Zhongshan
Encyclopedia
Zhongshan also spelled Chungshan and historically known as Xiangshan or Siangshan, is a prefecture-level city
in the south of the Pearl River Delta
in Guangdong
province in southern China
. Zhongshan, one of the few cities in China with an eponymous name, is named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen
(1866-1925) who was also known as Sun Zhongshan. Sun, the founding father of the Republic of China
, was born in Cuiheng village in Nanlang Township of what was then Xiangshan County. After his death in 1925, Xiangshan was renamed Zhongshan in his honor.
and the Republic of China
to be the "Father of Modern China
", and was from Cuiheng
village - now part of Nanlang
Town - just outside of downtown Zhongshan.
tribes that once possessed most of southern China. After unifying China in 221 BC, the First Emperor of Qin dispatched a 500,000-man army to what is now southern China to conquer the Yue peoples and bring the area under Han Chinese
control. The Qin Dynasty
organized its territory into "Commanderies" - roughly equivalent to a province or prefecture - and Zhongshan became part of the Nanhai Commandery , which covered most of modern-day Guangdong
and Guangxi Provinces. After the First Emperor's death in 210 BC, Han Chinese general Zhao Tuo
was declared king of Nanyue
, an autonomous state covering what was originally the Nanhai Commandery. Nanyue's capital - like that of the earlier Commandery - was at Panyu
, a settlement now part of the provincial capital Guangzhou
. Zhao Tuo's successors were unable to successfully resist Chinese re-integration for long, and were eventually re-conquered by the armies of Emperor Wu of Han
in 111 BC. During the reign of Zhao Tuo, most government officials were Chinese army officers or their descendants, though they encouraged other Han Chinese settlers to adopt Yue customs. Han Chinese immigration to the region remained small until the War of the Eight Princes
(291 - 307 AD), when large groups of Han Chinese fled from the Chinese heartland south to the region.
The Zhongshan area was part of Dongguan
during the Tang Dynasty
(618 - 907 AD), and was a significant sea salt
producer. In 1082, during the Northern Song Dynasty, a fortified settlement called Xiangshan was founded in the area, marking the first official use of the name by which it would be known throughout most of its modern history. The prosperous settlement was then upgraded to a county in 1152. Much of the First Opium War
took place in and around Zhongshan: in 1839, the famous official Lin Zexu
arrived in Zhongshan and ordered the expulsion of Sir Charles Elliot
and other British traders from the area. Qing Dynasty
soldiers resisted British attacks on the area in 1840, but were ultimately overwhelmed.
During the Second Sino-Japanese War
, Zhongshan was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army
which implemented Unit 8604
or Nami Unit, a secret military medical unit, related to Unit 731
, that researched biological warfare
and other topics through human experimentation. It was headquartered at Zhongshan Medical University (Hal Gold, Unit 731 Testimony, 2003, p.50).
In 1983, Zhongshan was elevated in administrative status from a county to a county-level city
and again in 1988 to a prefecture-level city
.
, directly opposite Shenzhen
and Hong Kong
. Zhongshan is directly south of Guangzhou
and Foshan
's north-south alluvial plains, and just north of Zhuhai
and Macau
's hilly coastlines.
Geological evidence suggests that before the 2nd millennium BC, the area Zhongshan now occupies was mostly on the floor of the South China Sea
. Like much of southern China, Zhongshan has many mountains and hills - most notably the Wugui Mountains - and these formed a system of steep islands. Like most river delta
systems, the Pearl River and its tributaries gradually deposited silt on the ocean floor, causing its alluvial plain to reach further and further out into the sea. Zhongshan's northern flatland appeared around 1100 AD, and was settled soon after. The city's current geography is typical of southern China: numerous steep mountains and hills with alluvial plains in between down to the coastline. The main peak of the Wugui Mountains is the highest point in the city, at 531 metres (1,742.1 ft) above sea level.
Like nearly all of southern China, Zhongshan's climate is warm and humid most of the year, with an average temperature of 22 °C (71.6 °F) and 175 centimetres (68.9 in) of rainfall each year. Southern China experiences fairly frequent typhoons and thunderstorm
s, and most rain falls between April and September.
Zhongshan is a city of numerous leafy park
s, wide boulevards
and various monument
s. Notable sights include:
of the Guangdong
province. An uncommon administrative feature is that it has no county-level division. The city government directly administers five district offices (corresponding to the urban area of Zhongshan proper), 18 towns and a development zone:
, lychee
, banana
, and sugar cane. Added to this, horticulture
in Xiaolan Town
is famous throughout southern China for its blooming chrysanthemum
.
