Guangzhou,theSouthGateofChina,isaprosperousmetropolisfullofvigor.

　　GuangzhouisthecapitalcityofGuangdong,andthecenterofitspolitical,economic,scientific,educationalandculturallife.Sui(EarsofRice)isshortforGuangzhouandtheCityofRam(YangCheng)isalsoanaliasofGuangzhou.ThekapokisthecityflowerandthekapoktreeisthecitytreeofGuangzhou.

　　GuangzhouislocatedinthemiddlesouthofGuangdongProvince,northofthePearlRiverDelta.ItliesclosetotheSouthChinaSea,HongKong,andMacau.Zhujiang(ThePearlRiver),thethirdlargestriverofChina,runsthroughGuangzhouandisnavigabletotheSouthChinaSea.Situatedinsuchanexcellentgeographicalregion,GuangzhouiscalledChina'sSouthGate.

　　Coveringanareaof7434.4squarekilometers(2870squaremiles),Guangzhouishometomorethan11millionpeople,includinga3.7milliontransitorypopulation.WiththeopeningofChinatotheoutsideworld,alargenumberofpeoplefromotherregionsofChinaswarmedintoGuangzhou,oneofthefirst'open'citiesinChina.Thishasaccelerateditseconomicdevelopment.

　　Guangzhouisafamoushistoricalcity.Inancientdays,GuangzhouwasthecapitalcityforthreeChinesedynasties:theNanYue(SouthYue),theNanHan(SouthHan)andtheNanming(SouthMing).Thusitwasputinthelistofthe24mostfamoushistoricalculturalcitiesandbecameatouristdestination.YoucannotunderstandmostChinesecitiesdeeplyuntilyouknowtheirhistory.ThisistrueofGuangzhou.Manyhistoricsights:theWesternHanNanyueKing'sTombMuseum,theZhenhaiTowerandtheSunYat-senMemorialHalltellusthe2,000-yearhistoryofGuangzhou.

　　Today,Guangzhouretainsitsancientcustoms,butisalsoalargecityfullofvigorandcurrentfashions.YoucanfindsomethingworthtakinghomeinShangxiaJiuLu,BeijingLuandDiShiFuLu.

　　TryingYueCai(CantoneseCuisine),oneofeightChinesefamouscuisines,isdefinitelyamustinGuangzhou!Eatdeliciousfoodwithingredientsyouhaveneverheardof.

　　HotelfacilitiesandserviceinGuangzhouarefine.Awordofwarning:DomakeareservationbeforehandifyoudecidetovisitGuangzhouduringtheCantonFair.Forvisitors,especiallythoseplantoattendtheCantonFair,transportationinGuangzhouismoreandmoreconvenient.Youcanchooseplane,train,shiporbus.

　　GuangzhouisfamousasahometownforoverseasChinese.ItboaststhelargestpopulationofoverseasChinesepeople.TheseoverseasChinesedoagreatdealofgoodforGuangzhou:openinginternationalmarkets,bridgingGuangzhouandtherestoftheworld,andestablishingmanyschools,hospitals,nurseries,kindergartensandresthomesinGuangzhou