Chaozhou (潮州)

1. Introduction

Chaozhou City (official transliteration: Chaozhou, Latinized: Chauchowfu/Teochew, Guangdong Pinyin: Chiuchow) is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China. Located in the eastern part of Guangdong Province, adjacent to Fujian Province, it is a nationally renowned historical and cultural city, acclaimed as the "Coastal Zou-Lu" and "Famous Prefecture of Lingnan," and has been designated a "City of Gastronomy" by UNESCO. It is also one of China's top ten livable small and medium-sized cities, recognized as an outstanding tourist city, a national garden city, and the "Porcelain Capital of China." Historically, it served as the political, economic, and cultural center of eastern Guangdong. The Municipal People's Government is located at No. 1 Fengchun Road, Xiangqiao District.

Chaozhou boasts numerous cultural relics and historic sites. As of 2010, the city has 728 cultural relics and historic sites, including 8 national key cultural relics protection units, 11 provincial-level cultural relics protection units in Guangdong, and 55 municipal (county)-level cultural relics protection units, making it a hub of cultural heritage in Guangdong. Chaozhou is a member city of the West Coast Economic Zone of the Taiwan Strait, an open tourist city, and a commodity distribution center in the Han River Basin spanning Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi. The city's terrain is high in the north and low in the south, with mountains and hills accounting for 65% of the total area, mainly distributed in Raoping County and the northern part of Chao'an District. Chaozhou is an important birthplace of Chaozhou culture and serves as the cultural center of eastern Guangdong. Historically, it successively served as the seat of commanderies, prefectures, circuits, and prefectural governments, and was also a starting point for overseas trade. It enjoys reputations such as "Southern State Prefecture," "Cultural Showcase," "Hometown of Overseas Chinese," "Hometown of Chaozhou Cuisine," "Hometown of Chinese Stainless Steel Products," and "Hometown of Chinese Folk and Ethnic Arts."

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2. Historical Evolution

2.1 Ancient Times

The Chenqiao Shell Mound site discovered west of Chaozhou City, with its unearthed artifacts, indicates that as early as approximately 6000-5000 years ago, the ancient inhabitants of Chaozhou had already begun a life of fishing, farming, and hunting. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, represented by the Fubin culture in Raoping, it shows that the area had entered the Bronze Age and an agrarian civilization.

2.2 Pre-Qin to Northern and Southern Dynasties

From the pre-Qin period, Chaozhou belonged to the Minyue region. After Qin Shi Huang (214 BC), it was re-assigned to Nanhai Commandery.

In the sixth year of the Yuanding era of the Western Han Dynasty (111 BC), Chaozhou was part of Jieyang County under Nanhai Commandery. It was located in the border area between Jiaozhou and Yangzhou.

In the sixth year of the Xianhe era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (331 AD), Dongguan Commandery was established from the eastern part of Nanhai Commandery, marking the earliest administrative establishment in Chaozhou.

In the ninth year of the Yixi era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (413 AD), Yi'an Commandery was further established from Dongguan Commandery. This was followed during the Liu Song and Southern Qi dynasties of the Southern Dynasties.

In the fourth year of the Putong era of the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties (523 AD), Dongyang Province was established from Yi'an Commandery, later renamed Ying Province. During the Yongding era of the Chen Dynasty, Ying Province was abolished, and Yi'an Commandery was reinstated.

2.3 Sui and Tang Dynasties

In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era of Emperor Wen of Sui (590 AD), commanderies were abolished nationwide in favor of provinces (Zhou). Chaozhou belonged to Yi'an County of Xun Province. Many community schools in Chaozhou are named "Yi'an," primarily based on this historical context. The following year, it was elevated to a province (Zhou). Due to its location by the South China Sea and the meaning of "tidal waters ebb and flow" (some texts say "tidal currents ebb and flow"), it was named "Chaozhou," with Yi'an County as the provincial seat.

In the twelfth year of Kaihuang (592 AD), the entire Chaoshan region was re-incorporated into Fujian. The name "Chaozhou" began to appear in historical records.

In the third year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang of Sui (607 AD), provinces (Zhou) were abolished nationwide and commanderies reinstated, reverting to Yi'an Commandery. In the sixth year of Daye (610 AD), the court dispatched generals like Chen Leng and Zhang Zhenzhou from Yi'an Commandery to cross the sea and attack Liuqiu (likely Taiwan), but they returned without success.

In the fourth year of the Wude era of Emperor Gaozu of Tang (621 AD), it was again called Chaozhou. At this time, Chaozhou's territory was vast, extending east to Quanzhou (within present-day Fujian), north to Jiangxi, south to the sea, and west to Huizhou.

In the second year of the Chuigong era of Tang (686 AD), some areas were carved out from Chaozhou and Quanzhou to establish Zhangzhou. Even today, the Chaozhou dialect is still spoken in Zhangzhou, and its administered counties/cities like Yunxiao, Zhao'an, Dongshan, Zhangpu, and Pinghe all have Chaozhou opera troupes performing Chaozhou opera. As the saying goes, "The land is divided between Min and Yue, but customs show no difference between Zhang and Chao."

