Humen Town also known as Taiping, is a town within the borders of Dongguan

Dongguan

Dongguan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.An important industrial city located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, Shenzhen to the south, and the Pearl River to...

 city, on the eastern side of the Bocca Tigris

Bocca Tigris

The Bocca Tigris, Bogue, or Humen is a narrow strait in the Pearl River Delta, Guangdong, People's Republic of China, where the Pearl River discharges into the South China Sea. The strait is formed by the islands of Chuenpee and Anunghoy on the eastern side and Tycocktow on the western side...

 on the east bank of the Pearl River Delta

Pearl River Delta

The Pearl River Delta , Zhujiang Delta or Zhusanjiao in Guangdong province, People's Republic of China is the low-lying area surrounding the Pearl River estuary where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea...

, in Guangdong

Guangdong

Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...

 province, southern China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

. The population was 577,548 as at the 2000 Census, making it the second most populous town (zhèn

Town (China)

When referring to political divisions of China, town is the standard English translation of the Chinese 鎮 . It is a fourth-level administrative unit, i.e...

) in China (after Chang'an, also in Dongguan).

History

The history of Humen is linked to the First Opium War

First Opium War

The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...

 (1839–1842). It was at Humen that Lin Zexu

Lin Zexu

Lín Zéxú ; 30 August 1785 – 22 November 1850) was a Chinese scholar and official during the Qing Dynasty.He is most recognized for his conduct and his constant position on the "high moral ground" in his fight, as a "shepherd" of his people, against the opium trade in Guangzhou...

 supervised the destruction of large quantities of seized opium in 1839. Some major battles in the First Opium War were fought here and on the waters of the Bocca Tigris.

Economy

Humen is a thriving city crowded with consumer goods factories. These factories also fueled population expansion from emigrating workers around the country seeking factory jobs. Furthermore, Humen is geographically advantageous for the factories due to its proximity to two large metropolitan cities and export harbors of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 and mainland China's Shenzhen

Shenzhen

Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...

. Humen has long been an important gateway to south China. Going upstream, ships plying the Pearl River can reach the eastern, northern and western regions of Guangdong and even parts of Guangxi province. The main port, Humen Port, is a first-class port open to foreign vessels.

Tourist attractions

• The "Sea Battle Museum", which has dioramas and displays concerning the Opium Wars
  Opium Wars
  The Opium Wars, also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, divided into the First Opium War from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860, were the climax of disputes over trade and diplomatic relations between China under the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire...
  
  , may be reached by taking Bus 8A or 8B to its westernmost stop.
• The Opium War Museum aka. Lin Zexu
  Lin Zexu
  Lín Zéxú ; 30 August 1785 – 22 November 1850) was a Chinese scholar and official during the Qing Dynasty.He is most recognized for his conduct and his constant position on the "high moral ground" in his fight, as a "shepherd" of his people, against the opium trade in Guangzhou...
  
   Memorial Museum
• Former Residence of Jiang Guangnai
  Jiang Guangnai
  Jiang Guangnai was a general and statesman in the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China.-Defense of Shanghai:He became a bodyguard to Sun Yat-sen and, in 1932, was promoted to General and Commander in Chief of the 19th Route Army, leading it in the successful Defense of Shanghai...
  
  
• Keyuan Garden (lit. "a garden not too bad for visiting"), built in 1850 during the Qing Dynasty

Several Qing Dynasty

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

  forts, including:

• Weiyuan Fort , located near the "Sea Battle Museum" and almost directly under the Humen Pearl River Bridge
  Humen Pearl River Bridge
  The Humen Pearl River Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Pearl River in Guangdong Province, southern China. It connects the Nansha District of Guangzhou to Humen Town of Dongguan...
  
  
• Shajiao Fort ; lit. "sand corner" fort), where the Convention of Chuenpee took place in 1841
• Eyi Fort
• Jingyuan Fort
• Zhenyuan Fort

Travel and transport

Humen is located at the eastern end of the Humen Pearl River Bridge

Humen Pearl River Bridge

The Humen Pearl River Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Pearl River in Guangdong Province, southern China. It connects the Nansha District of Guangzhou to Humen Town of Dongguan...

.

Humen is served by regular direct buses traveling south from Guangzhou

Guangzhou

Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...

. Routes continue south by bus to Shenzhen's Window of the World

Window of the World

The Window of the World is a theme park located in the western part of the city of Shenzhen in the People's Republic of China. It has about 130 reproductions of some of the most famous tourist attractions in the world squeezed into 48 hectares...

 theme park, from which it is possible to continue on to the Hong Kong border by bus or the Shenzhen Metro

Shenzhen Metro

The Shenzhen Metro is the subway or underground system for the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, China. The system opened on 28 December 2004, making Shenzhen the seventh city in mainland China to have a subway after Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Dalian, and Wuhan. The Shenzhen...

.

A ferry service connects Humen to Hong Kong International Airport

Hong Kong International Airport

Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial...

.

External links

• Human government website
• www.humen.com
• Chinese Wikipedia article about the destruction of opium in Humen