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Guides for China |
Zhaoqing
Tourist Guide (October 2008) |
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Introduction:
Modern Zhaoqing City (Seiu Heng in rough Cantonese)
lies in central Guangdong Province on The Pearl River,
about 60 Miles (110Km) due West of Guangzhou, and is
the highest navigable point for deep water river vessels.
It connects to all major cities: Has a Sea Cat high
speed ferry connection direct to Hong Kong (4 hours),
Mainline Railway station (Guangzhou, Foshan, and Hong
Kong), and benefits from new Expressways
Zhaoqing is the Administrative Regional Capital, which
comprises of 8-Districts containing a population of
about 4 million people. Zhaoqing City itself has about
400, 000 inhabitants, making it a very pleasant yet
urbanised place. Zhaoqing borders Foshan to the East.
Zhaoqing is an old city and has been a District Capital
since favoured by an early Qin Emperor over 2, 000 years
ago. Imperial administration can be dated to 111 BC,
and it is known as 'Gateway to the Three Bridges. It
is often referred to as 'The Golden City' because of
it's great natural mineral resources, Gold, Jade, and
the finest of the four Inkstone's mined in China
Prior to the Qin Empire (From which China gets it's
name by the way), The Pearl River here marked the Southern
limit of Imperial power. States Southwest of this natural
demarcation were independent, and known as the 'BaiYue
Tribes'
Zhaoqing City
Zhaoqing is one of the most appealing destinations in
Guangdong and the prosperous Pearl River Delta. The
city centre is flanked by green mountain ranges and
sandwiched between the magnificent 7 Stars Lake and
Pearl River, making it one of the most scenic cities
in the province. It is also one of the friendliest with
residents enjoying a relaxed and unhurried pace of life.
There is a good selection of modern shops and an excellent
range of restaurants, offering dishes from across China.
Other amenities include a bowling alley, ice-rink and
a host of other sporting facilities. As a relatively
small city, Zhaoqing is easy to navigate.
Dinghu Mountain, the most beautiful of Guangdong’s
four famous peaks, is a short bus ride away (20 minutes
on Number 10 bus), and offers a retreat from city life.
There are plenty of mountain and forest walks among
temples and pools. Star Lake’s seven limestone
crags, reminiscent of the more famous formations at
Guilin and Hangzhou West Lake, are also a major tourist
draw and easily accessible by taxi, foot or boat from
the city centre.
What to Do
Chill, relax, and take your time...
Main Attractions 1- Lake and
Crags
7 Stars Lake and Crags - Like most
Chinese towns and cities, Zhaoqing has a central square.
Unlike any other, Zhaoqing Square lies on the banks
of 7 Stars Lake. Entrance is via a Traditional Gate,
which gives way to a very large public area. Tourists
should consider this gate, and adjacent roundabout,
as their personal centre and point of reference in Zhaoqing.
Proceeding straight through this Gate is the area set
aside for evening Musical Fountain: complete with coloured
light show, geyser show, and all accompanied by British
Marching Band Music = quite bizarre! Shows start at
8pm for 30-minutes; usually Thursday through Sunday,
but check if out of season for times.
Gate and left: There is an area for
boat trips and a few small refreshments and nick-knack
stalls. We recommend you take a boat trip = great value,
and they probably speak English! Further to the left
are a few reasonable restaurants, some on board larger
boats. Continue following the lake here and find 'Bar
Street'; an ensemble of bars, disco's and clubs of all
varieties
The Railway Station is located near
the end of this long road, and a couple of miles from
the city gate. It is rather out of the way and difficult
to find. Visitors are usually dropped off at the main
station. If you are going to Hong Kong, then you are
probably in the wrong place! The entrance you want is
further along the road and up some steps. The only train
each day currently departs at 4.56pm, but do check first
as times do alter without notice. You will arrive in
Hong Kong 4 hours later
Gate and Right is an area set aside
for street-bars, built on stilts out over the lake.
If you make it passed these during working hours, you
can follow your nose and find the path to The Crags.
There are some charges along this path, making it far
cheaper by taxi. However, it is a lovely walk if that
is your thing. The Crags take a leisurely hour to reach
this way
Otherwise you will have doubtless got stuck in one of
the nearby and very scenic restaurants. There
are several of these, all together, so take your pick
and enjoy one of life's most relaxing experiences. I
know they are still open passed 3am, even in late October!
