Zhaoqing - A Rare Flower Blooming on the Tropic of Cancer

Author: Xu Jiaguo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Zhaoqing, a dazzling pearl on the northern bank of the Xijiang River, is a renowned historical and cultural city and one of the first excellent tourist cities in China. Zhaoqing is situated at the cultural confluence of the Central Plains civilization and the Lingnan civilization, serving as the birthplace of Lingnan culture with a glorious history and a long-standing culture. In the Tang Dynasty, the renowned literary figure Li Yong vividly described the heavenly-like scenic beauty of ancient Dongzhou (now Zhaoqing) in his "Record of the Stone Chamber in Dongzhou," which brought Dongzhou fame to Chang'an and made it renowned throughout the land. The city of Zhaoqing administers two districts (Dongzhou and Dinghu), two county-level cities (Gaoyao and Sihui), and four counties (Guangning, Deqing, Fengkai, and Huaiji), as well as the Dawang Comprehensive Economic Development Zone. With an area of 15,000 square kilometers and a total population of 3.68 million, the urban area of Zhaoqing has a permanent population of 380,000. Zhaoqing is located in the central-western part of Guangdong Province and the western part of the Pearl River Delta, situated in the middle and lower reaches of the Xijiang River. It lies between 22°45′—24°24′ north latitude and 111°20′—112°52′ east longitude. Zhaoqing faces Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Macau while backing against the Greater Southwest, serving as the intersection point between Western Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta. It is a vital transportation hub for Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau to access Guangxi, Yunnan, and other regions. The urban area is over 90 kilometers from Guangzhou, over 200 kilometers from Shenzhen, 180 kilometers from Macau, and 140 nautical miles from Hong Kong by water. Trains and fast ferries can reach Hong Kong in four hours. Zhaoqing is located south of the Tropic of Cancer and belongs to the subtropical monsoon humid climate zone, with abundant rainfall, ample sunshine, and a mild climate. The average annual temperature is 22.10°C, so it is snow-free in winter and free of extreme heat in summer.
Zhaoqing is rich in natural resources. To date, over 50 types of mineral resources have been identified, including gold, granite, marble, and limestone. Among them, gold production accounts for over 80% of the province, with the Hetai gold mine producing over 10,000 taels of gold annually, earning it the reputation of "North has Yantai, South has Hetai."
Zhaoqing is a national historical and cultural city, the birthplace of Lingnan culture, and the intersection of Central Plains and Lingnan cultures, boasting a splendid history and culture. There are over 300 historical and cultural relics with scientific research value, such as Meidian, Yuancheng Dragon Mother Ancestral Temple, Chongxi Tower, Song Dynasty City Wall, Yuejiang Pavilion, Liemo Pavilion, Wenming Tower, Huangyandong, Taixin Bridge, Gaoyao School Palace, Deqing School Palace, Wenta, and the Seven Star Rocks Cliff Carving Group. According to research, Zhaoqing is also the birthplace of Cantonese! The Xinghu Scenic Area is one of the first national key scenic areas announced by the State Council. Recently, it was also selected as one of the first ten national model civilized scenic areas. The Seven Star Rocks are stunning, with seven peaks rising from a 6.5-square-kilometer lake. The entire scenic area is surrounded by mountains and water, with pavilions, towers, and rock formations blending harmoniously, creating a natural landscape of exceptional beauty, known as the "Lingnan Wonder" and the "Heavenly Scenic Beauty." In recent years, eight kilometers of embankment and the seven peaks in the Seven Star Rocks have been decorated with neon lights, creating a "Night Xinghu." Dinghu Mountain is the first of Guangdong's four famous mountains, known as the "Green Pearl on the Tropic of Cancer" and the "Living Natural Museum." UNESCO has established a "Man and the Biosphere" research station here. It is a renowned sacred site that combines tourism, summer resorts, scientific research, and religion. Additionally, the Longshan in Fengkai County, the Yuancheng Dragon Mother Ancestral Temple in Deqing County, the Zhenshan in Sihui, and the Yanrock in Huaiji are all famous scenic spots. With the opening of the tourism ring line composed of the Seven Star Rocks, Dinghu Mountain, Yuancheng Dragon Mother Ancestral Temple, Longshan, and Zhenshan, visitors from home and abroad flock to Zhaoqing, with approximately 4 million tourist visits annually.
Zhaoqing is renowned for its high-yield agricultural products such as rice, high-quality fruits, and edible mushrooms, contributing significantly to export earnings. The city also produces deep-processed pine resin products like pine resin, cinnamon, camphor oil, and camphor. There are abundant bamboo and wood deep-processing series products. Additionally, Zhaoqing is famous for its local specialty products such as steamed fruits, lotus root, Jianhua, Zhaoshi, and ZiBei Tiankui, as well as traditional practical crafts and the Duan inkstone, the top of the four most famous inkstones in China.