhe Plain is renowned as the Home for Fish and Rice and Home for Silk. Ningbo and Wenzhou cities are its two main ports.

Zhejiang is endowed with lush mountains and exquisite waters, and rich in historical and cultural resources. Main scenic spots and historical sites include the West Lake in Hangzhou, Putuo Mountain, the Thousand-Islet Lake, the East Lake in Shaoxing, the Nanxi River, Tiantai Mountian and Mogan Mountain.

Putuo Mountain, noted for its rough terrain and exquisite landscape, is one of the Four Great Buddhist Holy Mountains. Mogan Mountain, renowned as the Cool World, is the one of the four summer resorts in China.

Zhejiang is one of the ancient cities that celebrities in the past most often visited. It boasts three famous historic cities — Hangzhou, the Paradise on Earth; Ningbo, the ancient seaport; and Shaoxing, the City of Rivers and Canals.

Guangdong Province

Geography

Guangdong is bounded by the South China Sea and is the southern gateway of China. Situated 3′28″-25′31″ north latitude and 108′13″-119′59″ east longitude, it has an area of more than 180,000 square kilometers, more than 170,000 square meters of which is land. Guangdong neighbors Jiangxi and Hunan provinces in the north, Fujian Province in the east and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in the west. It has a long zigzag coastal line of 3,368.1 kilometers, and 651 islands with a total coastal line of 1,649.5 kilometers.

Climate

Crossed by the Tropic of Cancer in the central part of its continental portion, tropical and sub-tropical Guangdong has a climate marked by high temperature and plentiful rainfall. It has the highest mean temperature of 28oC in July (the hottest month in a year) and 13oC in January (the coldest month in a year). The greater part of the province has a mean annual precipitation of about 1,500-2,000 mm. and 140-160 rainy days. The coastal regions are frequently visited by typhoons between July and August.

Administrative Division and Population

It is divided into 21 prefecture-level cities, 33 county-level cities, 43 counties and 3 autonomous counties, with a population of 86.42 million as of 2000, mainly including ethnic groups of Han, Yao, Zhuang, Manchu, etc.

Food

Guangdong cuisine, one of the Eight Great Cuisines, emphasizes seafood, and unique, mixed flavorings. It is divided into three branches: Guangdong food is traditional Guangdong cuisine; Chaozhou food is similar to Fujian cuisine because Chaozhou neighbors Fujian Province; and Dongjiang food, which is represented by Huizhou food, emphasizes domestic animals and poultry. The dietetic culture of Guangdong has retained many eating habits and customs of the ancient people, such as eating snakes. In short, to the people of Guangdong, everything that walks, crawls, flies, or swims is edible.

Culture

Yueju (Guangdong Opera), Chaoju (Chaozhou Opera), and Nanyin (a kind of local music)

Brief Introduction

Guangdong, Yue for short, is located in south China, with Guangzhou as its capital city. Thousands of years ago, the Yue people resided here. That is why Guangdong is also called Yue. In the 8th year (887BC) during the reign of King Yi of the Zhou Dynasty (11^th century — 256BC), the capital of the Chu State was in Guangzhou. After the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC) unified the whole China, Nanhai Prefecture was founded in Guangdong. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Guangdong Province was established, and this name has been in use ever since.

It adjoins Wuling Mountains to the north and the South China Sea to the south, with a landscape sloping from north to south. It’s mountainous in north, and in the south there are coastal plains, hills and tablelands. The deltas of the Pearl River and Han River are its chief plains. The West River, the North River and the East River, known as “the Peal River System”, as well as Han River are Guangdong’s main waterways. Its coastal line is long and zigzag with numerous offshore islands.

Its main industrial products cover cane sugar, garments, leather, paper, stationery, arts and crafts, pharmaceuticals, plastics, pottery, electric machinery, electronics, and communication equipment, the output value of which all stands in the forefront in China. Guangdong also holds an important place in China in the production of rice, silk, tea, jute and tropical crops. It has well-developed sea and ocean fishing as well as freshwater and seawater aquiculture.

The capital city of Guangzhou is the largest city in South China and the political, economic, cultural, transportation and travel center of the province. Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou of Guangdong Province have been listed as special economic zones.

