Guangzhou

Also known as Canton, Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong and one of the most prosperous cities in China. Guangzhou has a long history. The first town to be established on the site of present-day Guangzhou dates back to the Qin dynasty (221-207 BC). The first foreigners to arrive were the Indians and Romans, who appeared as early as the 2nd century AD. By the Tang dynasty (500 years later) Arab traders were visiting, and a sizeable trade with the Middle East and South-East Asia had developed.

Over the last decade, Guangzhou has been busy casting off the yoke of recent history in an effort to catch up with the late 20th century. To some, the city may seem like one enormous shopping mall. While there are a few interesting temples and parks and some fine restaurants, shopping centers and crammed textile and clothing stalls dominate the city. Most of the city's charm lingers on in the streets and colonial-style architecture of Shamian Dao (Sand Surface Island), a foreign concession that is being gracefully gentrified despite the growing encroachment of tourist shops. Major attractions: Chens' Ancestral Temple, Baiyun Mountain, Zhenhai Five Lams, an emblem of Guangzhou Tower, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Tomb of King of Nanyue Kingdom, and Yuexiu Park.