Meizhou
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
| Administration Type | Prefecture-level city |
| City Seat | Meijiang District |
| Area | 15,836 km² |
| Population | 4,863,800 (2002)
city: 237,800 (2002) |
| GDP - Total - Per Capita |
¥ ¥ |
| Major Nationalities | Han |
| County-level divisions | 8 |
| Township-level divisions | |
| CPC Committee Secretary | |
| Mayor | |
| Area code | 753 |
| Postal Code | 514000 |
| License Plate Prefix | 粤M |
Meizhou (Chinese: 梅州; pinyin: Méizhōu) is a prefecture-level city of eastern Guangdong Province in the south of the People's Republic of China. It has an area of 15,836 km², and a population of 4.863 million. Meizhou is honored with the Hometown of Culture, Hometown of the Overseas Chinese and Hometown of Football. [1]
Contents |
[edit] History
The name Meizhou comes from the Mei River and ume blossom (mei blossom).[2] Meizhou was established as a prefecture named Jingzhou in the Southern Han (917-971). It was changed into Meizhou in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and Jiaying Prefecture in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). After several subsequent shifts of jurisdiction, it became Meizhou City in 1988. Now Meizhou is a famous historical and cultural city.[3]
[edit] Geography
Meizhou is located in the northeast of Guangdong Province, with Fujian Province in the northeast and Jiangxi Province in the northwest. Meizhou City complex geological structure was formed mainly from granite, spouting rocks, metamorphic rock, shale, sandstone, red rock and limestone.[4]
[edit] Administration
Meizhou has jurisdiction over the six counties of Mei, Dabu, Fengshun, Wuhua, Pingyuan, and Jiaoling; the district of Meijiang, and the mandate for the city of Xingning. Rivers include the Mei River.
[edit] Economy
Meizhou is rich in mineral and tourism resources. It has 48 kinds of minerals including coal, iron mine, limestone, rare clay and porcelain clay etc, among which the reserves of manganese are ranked first in Guangdong province. Meizhou has plenty of water resources, hot springs and qualified mineral water. There are tourism resources such as cultural historic sites constructed during the Tang Dynasty, former residences of famous figures, natural scenery of all kinds, and unique Hakka cultural sights.[1]
[edit] Transport
Meizhou is a vital communication hub for the three provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, and Jiangxi. It is the bridge connecting the coastal and the inland areas. State Highways 205 and 206 run across the city. Guangzhou-Meizhou-Shantou Railway and Meizhou-Kanshi Railway cross here. Expressways, state, provincial county and village highways reach all parts of the city. With regard to air transport, there are air routes to Guangzhou and Hong Kong. By water, the Mei River and Han River reach Chaozhou and Shantou. [5]
[edit] People and culture
Meizhou is considered the center for standard Hakka dialect.
Hakkas are a unique ethnic group of Han Chinese originally from around the Yellow River area, who later migrated south to avoid the chaos of war centuries ago. Due to hostility towards the new immigrants, many were forced into the mountainous regions of Guangdong. The migratory tradition has continued with the redistribution of Hakka people to the most remote parts of the world. Many people in Meizhou emigrated during the last century to earn money for their families, with some returning to build their hometowns.
Many buildings are named after famous people in Meizhou, built by returning Hakkas.
As a mountainous area, Meizhou has many beautiful natural scenes and good air quality. Many visitors come to the Yannanfei Tea Garden to climb the mountain. On the mountain, the eyes are treated to a feast of greenery, and visitors feel as if "walking among the clouds". Here, one cannot avoid the flavour of the tea.
Hakka folk music is also a feature of the area. The folk songs sing of the Hakka people, their passion for their hometown, and of love.
[edit] Education
Meizhou has attached much importance to culture and education since ancient times, and enjoys advanced education now. The city is the hometown of Huang Zunxian, a diplomat and reformist, modern poet Li Jinhua, painter Lin Fengmian and marshal Ye Jianying.
[edit] Food
During the period after August or September, a sea of pomelos can be seen, especially in the village's orchards.
The salt baked chicken is one of the most famous Hakka food, which can also be bought in many other cities in China. Another local dish is Yong tau foo (tofu stuffed with meat), which has a very interesting origin. It is said that when Hakka people first came to the south, there was no wheat flour to make dumplings so they used tofu instead. They put meat and some other ingredients into the tofu and it made a good, special taste. It was handed down and became a special recipe of Hakka cuisine. Other foods like preserved beef and ginger candies are also very popular.
[edit] Pictures
 Meizhou New Century Square |
 Meizhou street |
 Meizhou rice paddy |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Investment Environment. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
- ^ http://www.gznet.edu.cn/WWW/scn/guangdong/e_mz.html
- ^ Ministry of Culture, P.R.China. Meizhou Travel and culture. chinaculture.org. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
- ^ Meizhou Geography. meizhou.gov.cn. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
- ^ Transport
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
|
||||||||||||||||||