The Main Bus Station is 400 yards further
along and across the main road in this direction.
The Crags: are so named because there
are seven of them, and they form the shape of Ursa Major,
The Big Dipper in the night sky. This area needs about
5-hours to see properly, and one day to do all. Most
of the crags have pagoda's on the top = very steep steps
to climb up! There are three caves with water features,
two of them with boat rides under the hills. There are
also assorted dry caves, one featuring ancient cave-wall
inscriptions and poems.
Scattered around are quasi-official refreshment booths
and souvenir shops. One central area has Chinese restaurants
and proper Western toilets. Otherwise there are a plethora
of Chinese bridges, Pagoda's, and water lily colonies.
There are weird looking open-sided minibus things -
a bit like an oversized MiniMokes, which are normally
a very small charge for complete tour (¥ 10), inclusive
of stops and pick-up by the next one along.
Main Attractions 2 - Ding Hu
Mountain
Ding Hu is a nearby mountainous area renowned for it's
magnificent air quality. It has won various major International
accolades, and is regarded as having the best air quality
in any part of China! Given the local industry and a
very minor pollution problems ten miles distant, I find
this difficult to believe - but apparently it has the
right 'Geo-whatsits', high proportion oxygen, and several
other academic factors that make it very special. I
don't know about all the scientific stuff, but I do
know it is very, very special
It is also home to a Buddhist complex, not so much a
traditional temple - as I am sure you have seen enough
of these already? It does have magnificent valley views
over a mountain lake, which also is home to a Butterfly
Farm for rare and endangered species. The central attraction
is a traditional Chinese 3-legged cooking pot. Ok, this
one is big enough for me (6' 1") to easily walk
underneath, and it is actually still used for cooking
at certain festivals. It boasts feeding 2, 000 people
- and I reckon the person on 'Stirring Duty' needs a
great big hand!
There is a fantastic waterfall and subsequent small
lake full of stepping stones - somewhere on the back
way down. You can't miss it actually, as here you are
following the road. A general visit takes about 3 hours
on-site + allow another hour for getting there and getting
home. You can detour to a temple or similar for another
hour - near the waterfall area.
Inkstone 1: Near the exit are a series
of small approved stalls selling refreshments, souvenirs,
and an area selling inkstones. Whilst you may pass the
others by, have a serious look hereabouts. Some of these
will offer an hours' instruction in Chinese Calligraphy,
and are excellent! The hills here produce the highest
quality Inkstone in China, and hence, in the whole world.
Inkstone is a specific type of rock that is impervious
to ink. From memory, the one with a faint purple tinge
is considered to be the very best. We are talking shades
of black here by the way. Now pay attention! Remember
that Chinese Calligraphy is made by brush strokes. Some
of these brushes are extremely big! Therefore the ink
needs to be put somewhere = in an Inkstone, where you
dip the brushes into. Simple. Knowing this, you will
find all Inkstones finely engraved, many with fantastic
scenes, Buddha's, and natural flowers etc. If you are
looking for the perfect gift for a Boss or Artistic
person; then buy an Inkstone, some brushes, and some
ink here. As with all China, the stuff sold inside is
genuine and cheap. Outside prices rise for copies
Inkstone 2 - The genuine article is
actually mined in nearby hillsides. It is generally
face-cutting of rock, and then following a seam inwards.
There are only a few people who actually mine, due to
remoteness of the seams. The terrain is too difficult
even for Asses (Both Donkey and Human versions); so
after mining by hand, all Inkstone deposits are carried
down the mountainside by people.
Base camp is a hamlet where artists carve the stones
for later sale. There is also a nearby village where
sculpting displays are performed for tourists, mainly
Chinese. This is not Base camp where only the finest
Inkstones are produced. If this is your thing, or you
have a few hours to kill in artistic fashion, then I
highly recommend visiting the sculpting village. Awesome!
Mountain Trails - there are three of
these, all marked with colour-coded signposts. They
are roughly of: 1-hour, 2-hours, and 5-hours duration.
