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Zhaoqing

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Zhaoqing is a prefecture-level city located in the Guangdong province of China.

牌坊广场全景
牌坊广场全景

It sits in the western part of the Pearl River Delta. The city is positioned on the north shores of the Xi River. Most of the central urban area is quite flat. However, thick, forested mountains lie just outside the city limits. The outskirts feature many rice paddies and aquaculture ponds.

新世界花园楼盘
新世界花园楼盘

As of the 2020 census, the city has a population of 4,113,594 people. About 1,553,109 of these residents live in the built-up metro area. This metro area includes the districts of Duanzhou, Dinghu, and Gaoyao.

The geography of the region is defined by its water and mountains. The Xi River flows from west to east through the area. Gaoyao is located on the south bank of this river. Zhaoqing sits on the opposite bank. The southern districts and Sihui are part of the Pearl River Delta. The city's climate is a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate. This means the weather is often warm and wet. The mountainous regions provide many natural resources. These include minerals like coal, limestone, copper, lead, and gold. The forests also provide materials like rosin and cassia bark.

Zhaoqing has a very deep history with many different names. The Qin people knew the area as Sihui. During the Han dynasty, it was called Gaoyao. Under the Sui dynasty, it became the seat of Duan Prefecture. This changed its name to Duanzhou. The current name, Zhaoqing, means "Beginning Auspiciousness." Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty bestowed this name in 1118. The city was once one of the most important places in southern China. It lost much of that importance during the Qing dynasty. Today, it is known as a provincial "college town" and a site for tourism.

During the 16th century, Zhaoqing played a major role in global history. It served as the seat for the Viceroy of Liangguang. This official governed both Guangdong and Guangxi. In 1582, the Italian Jesuit Michele Ruggieri and Matteo Ricci arrived there. They established the first Jesuit mission house on mainland China. Ricci was a skilled mathematician and cartographer. In 1584, he drew the first modern Chinese map of the world while living in Zhaoqing. Later, during the mid-17th century, the city served as a capital for the Southern Ming resistance. The Prince of Gui styled himself the Yongli Emperor there. The city fell in 1650.

The economy of Zhaoqing is diverse and growing. It is one of nine prefecture-level cities in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone. The city has many different industries. These include food and beverages, electronics, and textiles. The local government has created industrial zones to help these businesses. The largest is the Guangdong Zhaoqing High-tech Industrial Development Zone. This zone covers 100 square kilometers. It contains the Sanrong and Dawang industrial parks. Dawang specifically works as an export processing and trade zone. Agriculture also remains important for the local economy.

Visitors often travel to Zhaoqing to see its many landmarks. The city has several National Key Cultural Relic Protection Sites. These include the Seven Star Crags Carvings and the Zhaoqing Song City Walls. The Xinghu Sightseeing Area is a very popular AAAAA tourist attraction. It includes the Seven Star Crags and Dinghu Mountain. Dinghu Mountain was the first established nature reserve in China. The city also hosts interesting sporting events. It hosted the 15th Games of Guangdong Province in 2018. The city also has a high diving training center. This center hosted the FINA High Diving World Cup in 2019.

Zhaoqing is well-connected to other major cities. It is located west of Guangzhou. You can reach Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and other cities by train or bus. The Sanmao Railway runs through the city. There is also a service that connects Zhaoqing to Hong Kong via the KCRC Guangdong Through Train. For travel by water, express catamaran ferries run between Zhaoqing and Hong Kong. Within the city, people use 32 different public bus routes. The city is also working to improve its higher education system. It is home to Zhaoqing University and a campus of Guangdong University of Finance.

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