Meizhou

This article is about the municipality in Guangdong province. For the island in Fujian province, see Meizhou Island. For other uses, see Meizhou (disambiguation).

Meizhou 梅州 Mòi-chû
—  Prefecture-level city  —
Chinese transcription(s)
– Characters	梅州
– Pinyin	Méi zhōu
Nickname(s): 客州
Meizhou Location in China
Coordinates: 23°21′N 116°40′E / 23.35°N 116.667°E / 23.35; 116.667
Country	China
Province	Guangdong
City seat	Meijiang District
Government
– CPC Committee Secretary
– Mayor
Area
– Prefecture-level city	15,836 km2 (6,114.3 sq mi)
Population
– Prefecture-level city	5,052,800 (2,008)
– Urban	1,320,700 (2,008)
– Major Nationalities	Han
Time zone	China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal Code	514000
Area code(s)	753
License Plate Prefix	粤M
Website	http://www.meizhou.gov.cn/

Meizhou (Chinese: 梅州; pinyin: Méizhōu), historically known as Meihsien, 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 5.05 million. Meizhou is honored with the Hometown of Culture, Hometown of the Overseas Hakka Chinese and Hometown of Football.^[1]

History

The name Meizhou comes from the Mei River and plum blossom (mei).^[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]

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]

Climate

Climate data for Meizhou (1971−2000)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	18.2 (64.8)	18.9 (66.0)	22.1 (71.8)	26.4 (79.5)	29.6 (85.3)	32.0 (89.6)	34.1 (93.4)	33.6 (92.5)	31.8 (89.2)	29.0 (84.2)	24.5 (76.1)	20.2 (68.4)	26.70 (80.06)
Average low °C (°F)	8.3 (46.9)	10.2 (50.4)	13.7 (56.7)	18.1 (64.6)	21.5 (70.7)	23.8 (74.8)	24.8 (76.6)	24.6 (76.3)	22.9 (73.2)	19.2 (66.6)	13.8 (56.8)	9.2 (48.6)	17.51 (63.51)
Precipitation mm (inches)	47.2 (1.858)	99.0 (3.898)	145.5 (5.728)	206.8 (8.142)	214.8 (8.457)	205.5 (8.091)	153.3 (6.035)	193.5 (7.618)	124.3 (4.894)	58.2 (2.291)	42.2 (1.661)	38.3 (1.508)	1,528.6 (60.181)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	8.2	12.1	16.0	6.5	18.7	18.0	14.5	16.6	12.9	6.2	5.2	5.6	140.5
Source: Weather China

Administration

The municipal government, Intermediate Court and CPC and PSB bureaux are housed in the district of Jiangnan (江南), on the right bank of Meijiang River.

A second district of Meizhou is Jiangbei (江北), on the left bank. The two urban areas are joined by many road and foot bridges.

Both of these are subdistricts of Meijiang District.

Map
#	Name	Hanzi	Hanyu Pinyin	Population (2003 est.)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
1	Meijiang District	梅江区	Méijiāng Qū	310,000	323	960
2	Xingning City	兴宁市	Xīngníng Shì	1,130,000	2,104	537
3	Mei County	梅县	Méi Xiàn	610,000	2,754	221
4	Dabu County	大埔县	Dàbù Xiàn	520,000	2,470	211
5	Fengshun County	丰顺县	Fēngshùn Xiàn	670,000	2,710	247
6	Wuhua County	五华县	Wǔhuá Xiàn	1,200,000	3,226	372
7	Pingyuan County	平远县	Píngyuǎn Xiàn	250,000	1,381	181
8	Jiaoling County	蕉岭县	Jiāolǐng Xiàn	220,000	957	230

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]

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]

A view of the Mei River in Meizhou at night

People and culture

Meizhou is considered the center for standard Hakka dialect, along with the neighboring Mei County and Dabu County.

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.

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.

Food

During the period after August or September, a sea of pomelos can be seen, especially in the village's orchards.

Pomelos

Salt baked chicken

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.

Meizhou street corner.

Pictures

• 

  Jiaying University, Meizhou - New Century Square (located in the center of the main campus)

• 

  Meizhou street

• 

  Meizhou rice paddy

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Investment Environment". Archived from the original on 2006-10-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20061014114829/http://www.gddoftec.gov.cn/sq/en/tz_mz.html. Retrieved 2006-12-27. 
2. ^ http://www.gznet.edu.cn/WWW/scn/guangdong/e_mz.html
3. ^ Ministry of Culture, P.R.China. "Meizhou Travel and culture". chinaculture.org. http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_travel/2003-09/24/content_35994.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-27. 
4. ^ "Meizhou Geography". meizhou.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2007-06-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20070627170757/http://www.meizhou.gov.cn/modules/article/view.article.php?18/c1. Retrieved 2006-12-27. 
5. ^ Transport

External links

• Meizhou Govt.
• http://www.getgd.net/gd_city/meizou/mzintr.e.html
• pornolar

See also

• Hakka people
• Hakka cuisine

Coordinates: 24°16′37″N 116°06′58″E / 24.277°N 116.116°E / 24.277; 116.116