This area is a very heavily protected International
Heritage site acclaimed Worldwide for its unusual and
extremely beneficial local Biosphere + indigenous Flora
and Fauna. I haven't done this myself, but friends who
have come back speaking tongues of: 'Ions', 'Natural
Geo-thingymagigs', 'Bio diversity', and other things
I don't really understand.
I do know this is a very especial area within the whole
world at large + the greatest thing is that you do not
need to have swallowed a whole load of eco gobbledygook
in order to simply enjoy one of Mother Natures rare
natural treasures - Go see for yourself...
Main Attractions 3 - Other
Places of Interest
Lingyang Gorge is very scenic, and being developed as
a tourist attraction to rival Guilin. There is also
a water and amusement park due north of the city, and
nearby white water rafting is also available
Other places of interest include: Tours of Zhaoqing
City walls and Piyun Tower, Ice skating, Bowling, YueJiang
Tower, Chonxi Pagoda, Plum Temple (Circa 966 AD), Lion
Dance, Yueju Opera and Kung Fu. Zhanshan Hill, Dragon
Mother Temple, White Rock and Double Dragon Caves, Ponlong
Gorge
9 Dragon Lake is definitely worth visiting. It includes
a Hakka ethnic village tour and performance of ethnic
dance
City Sights:
Stand at the City Gate, turn around, and look over the
traffic roundabout. There is a street in front of you.
You can think of this as Zhaoqing Main Street. Go there,
left...
For the culturally challenged, there is a MacDonald's
here and left a bit. KFC is 100 yards in the opposite
direction
Otherwise walk down Main Street 100 yards, and take
a left into a hotel offering exceptionally good and
cheap food in their restaurant. You can also find this
via the 'Back-Ally', which boasts great street foods
and a very good hairdressers (Think massage here boys).
This is usually an all-day restaurant, but may be closed
off-peak during winter months
Nearby are lots of cheap shopping sub-malls. Walk about
500 yards and cross the road. Nearby should be the Ice-Rink,
very cool on hot summer days, even if you don't participate
personally
Continue down this street, keeping Zhaoqing City Gate
to your back. Loads of malls and shops etc. You hit
a serious road junction. Go Right>
This road is short of a mile long. Halfway down and
across the road, is a most excellent Guitar and music
shop owned by a lovely and most genuine guy.
Continue walking and later you find the city walls,
and there are a few associated Pagodas atop in places.
Stop when you reach the river - there is some nightlife
here about's; and you can also cross the river by nearby
ferry. Best you head back to Zhaoqing Gate, probably
Where to Stay
Chinese beds are usually very hard!
City Side:
Information is that the Star Lake Hotel, being the tallest
building in Zhaoqing, and most obvious International
class hotel near the roundabout - is currently closed
for refurbishment (October 2008). When open, this hotel
features a revolving restaurant on the 28th floor, taking
about 1 hour to complete a revolution. In the evenings
meals are accompanied by a Grand Piano and singers
Nearby is another excellent hotel called the Dynasty
and friends have stayed there. They said it was very
good - see some of their pictures on the left
For those on tighter budgets, there are several cheaper
hotels near the main bus station. In this area you will
also find cheaper restaurants, as well as an American
style theme cafe with reasonable Western food
Lake Side:
There are several large and discrete hotels here. I
have stayed at the Songtao Hotel and although well out
of season, I found it to be very comfortable with excellent
amenities. Nestling at the foot of one of the crags,
this hotel offers several bars and restaurants, including
late night terrace with waiter service. There is also
a separate nightclub, an open-plan karaoke hall which
is very pleasant, plus sauna and massage centre. The
complex is completed by interesting gardens, and also
boasts good conference facilities. It lies directly
opposite Zhaoqing Main Square across the lake, and you
can go there by boat, bus, or taxi
Ding Hu
One of my good friends owns a modern family sized, holiday
apartment close to the entrance. Please contact for
details
Teaching and Education
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Zhaoqing University main campus is set
on nearby hills overlooking the city. It is a state
run institution featuring excellent study facilities
and modern buildings, including an Olympic standard
Gymnasium completed during summer 2004. There is also
a new satellite campus near 7 Stars Lake
Foreign Teachers are welcome, and usually
contract for 11 months + usual benefits such as free
flights, apartment, and Chinese school food. The language
taught is normally English, assisted by Chinese teaching
assistants. You will be encouraged to learn Chinese
during your time here. Normally a vocational teaching
qualification is adequate (TEFL, TOEFL etc), although
you should already have been educated to at least Degree,
and normally Masters level. Some posts require a proper
English teaching qualification. Please contact my good
friend Hugh (Xu Zhen Hui), Head of the International
Office for further details
Foreign Students are also most welcome,
and a variety of courses are available. Normally there
is greater emphasis on learning a Chinese language,
although other studies are available. The situation
is very conducive for studies, the campus being set
below rolling hillsides, whilst featuring two generous
lakes and landscaped gardens. Foreign students usually
pay a little extra for a private apartment, as the standard
Chinese 6 people to a small dormitory is rather a culture
shock!