, Nanhai and Shunde
, are dubbed as Four Little Tigers in Guangdong. The proximity of Zhongshan to Hong Kong
and Macau
is an advantage to its economic development, especially on the manufacturing industries.
In the 1980s, Zhongshan had a relatively developed State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) sector that was used to stimulate Township and Village Enterprises (TVE) development in the countryside. Currently, the SOE sector is much weaker and the economy is dominated by foreign investment and TVEs, and also by various specialized manufacturing towns. Each of these towns is specialized in making a particular product. Most of the towns are so successful that they earn a reputation as a leading manufacturer in their own pillar industries. Indeed, "One Industry in One Town" has become a unique economic feature in Zhongshan.
Pillar industries in various specialized manufacturing towns in Zhongshan include:
The government of Zhongshan encourages "Research and Design" in the region by setting up national level research centre and specialized industrial regions. For example, the Zhongshan National Torch High-Tech Industrial Development Zone (中山國家級火炬高技術產業開發區) was established in 1990 in the east of the city by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the governments of Guangdong province and Zhongshan. Zhongshan Port, which ranks among the top 10 ports nationwide in terms of container-handling capacity, is in the zone. Since 2001, it has contained Zhongshan Electronic Base of China (中国电子中山基地) for its reputation on the electronic acoustics
industries. Following the possible development in Nansha
, the city considers its eastern part, of which 400 km² of land is available, as a focus of development.
Currently, the city is trying to re-organize the fragmented industrialization. Meanwhile, the light and labour intensive industry characteristic of Zhongshan's economy imposes problem on shortage of land in Zhongshan.
resorts are located in Sanxiang Town.
In future, the World Lamp King Museum, a lamp museum in form of a lamp will be the major tourist attraction.
of two cities worldwide.
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...
in the south 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 in southern China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Zhongshan, one of the few cities in China with an eponymous name, is named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
(1866-1925) who was also known as Sun Zhongshan. Sun, the founding father of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, was born in Cuiheng village in Nanlang Township of what was then Xiangshan County. After his death in 1925, Xiangshan was renamed Zhongshan in his honor.
Names
Prior to the 20th century, Zhongshan was generally known as Xiangshan or Heung-san , in reference to the many flowers that grew in the mountains nearby. The city was renamed in honor of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who often went by the name Zhongshan/Zungsaan. Sun is considered by both the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
to be the "Father of Modern China
Father of the Nation
Father of the Nation is an honorific title given to a man considered the driving force behind the establishment of their country, state or nation...
", and was from Cuiheng
Cuiheng
Cuiheng is a village in the township of Nanlang, under the prefecture-level city of Zhongshan in Guangdong province of China. Cuiheng is best known as the birthplace of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the "Father of the Nation" of the Republic of China...
village - now part of Nanlang
Nanlang
Nanlang Town is a Chinese township situated at the eastern periphery of the city of Zhongshan. The population of Nanlang Township has 38,000 permanent residents. The town has total area of the town is 206 square kilometres...
Town - just outside of downtown Zhongshan.
History
Zhongshan was historically inhabited by the Yue peoples, a large family of non-HanHan Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
tribes that once possessed most of southern China. After unifying China in 221 BC, the First Emperor of Qin dispatched a 500,000-man army to what is now southern China to conquer the Yue peoples and bring the area under Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
control. The Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
organized its territory into "Commanderies" - roughly equivalent to a province or prefecture - and Zhongshan became part of the Nanhai Commandery , which covered most of modern-day 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...
and Guangxi Provinces. After the First Emperor's death in 210 BC, Han Chinese general Zhao Tuo
Zhao Tuo
Zhao Tuo , was the founder of the kingdom of Nanyue |Zhao]]. The state of Zhao was defeated and absorbed by the state of Qin in 222 BC, whereupon Zhao Tuo became a citizen of the state of Qin. He later served in a Qin expeditionary force that was sent south...
was declared king of Nanyue
Nanyue
Nanyue was an ancient kingdom that consisted of parts of the modern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan and northern Vietnam. Nanyue was established in 204 BC at the final collapse of the Qin Dynasty by Zhao Tuo, who was the military commander of Nanhai Commandery at the time, and...
, an autonomous state covering what was originally the Nanhai Commandery. Nanyue's capital - like that of the earlier Commandery - was at Panyu
Panyu
Panyu District or Pun Yue District is a district in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It used to be a county-level city before it was incorporated in the administration of Guangzhou. The name of Panyu dates back to the completion of the conquest of Guangdong by Qin Shi Huang. It was the old name of...
