Lying to the South China Sea, Guangzhou is located on the Pearl River Delta at 113'17' longitude E. and 23' 8' latitude N. and neighbours Hong Kong and Macao. The city is the capital of Guangdong Province and has a history of more than 2,200 years. The city is the centre of Lingnan Culture, the communication hub as well as the largest trade port in South China. As early as the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC), there had been exchanges between "Baiyue people" in Guangzhou and the people of the Chu State. Known as the City of Flowers, Guangzhou enjoys mild weather all the year round. The average annual temperature in Guangzhou is about 22.6 degrees centigrade. The city governs 12 districts, encompassing 7,434 square kilometres, with a population of 6.85 million.

Guangzhou's famous nickname- "Y angcheng" (meaning ram city) and "Suicheng" (ear city) -come from a delightful legend. It is said that around the 10 th century BC, five immortals riding five rams with rice stalks in their mouths, flew to Guangzhou. These immortals gave the rice to peasants and prayed that there would be bumper harvests. The immortals flew away and left the five rams behind, now turned into stones.

The city has comprehensive transportation network, which covers railways, highways, and water and air transportation, connecting the city with the rest of China and the world.

According to historians, the cultures of China's hinterland and of the Western societies all first emerged in Guangzhou and the city manages to maintain its own unique traditional culture despite the rapid move towards modernization.

Dominating the Sea Tower

The tower stands on the Yuexiu Hill in the northern part of Guangzhou. Built in the early Ming Dynasty, it is a famous ancient building in the city. It is said that Zhu Liangzu (? -1380), Prince Y ongjia , to show off his merits in dominating the sea in the south, constructed the tower, hence the name. The tower has 5 storeys with 28 metres in height. Therefore it is also known as the five-storey Tower. If you climb onto the top floor, you will find yourself above the tree line, and unfurling below you, a marvellous view of the city. In the old days, this tower once served as an entertainment and recreation resort for the feudal officials, warlords, rich and powerful, people. Originally it was a building of wood and brick structure. During the renovation in 1928, its wooden floors were replaced into reinforced concrete ones with its contour unchanged. After the Japanese aggressors occupied Guangzhou in 1938, the tower was used as the Japanese military forbidden area and was much dilapidated. After 1949, it has been repaired several times and listed as one of the historic sites under the preservation by the Chinese Government. Nowadays it houses the Guangzhou Museum, in which exhibits fall into two parts:

Part One displays the long history and civilization of Guangzhou. On show in chronological order ranging from the Neolithic Age to the later period of the Qing Dynasty are archaeological findings, pictures and historical documents, giving an outline of the historical development of the city-the first trading port of China, and reflecting her people's struggles against feudalism and their contributions to developing production, culture and science in different historical periods.

Part Two deals with revolutionary relics, photos and documents concerning the Opium War (1840-1842), the 1911 Revolution and the May 4 th Movement (1919), which show the revolutionary tradition of the heroic city and her people's unremitting struggle against imperialism and feudalism in modern history of China.

The Site of the Whampoa Military Academy

A famous academy run by the Kuomintang in 1924 is going to become a tourist attraction featuring military culture. The Huangpu District of Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, is going to build a military culture garden around the site of the Whampoa (Huangpu) Military Academy, which will be completed by 2006. Founded by Dr Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), leader of the 1911 Revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and founder of the Kuomintang, the academy was used to train thousands of officers in its short history, many of whom later became noted generals and marshals. The academy also witnessed the first co-operation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China (CPC), with Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) acting as academy president and Zhou Enlai (1898-1976), a famous Communist who was later to become the premier of the People's Republic of China, as its political director. When the two parties jointly launched the Northern Expedition in 1926 to end warlords' control of North China and reunify the country. The Kuomintang and CPC cadets from the academy were recognized as the backbone of the expedition forces. Nowadays, there are still Whampoa alumni associations on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. According to the plan, a Hall of Fame will be built onthe site of the original Dr Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall in the academy compound. The visitor will be able to view displays on the life of Dr Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek, Zhou Enlai, and other famed academy leaders and learn previously untold anecdotes about them. Waxworks, paintings, sculptures and a multimedia and video exhibition platform are also going to be featured in the main showroom, which used to be the cadets club. It will be used to brief visitors on a number of famous battles involving Whampoa students. The academy's old naval wharf by the Pearl River will also be put into use again, as out-of-service warships will be opened to visitors to give them an insight into military life.