Everything about Shantou totally explained
Shantou (;
POJ: Sòaⁿ-thâu; also historically known as
Swátōw or
Suátao) is a
city of 4,971,000 permanent inhabitants (as at end 2006) in coastal eastern
Guangdong Province,
China, occupying an area of 2,064 sq. km. With its immediately surrounding cities of
Jieyang and
Chaozhou, the metropolitan region - known as
Chaoshan - covers an area of 10,404 sq.km. and had a permanent population of 13,139,800 at the end of
2006.
Shantou, a city significant in
19th-century Chinese history as one of the
treaty ports established for Western trade and contact, was one of the original
Special Economic Zones of the
People's Republic of China established in the
1980s, but failed to blossom like other cities such as
Shenzhen,
Xiamen and
Zhuhai. However, it remains as East Guangdong's economic centre, and is home to one of Guangdong's top rated universities,
Shantou University.
History
Shantou was a fishing village part of
Tuojiang City (鮀江都), Jieyang District (揭陽縣) during the
Song Dynasty. It came to be Xialing (廈嶺) during the
Yuan Dynasty. In
1563, Shantou was a part of Chenghai District (澄海縣) in Chao Prefecture (
Chaozhou). As early as
1574, Shantou had been called Shashan Ping (沙汕坪). In the seventeenth century, a cannon platform called Shashan Toupaotai (沙汕頭炮臺 sha shan tou pao tai) was made here, and the placename later was shortened to "Shantou".
Connecting to Shantou across the
Queshi Bridge is Queshi (礐石) which had been known by the local people through the 19th century as Kakchio. It was the main site for the American and British
Consulates. Today the area is a scenic park but some of the structures are somewhat preserved from its earlier history.
It became a city in
1919, and was separated from Chenghai in
1921.
1922 saw the devastating
Swatow Typhoon, which killed 50,000 out of the 65,000 people then inhabiting the city.
In the
1930s, Shantou Port was a transport hub and merchandise distribution centre for Southeast China; its cargo throughput ranked third in the nation.
As a high-level city, Shantou administered
Chaozhou City and
Jieyang City from 1983 to 1989.
Administration
Shantou is a
prefecture-level city. It has direct jurisdiction over six
districts and one
county.
Districts
As of
2003, the district of Haojiang was established out of
Hepu and
Dahao which had been merged together, and the district of Jinping
Shengping and
Jinyuan; Waisha and Xinxi Town, part of former Chenghai City, was merged into Longhu District; Chenghai City became Chenghai District; Chaoyang City was divided and became Chaoyang and Chaonan District respectively.
Demographics
Shantou is one of the most densely-populated regions in China. Former Chaoyang City was China's most populous county-level administrative region, with 2.4 million inhabitants.
Most residents are ethnically Teochew. There are also
Hakka, popularly known as Half-
Hakka (半山客), majorly living in Chaoyang District (潮陽區) and Chaonan District (潮南區). Though they speak Teochew on a daily basis and practise Teochew culture. Thanks to compulsory
Mandarin study in school, most people, especially the younger generations, can fluently speak the national dialect.
Government statistics show that 2.16 million
overseas Chinese have roots in Shantou, with significant populations of
Teochew people residing in
Thailand. This is demonstrated by the unusually high number of international direct flights between
Bangkok and Shantou.
Culture and lifestyle
Shantou people, like other
Teochew, can't live without tea. According to China Daily, Shantou people "drink more tea than anyone else in China, in total 700 million yuan (US$87.5 million) each year".
Infrastructure
Health
The public hospitals in the Shantou metropolitan area are operated by the Government of Shantou. Management of these hospitals and other specialist health facilities are coordinated by Shantou
Board of Health.
Utilities
The dominate electricity to Shantou is
China Southern Power Grid. The city's
postal service is operated by
China Post.
China Telecom provides terrestrial and mobile telecommunications services to Shantou.
Transport
Most Shantou residents travel by
autobikes. However,
car use has grown rapidly over the past couple of years. Public transportation is provided by bus, ferry and taxi.
The
Shantou Waisha Airport (外砂机场) is 13 kilometres away from the city centre and was constructed in
1956. Nearly 2 million people utilise the airport each year. Taxi is the usual way to travel between the airport and the city centre. The taxi fare is around 20-30
RMB. The new Jieyang Chaoshan airport, located in
Jiedong Country (揭东县) which borders Shantou to the southeast, is currently under construction. It is expected to replace Waisha Airport in the future and to provide better services to
Chaoshan residents.
Tourism
The Former Residence of Chen Ci Hong (陈慈黉故居 Chencihong Guju)
Nan'ao Island (南澳島 Nanao Dao): rated as Guangdong's most beautiful island by China's National Geographic magazine
Palace-Temple of Old Mother (老媽宮 Laoma Gong): dedicated to the goddess Matsu
Temple of Emperor Guan (關帝廟 Guandi Miao): dedicated to Guan Yu
Tropic of Cancer Symbol Tower (北回归线标志塔 Beihuiguixian Biaozhita)
Colleges and universities
South China University of Technology Shantou College
Shantou Polytechnic
Shantou Radio and TV University
Shantou University
Relationships
Shantou has city partnerships with these cities around the world.
Sister cities (友好城市)
Since 1990: Kishiwada, Osaka, Japan
Since 1997: Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Since 2005: Can Tho, Vietnam
Cities of friendly exchanges (友好交流关系城市)
Since 2003: Pyongtaek, Gyeonggi, South Korea
Since 2005: Fairfield, New South Wales, Australia
Miscellaneous
The Tropic of Cancer slips through Centipede Mountain, which is 20 kilometres away from the City.
The Malaysian city of Johor Bahru, which has a significant Teochew population, is known as little Swatow.
Most taxi drivers in Shantou are of Henan origin.
Shantou, along with Shanghai, are the two SMW3 beach-landing points in China.
Guiyu, a small town in Chaoyang District (潮陽區), despite being even unknown to most Shantou locals, is the biggest electronic waste site on earth. The health-environmental issues there have concerned international organisations such as Greenpeace.
In 2000, the biggest tax fraud in China's history was uncovered, estimated worthy of 32.3 billion yuan.
There are at least two Teochew-speaking air hostesses on board each China Southern flight between Shantou and Bangkok.
Prominent people
Many famous Chinese come from Shantou or their ancestral home is Shantou.
Entertainers
Hong Kong
- Adam Cheng (1947-; Chaoyang, Guangdong; born in Hong Kong), actor and singer
- Canti Lau (1964-; Chaoyang, Guangdong; born in Hong Kong), actor and singer
- Emil Chau (1960-; Chaoyang, Guangdong; born in Hong Kong), actor and singer
- Rocky Cheng (1968-; Chaoyang, Guangdong; born in Hong Kong), fitness trainer
- Kwong Wah (1962-; Shantou, Guangdong; born in Hong Kong), actor and singer
- Sammi Cheng (1972-; Chenghai, Guangdong; born in Hong Kong), actress and singer
Entrepreneurs
Mainland China
Hong Kong
Thailand
Singapore
Film director
Mainland China
- Cai Chu Sheng (1906-1968; Chaoyang, Guangdong), famous director, and the film "Yu Guang Qu" (渔光曲) directed by him received the first international film prize in China's history
Literary figure
Mainland China
Royal
Thailand
Further Information
Get more info on 'Shantou'.
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