, a settlement now part of the provincial capital 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...
. Zhao Tuo's successors were unable to successfully resist Chinese re-integration for long, and were eventually re-conquered by the armies of Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
in 111 BC. During the reign of Zhao Tuo, most government officials were Chinese army officers or their descendants, though they encouraged other Han Chinese settlers to adopt Yue customs. Han Chinese immigration to the region remained small until the War of the Eight Princes
War of the Eight Princes
The War of the Eight Princes or Rebellion of the Eight Kings or Rebellion of the Eight Princes was a civil war for power among princes and dukes of the Chinese Jin Dynasty from AD 291 to AD 306. It was fought mostly in northern China and devastated the country, later triggering the Wu Hu ravaging...
(291 - 307 AD), when large groups of Han Chinese fled from the Chinese heartland south to the region.
The Zhongshan area was part 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...
during the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
(618 - 907 AD), and was a significant sea salt
Sea salt
Sea salt, salt obtained by the evaporation of seawater, is used in cooking and cosmetics. It is historically called bay salt or solar salt...
producer. In 1082, during the Northern Song Dynasty, a fortified settlement called Xiangshan was founded in the area, marking the first official use of the name by which it would be known throughout most of its modern history. The prosperous settlement was then upgraded to a county in 1152. Much of 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...
took place in and around Zhongshan: in 1839, the famous official 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...
arrived in Zhongshan and ordered the expulsion of Sir Charles Elliot
Charles Elliot
Sir Charles Elliot, KCB , was a British naval officer, diplomat, and colonial administrator. He became the first administrator of Hong Kong in 1841 while serving as both Plenipotentiary and Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China...
and other British traders from the area. 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....
soldiers resisted British attacks on the area in 1840, but were ultimately overwhelmed.
During the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, Zhongshan was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
which implemented Unit 8604
Unit 8604
Unit 8604 or Nami Unit was a secret military medical unit of the Imperial Japanese Army that researched biological warfare and other topics through human experimentation during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II era...
or Nami Unit, a secret military medical unit, related to Unit 731
Unit 731
was a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Imperial Japanese Army that undertook lethal human experimentation during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. It was responsible for some of the most notorious war crimes carried out by Japanese...
, that researched biological warfare
Biological warfare
Biological warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war...
and other topics through human experimentation. It was headquartered at Zhongshan Medical University (Hal Gold, Unit 731 Testimony, 2003, p.50).
In 1983, Zhongshan was elevated in administrative status from a county to a county-level city
County-level city
A county-level city is a county-level administrative division of mainland China. County-level cities are usually governed by prefecture-level divisions, but a few are governed directly by province-level divisions....
and again in 1988 to a 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...
.
Geography
Zhongshan is located along the west side of the mouth of the Pearl RiverPearl River
-Bodies of water:*Pearl River , river in the south of China**Pearl River Delta , area around the mouth of the Pearl River in Guangdong**Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, economic region in the PRD**Pearl River mega-city, proposed mega-city in the PRD...
, directly opposite 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...
and 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...
. Zhongshan is directly south of 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...
and Foshan
Foshan
Foshan is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....
's north-south alluvial plains, and just north of Zhuhai
Zhuhai
Zhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones...
and 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...
's hilly coastlines.
Geological evidence suggests that before the 2nd millennium BC, the area Zhongshan now occupies was mostly on the floor of 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...
. Like much of southern China, Zhongshan has many mountains and hills - most notably the Wugui Mountains - and these formed a system of steep islands. Like most river delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
systems, the Pearl River and its tributaries gradually deposited silt on the ocean floor, causing its alluvial plain to reach further and further out into the sea. Zhongshan's northern flatland appeared around 1100 AD, and was settled soon after. The city's current geography is typical of southern China: numerous steep mountains and hills with alluvial plains in between down to the coastline. The main peak of the Wugui Mountains is the highest point in the city, at 531 metres (1,742.1 ft) above sea level.
Like nearly all of southern China, Zhongshan's climate is warm and humid most of the year, with an average temperature of 22 °C (71.6 °F) and 175 centimetres (68.9 in) of rainfall each year. Southern China experiences fairly frequent typhoons and thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s, and most rain falls between April and September.