Facilities are what you would expect from a modern,
progressive, and outward looking establishment: sports
and recreation facilities, library, cash points, cyber-lounge,
and reasonably priced shop stocked with all daily requirements.
Minibuses run between the campus gate and Zhaoqing every
10 minutes until very late (Number 6 bus from memory?)
and charge 1.5 RMB each way = 2 return trips for around
One US Dollar
Exchange Students and Staff Exchange Programmes
are well developed. Although run as separate programmes,
exchange schemes tend to be built upon co-operation
over a period of several years. Please refer to their
website for more information
Summer Camps are not currently offered.
However I have personally developed Summer Camp projects
with Zhaoqing University, and they are in essence 'boxed
ready to go'! Please contact me if your School, College
or University; or Group are interested. The programmes
are excellent, and great value for money
Considerations:
What makes Zhaoqing so appealing both for prospective
Teachers and Students; is that this area is a lot cheaper
to live in than most modern cities, (Important if you
are on a tight budget). It also has a far more relaxed
feel to it than more hectic places such as Foshan, Guangzhou,
and Shenzhen. I also believe it gives a far gentler
introduction to Chinese Culture than any other major
city within the mighty Pearl River Delta.
The Future
Zhaoqing government has recently approved 5 and 10 year
plans for future growth in many areas. Their unstated
aim is to raise the profile of the City and it's Districts
to match those of neighbouring International centres
such as Guangzhou, Foshan, Shenzhen, Dongguan etc.
In addition to some plans already mentioned above, Zhaoqing
is also developing infrastructure: New major expressways,
complete overhaul of sewerage systems, a damn project,
plus developing and increasing depth of the deep water
port.
Regarding Industry: the new Eastern Economic Development
Zone has received approval from Beijing, and in 10 years
should consolidate industry along the Zhaoqing - San
Shui - Foshan - Guangzhou industrial corridor. A new
Digital Park has also begun development, putting Zhaoqing
at the forefront of Digital and Computing Technologies
The above is also coupled with a very strong development
and integration with Educational resources, again being
promoted as a special zone within the city
Finally, Tourism and green resources are forefront in
planning for future growth. Some things are: An area
for leisure boating is to be created on the Pearl River.
Gorges, temples, and other traditional scenic spots
will develop as part of an integrated tourism package.
I will not list all the proposals, as unless you know
the area the names will mean nothing to you. Instead,
believe me when I say this is a spectacular undertaking,
and will put Zhaoqing to the top of both Local and International
tourist destinations in a few short years time.
Summary:
This page represents my personal Zhaoqing - a city and
area I greatly love. It is one of my Top 3 destinations
in the whole of China!
It is the ordinary people that make this City such a
vibrant and great place to visit, coupled by natural
resources and a few very special places, such as Ding
Hu San...
You are welcome
For further information please see:
Zhaoqing Official Government website:
http://www.zhaoqing.gov.cn/english/default.htm
Not all the links work, but what is there is most informative.
Click around a bit and you will find what you are looking
for
Zhaoqing University:
http://eng.zqu.edu.cn/
Excellent English website, complete with gallery and
video's
Visit Guangdong:
http://en.visitgd.com/
Excellent general resource for those wishing to know
more about any city in Guangdong |
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This information is as supplied by the Chinese Embassy
in UK, as dated 20th June 2008, and/or other reliable
sources. Please check this information yourself as it
may alter without notice, and whilst we try our best
to ensure it is correct, please do not hold us responsible
for any errors - this is intended as a simple guide
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