Shaoguan Introduction

Situated in the hilly northern part of Guangdong province, Shaoguan lies between the Pearl River Valley and the Yangtze Basin. The history of the city dates back 2000 years to the Han dynasty. In World War II, Shaoguan was a strategic place where a military airport was built. As a result, it suffered a lot as the target of Japanese bombing. In the 1950s, Shaoguan became Guangdong's main base of heavy industry and raw material (Shaoguan is the home to a steel factory and some metal processing factories) and it was once the 'power house' with a far-reaching economic influence in Guangdong. However, it lost its leading position as the province's coastal Special Economic Zones, such as Shenzhen and Zhuhai, began to grow and prosper.

Shaoguan's downtown area lies on a peninsula shape by the Zhen River on the east side and the Wu River on the west, which merge at the peninsula's southern tip to form the Bei River. The main street, Fengdu Rd, runs vertically through the centre, crossed by Fengcai Rd at the north end of town, and Jiefang Rd in the south. Most of the town is functional and modern.

Shaoguan is popular with domestic tourists, thanks to its great geographical position. The Nanhua Temple draws tourists as well as the Zen Buddhist followers to visit and to revere the grandeur and holiness of the temple. Danxia Shan scenic area is another tourist destination, most noted for its unique red sandstone topography (Danxia dimao). You can also go white-water rafting down the Wu River.