Cityscape
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
s, wide boulevards
Boulevards
Boulevards is a network of city guides on the Internet established in 1994 by Boulevards New Media Inc., an early digital media pioneer. It preceded other city guide networks such as Citysearch and Microsoft's now-defunct Sidewalk.com product, which launched under a similarly metaphorical brand and...
and various monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
s. Notable sights include:
- Sunwen Road West (or Sunwen Xilu) in Zhongshan Old Town, a pedestrian mall lined with dozens of restored buildings from the colonial period in treaty port style. Several of these buildings were built in the 1920s. The seven story Fufeng Pagoda, built in 1608, which is visible from all over the city, is located on a hill in Zhongshan Park, which abuts the western end of Sunwen Road West immediately to its north. A Sun Yat-sen memorial pavilion stands near the pagoda.
- Sunwen Memorial Park, at the southern end of Xingzhong Road, is the site of the largest bronze sculpture of Sun Yat-sen in the world.
Administration
Zhongshan is a prefecture-level cityPrefecture-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...
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. An uncommon administrative feature is that it has no county-level division. The city government directly administers five district offices (corresponding to the urban area of Zhongshan proper), 18 towns and a development zone:
- Districts
- East District (东区)
- South DistrictSouth District (Zhongshan)South District , also known as Southern District, Nan District or Nanqu District, is an urban district of Zhongshan City, Guangdong, China, covering and with a registered population of 21,500 and migrant population of 37,900. Officially, it is a subdistrict...
(南区) - Shiqi DistrictShiqi DistrictShiqi District is an urban district at the centre of Zhongshan City, Guangdong, China. It covers an area of , and at the end of 2006, had a permanent population of 169,400 and 40,900 migrants. It was the location of the city's municipal government....
(石岐区) - West District (西区)
- Wuguishan DistrictWuguishan DistrictWuguishan District is an urban district of Zhongshan prefecture-level city, Guangdong province, China. It has a population of 7,400 permanent residents and more than 20,000 migrants. Officially, it is a subdistrict .-Name:...
(五桂山区)
- Towns
- Banfu Town (板芙镇)
- Dachong Town (大涌镇)
- DongfengDongfeng, GuangdongDongfeng is a town in the north of Zhongshan, Guangdong, China.-External links:*...
Town (东凤镇) - Dongsheng Town (东升镇)
- Fusha Town (阜沙镇)
- Gangkou Town (港口镇)
- GuzhenGuzhen TownGuzhen Town is situated at the northwest periphery of the city of Zhongshan with a distance of 23 km from the city. The town is famous for its lighting fitting and equipment industries...
Town (古镇镇) - Henglan Town (横栏镇)
- Huangpu Town (黄圃镇)
- Minzong Town (民众镇)
- NanlangNanlangNanlang Town is a Chinese township situated at the eastern periphery of the city of Zhongshan. The population of Nanlang Township has 38,000 permanent residents. The town has total area of the town is 206 square kilometres...
Town (南朗镇) - Nantou Town (南头镇)
- SanjiaoSanjiao, ZhongshanSanjiao Town is a town at the northeast of Zhongshan, Guangdong, China. It is adjacent to Guangzhou and Panyu on the north. It covers an area of 70.32 square kilometres and has a permanent population of 56,000 and immigrants of 60,000....
Town (三角镇) - SanxiangSanxiangSanxiang Town is a Chinese township situated at the southern periphery of the city of Zhongshan. The population of Sanxiang Township has 33,000 permanent residents and an estimated 140,000 temporary residents. The total area of the town is 96 square kilometres.-Primary industries:*Injection...
Town (三乡镇) - Shaxi Town (沙溪镇)
- Shenwan Town (神湾镇)
- Tanzhou Town (坦洲镇)
- Xiaolan Town (小榄镇)
- Development Zone
- Zhongshan Torch Hi-tech Industrial Development ZoneZhongshan Torch Hi-tech Industrial Development ZoneZhongshan Torch Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone is a nation-level hi-tech industrial development zone in Zhongshan, Guangdong, China. The zone lies in the east of Zhongshan, with an area of 90 square kilometers...
(中山火炬高技術產業開發區)
- Zhongshan Torch Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone
Primary industries
Primary productions are agricultural, such as riceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, lychee
Lychee
The lychee is the sole member of the genus Litchi in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. It is a tropical and subtropical fruit tree native to Southern China and Southeast Asia, and now cultivated in many parts of the world...
, banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
, and sugar cane. Added to this, horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
in Xiaolan Town
Xiaolan Town
Xiaolan is a small town situated at the northwest periphery of the city of Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, China.The population of Xiaolan Town is of an estimation of 150,000 permanent residents and 100,000 temporary residents. The total area of the town is...
is famous throughout southern China for its blooming chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...