As one of the locations of China’s Special Economic Zones, and bordering Hong Kong and Macao, Guangdong has marked advantages in utilizing overseas capital and technology and carrying out foreign economic and technical cooperation. It is also one of the home provinces of oversea Chinese.

Guangdong boasts abundant natural and historical sites and sceneries, including Yuexiu Hill in Guangzhou, botanical garden of South China, Xiqiao Mountain, Conghua Hot Springs, the Window of the World, the Yuexiu Park, the Seven Star Crags, and Dinghu Mountain. Guangzhou and Chaozhou are the renowned historical and cultural cities and Foshan is one of the Four Great Towns nationwide.

Hong Kong

Geography

Hong Kong, with an area of 1071.8 square kilometers, is a Special Administrative Region of China since China resumed its sovereignty from the British Government on July 1, 1997. It is situated in the south of the Chinese mainland, neighboring Shenzhen City and 130 kilometers away from Guangzhou City of Guangdong Province. It consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories

To the west, Hong Kong is separated by the Pearl River estuary, facing Macao and Zhuhai City; and to the east and south, it is overlooking the vast South China Sea. Relying on such advantageous geographical position, Hong Kong has now developed into an economic center in Asia.

Climate

Hong Kong has a sub-tropical monsoonal climate, with a mean annual temperature of 22oC and a mean annual precipitation of 2,225 mm, sometimes over 3,000 mm. It is frequently visited by typhoons and tropical storms in summer and autumn.

Population

Hong Kong has a population of 6.78 million as of 2000, among which, 97.5% are Chinese. And among the aliens, the Philippines people constitute the overwhelming majority, the Americans, Britons and Indians and others come second. The daily language used among the Hong Kong residents is mainly Cantonese (Guangdong dialect). The official languages being used are Chinese and English. 

Brief Introduction

Hong Kong is a Special Administration Region of China since China resumed its sovereignty from the British Government on July 1, 1997. Hong Kong (Xianggang in mandarin), named the Pearl of Orient, got the name from its river Xiang River. As early as 4,000 years ago, Chinese ancestors had already settled in this area. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the imperial army was once stationed here. 

From 1842 to 1898, the British aggressors forcibly occupied the Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories one after another and the Hong Kong region became a British colony and was ruled by the British. On December 19, 1984, the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland signed the Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong. And on July 1, 1997, China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, thus Hong Kong has returned anew to the embrace of the motherland.

Hong Kong today is a flourishing international metropolis, and the gold trading market and financial center as important as New York, London and Zurich. It is also the free port of the Far East and one of the centers for trade and hipping in Asia-Pacific region.

The Hong Kong Island is the most thriving place of the whole of Hong Kong and is also the seat of the Hong Kong Government bodies. On both sides of the streets, there are flourishing commercial towers and shopping centers, offices of the world famous financial bodies, shipping institutions and the headquarters of trade companies, and consulates of various countries and regions. The renowned Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay are all located here, which are Hong Kong’s mainly tourist area and residential quarters of the first class.

Kowloon is one of the centers of industrial and commercial activities and one of the world busiest airports — the Kai Tak international airport is located at Kowloon. The Victoria Harbor, one of the three natural deep-water harbors of the world, is situated between the Kowloon Peninsula and the Hong Kong Island. By utilizing the excellent advantages, Hong Kong has gradually developed into one of the world shipping centers.

During the past several decades, the economy of Hong Kong has undergone an extremely rapid development and its economic strength is getting momentum with each passing day, thus forming six great pillars of industries — trade, finance, manufacture, shipping, real estate and tourism. Big companies and banking corporations of many countries throughout the world have come to Hong Kong for trade. Every year there are several million tourists coming to Hong Kong for visit and thousands of huge ships coming in and out of Hong Kong harbors, and everyday there are hundreds of airplanes taking off and landing in Hong Kong international airport.

In the commercial towers and shopping centers, you will find exquisite merchandise, a feast for the eyes. It looks as if international fairs of merchandise from various countries throughout the world were held here everyday.

Hong Kong’s communications are highly developed, with subway and ground railway, highway, undersea tunnels, motorway interchange, viaduct, ferry and airport like a piece of huge network knitting the whole city together.

Hong Kong is a city for tourism, which is known as a fine place for “visits, shopping and recreation”.