Shangchuan Island
Encyclopedia
Shangchuan Island also written (Schangschwan, Sancian, Sanchão, Chang-Chuang or St. John's Island) is the main island
of Chuanshan Archipelago
on the southern coast of China
. Its name originated from São João - Saint John in Portuguese. It is part of the Guangdong
province, in the South China Sea
. Located 14 km from the mainland, it is the largest island in the province which was formerly the island of Hainan
which was carved out of Guangdong to became a province in 1988.
The population of the island is 16,320.
It is known in history for having been the place of death of St. Francis Xavier
.
Administratively, Shangchuan Town (上川镇) is one of the 20 towns of Taishan
prefecture-level city
.
off the China coast, during the 16th century. They abandoned this base after the Chinese government gave consent for a permanent and official Portuguese trade base at Macau
in 1557.
The Spanish
(Navarre
) Jesuit Catholic
missionary
St. Francis Xavier
died there on December 2, 1552, on his way to Guangzhou
, having died without ever reaching the mainland.
. It is located near Xiachuan Island
, which lies west of Shangchuan. The two islands, together with smaller islet, form Chuanshan Archipelago
.
Shangchuan Town covers the main Shangshuan Island, as well as 12 islets. The total area of the town is 156.7 km². Shangshuan Island has an area of 137.3 km². The island has a 217 km long coastline.
Towns include:
: lǚyóu kāifā zōnghé shìyàn qū).
Feisha Beach Resort (飞沙滩旅游区) is a commercial tourist resort located on the island's eastern shore.
, Haiyan
(Shanju) and Xiachuan Island
.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Chuanshan Archipelago
Chuanshan Archipelago
The Chuanshan Archipelago is a group of islands in the South China Sea, just off the coast of Guangdong Province of southern China, rather nearer to the Pearl River Delta than to the Leizhou Peninsula.-Administration:...
on the southern coast of 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...
. Its name originated from São João - Saint John in Portuguese. It is part of the 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, in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. Located 14 km from the mainland, it is the largest island in the province which was formerly the island of Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
which was carved out of Guangdong to became a province in 1988.
The population of the island is 16,320.
It is known in history for having been the place of death of St. Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was a student of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montmartre in 1534...
.
Administratively, Shangchuan Town (上川镇) is one of the 20 towns of Taishan
Taishan
Taishan is a coastal county-level city in Guangdong Province, China. The city is part of the Greater Taishan Region....
prefecture-level city
Prefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
.
History
Shangchuan Island was one of the first bases established by the PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
off the China coast, during the 16th century. They abandoned this base after the Chinese government gave consent for a permanent and official Portuguese trade base at Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
in 1557.
The Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
(Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
) Jesuit Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
St. Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was a student of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montmartre in 1534...
died there on December 2, 1552, on his way to 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...
, having died without ever reaching the mainland.
Geography
The island has been isolated from the mainland since the last ice ageIce age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. It is located near Xiachuan Island
Xiachuan Island
Xiachuan Island is an island of the South China Sea, on the southern coast of China, part of the Guangdong province.-Administration:Administratively, Xiachuan Town is one of the 20 towns of Taishan....
, which lies west of Shangchuan. The two islands, together with smaller islet, form Chuanshan Archipelago
Chuanshan Archipelago
The Chuanshan Archipelago is a group of islands in the South China Sea, just off the coast of Guangdong Province of southern China, rather nearer to the Pearl River Delta than to the Leizhou Peninsula.-Administration:...
.
Shangchuan Town covers the main Shangshuan Island, as well as 12 islets. The total area of the town is 156.7 km². Shangshuan Island has an area of 137.3 km². The island has a 217 km long coastline.
Towns include:
- Dalangwan
- ShadiShadiShadi may refer to:* Chak Shadi, a village and Union Council of Jhelum District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan* Juy-ye Shadi, a village in Bamyan Province in central Afghanistan....
(沙堤), a fishing port on the southwestern coast
Economy
Shangchuan along with Xiachuan have been established as a Tourism Open Integrated Experimental Zones (旅游开发综合试验区, pinyinPinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: lǚyóu kāifā zōnghé shìyàn qū).
Feisha Beach Resort (飞沙滩旅游区) is a commercial tourist resort located on the island's eastern shore.
Transportation
Shangchuan Island is linked by ferry to GuanghaiGuanghai
Guanghai is a town under the jurisdiction of Taishan, in the Guangdong province in southern China.-External links:* * *...
, Haiyan
Haiyan
Haiyan is a town under the jurisdiction of Taishan, in Guangdong Province of southern China.Haiyan contains an overseas Chinese farm .-External links:* *...
(Shanju) and Xiachuan Island
Xiachuan Island
Xiachuan Island is an island of the South China Sea, on the southern coast of China, part of the Guangdong province.-Administration:Administratively, Xiachuan Town is one of the 20 towns of Taishan....
.
See also
- Chuanshan ArchipelagoChuanshan ArchipelagoThe Chuanshan Archipelago is a group of islands in the South China Sea, just off the coast of Guangdong Province of southern China, rather nearer to the Pearl River Delta than to the Leizhou Peninsula.-Administration:...
- List of islands of the People's Republic of China
- List of islands in the South China Sea
General
- Satellite view on Google Maps
- Website about Shangchuan
- Shangchuan on taishan.com
- Shangchuan on tsinfo.com.cn
- Pictures of the island (click on the links on the left to view more)
- Weather