.
Manufacturing industries
Zhongshan, together with DongguanDongguan
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...
, Nanhai and Shunde
Shunde
Shunde District is a district of Foshan prefecture-level city in the Pearl River Delta, Guangdong Province, southeast China.-Administration:Shunde was a county-level city until December 8, 2002, when it became a district of Foshan prefecture-level city...
, are dubbed as Four Little Tigers in Guangdong. The proximity of Zhongshan to 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 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...
is an advantage to its economic development, especially on the manufacturing industries.
In the 1980s, Zhongshan had a relatively developed State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) sector that was used to stimulate Township and Village Enterprises (TVE) development in the countryside. Currently, the SOE sector is much weaker and the economy is dominated by foreign investment and TVEs, and also by various specialized manufacturing towns. Each of these towns is specialized in making a particular product. Most of the towns are so successful that they earn a reputation as a leading manufacturer in their own pillar industries. Indeed, "One Industry in One Town" has become a unique economic feature in Zhongshan.
Pillar industries in various specialized manufacturing towns in Zhongshan include:
- Dachong Town for mahogany furniture industry,
- Dongfeng Town for electric household appliance industry,
- Guzhen Town for lighting fitting products,
- Huangpu Town for food industry,
- Shaxi TownShaxiShaxi Town is a township of Zhongshan City in Guangdong Province, China. The township covers an area of 55 square kilometers and has a population of 162,000, including 100,000 migrant workers...
for casual wear manufacturing, - Xiaolan Town for locks and hardware industry, as well as for electronic acoustics products
The government of Zhongshan encourages "Research and Design" in the region by setting up national level research centre and specialized industrial regions. For example, the Zhongshan National Torch High-Tech Industrial Development Zone (中山國家級火炬高技術產業開發區) was established in 1990 in the east of the city by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the governments of Guangdong province and Zhongshan. Zhongshan Port, which ranks among the top 10 ports nationwide in terms of container-handling capacity, is in the zone. Since 2001, it has contained Zhongshan Electronic Base of China (中国电子中山基地) for its reputation on the electronic acoustics
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...
industries. Following the possible development in Nansha
Nansha District
Nansha District is a district in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.-External links:*...
, the city considers its eastern part, of which 400 km² of land is available, as a focus of development.
Currently, the city is trying to re-organize the fragmented industrialization. Meanwhile, the light and labour intensive industry characteristic of Zhongshan's economy imposes problem on shortage of land in Zhongshan.
Tourism
Several hot springHot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
resorts are located in Sanxiang Town.
In future, the World Lamp King Museum, a lamp museum in form of a lamp will be the major tourist attraction.
Colleges and universities
- Zhongshan College
- Guangdong Pharmaceutical University
High schools
- Zhongshan Memorial Middle School opened in 1931. It was established in memory of the Chinese revolutionist Sun Yat-senSun Yat-senSun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
, and built under the supervision of Soong Ching-lingSoong Ching-lingSoong Ching-ling , also known as Madame Sun Yat-sen, was one of the three Soong sisters—who, along with their husbands, were amongst China's most significant political figures of the early 20th century. She was the Vice Chairman of the People's Republic of China...
, the widow of Sun Yat-sen. - Zhongshan No.1 Middle Schoolhttp://www.zsnews.cn/zt/zsyz/ opened in 1908.
- Guangdong Zhongshan Experimental Middle School
- Guangdong Bowen International School
- Sanxin Bilingual School
- China Hongkong English School
Transportation
- Chu Kong Passenger Transport (CKS) connects Zhongshan with Hong KongHong KongHong 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...
with multiple daily scheduled high speed ferryFerryA ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
services to both Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal on Hong Kong IslandHong Kong IslandHong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
and Hong Kong China Ferry TerminalHong Kong China Ferry TerminalHong Kong China Ferry Terminal is a ferry terminal, located at China Hong Kong City, 33 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is one of three cross-border ferry terminals in Hong Kong....
in KowloonKowloonKowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
. The trip by ferry takes about 1.5 hours.
- Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway Multiple stations serve the city of Zhongshan.
Sister cities
Zhongshan is an official sister cityTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
of two cities worldwide.
| Country | City | County/District/Region/State | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
 Japan |
Moriguchi Moriguchi, Osaka is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan which serves as a satellite town to Osaka.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 146,524 and the density of 11,510 persons per km²... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... |
1988 |
 United States |
Honolulu | Hawaii Hawaii Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of... |
1997 |