In the second year of Jingyun, 711 AD, Chaozhou was re-assigned to Fujian, successively under the Fuzhou Dudufu, Minzhou Dudufu, and Fujian Jinglueshi of Jiangnan Circuit.

In the first year of the Tianbao era of Tang (742 AD), Chaozhou was renamed Chaoyang Commandery. In the tenth year of the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong, 751 AD, the Chaoshan region, which had been under Fujian for a period, was transferred from Jiangnan Circuit (Fujian) to Lingnan Circuit (Guangdong) jurisdiction. In the first year of the Qianyuan era (758 AD), it was restored as Chaozhou.

In the fourteenth year of the Yuanhe era of Tang (819 AD), Han Yu, for remonstrating against welcoming the Buddha's bone, angered Emperor Xianzong and was nearly executed. Fortunately, thanks to Pei Du's intervention, he was demoted to Prefect of Chaozhou. Han Yu also left the famous line: "A memorial presented at dawn to the ninefold heaven; By dusk, banished to Chaozhou, eight thousand li away." According to the New Book of Tang: Biography of Han Yu, upon arriving in Chaozhou, Han Yu heard that the crocodiles in the Exi (referring to the Han River) within his jurisdiction were causing harm, having devoured the livestock of nearby villagers. Soon after, the waters of Exi shifted sixty li west, and the crocodile menace in Chaozhou was permanently eliminated. The local people thanked Han Yu for driving away the fierce crocodiles. Han Yu stayed in Chaozhou for only eight months, but within this short time, he left a rich cultural legacy for the Chaoshan people. From then on, Chaozhou progressed from its past status as a southern "barbarian" land towards civilization, and Han Yu was beloved by the people of Chaozhou. Consequently, many place names in Chaozhou derive from Han Yu, such as the Han River, Han Wengong Temple, and Changli Road.

2.4 Song and Yuan Dynasties

During the Northern and Southern Song dynasties, the economy and culture of the Chaozhou region developed by leaps and bounds compared to the Tang Dynasty. Taking Chaoyang County as an example, it produced only one jinshi (imperial examination graduate) in the Tang Dynasty, but during the two Song periods, Chaoyang County produced a total of thirty-five jinshi. The earliest extant local gazetteer of the Chaozhou region, Chaozhou Sanyang Zhi, was compiled in the third year of the Xuanhe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1121 AD).

During the Yuan Dynasty, Chaozhou was called Chaozhou Route.

2.5 Ming and Qing Dynasties

In the second year of the Hongwu era of Ming (1369 AD), the Route system was changed, and the prefectural system was established, called Chaozhou Prefecture.

2.6 Late Qing and Early Republic of China

By the late Qing and early Republic of China period, the concept of Chaozhou was largely solidified. The Chaozhou shared by Chaozhou people both domestically and overseas was also basically defined on this foundation. At this time, Chaozhou Prefecture administered a total of nine counties: Chao'an (Haiyang) County, Chaoyang County, Jieyang County, Huilai County, Puning County, Chenghai County, Raoping County, Fengshun County, and Dapu County, along with most of Shantou Port and Nan'ao Island.

In 1914 (Republic of China), the Chaoxun Circuit was established. Because it shared the same name as Haiyang County in Shandong Province (now Haiyang City, Yantai), Haiyang County was renamed Chao'an County.

2.7 After the Founding of the People's Republic of China

In 1953, the urban area of Chao'an County was separated to establish Chaozhou City as a province-administered city. Wu Jianmin became the first Secretary of the CPC Chaozhou Municipal Committee, serving for only four months. In 1955, the Eastern Guangdong Administrative Office relocated from Chaozhou to Shantou. In 1958, Chaozhou City was changed to a county-level city. In November 1958, Chaozhou City was abolished and merged into Chao'an County. In 1968, the Chao'an County Revolutionary Committee was established.

In 1979, the Chaozhou City administrative system was restored. In 1980, the Revolutionary Committee was abolished, and the People's Government was established. In 1983, Chao'an County was abolished and merged into Chaozhou City. In January 1989, Chaozhou City was restored as a province-administered city. In 1990, it was designated as a sub-prefecture-level city by Guangdong Province.

In December 1991, the original Chaozhou City was upgraded to a prefecture-level city, simultaneously expanding its area to administer the newly restored Chao'an County, the newly established Xiangqiao District and Fengxi District, and Raoping County, which was previously under the jurisdiction of Shantou City. On September 28, 1992, the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the new office address of the CPC Chaozhou Municipal Committee and Chaozhou Municipal People's Government was held on Fengchun Road.

On June 28, 2013, with the approval of the State Council, Chao'an County was abolished, and Chaozhou City's Chao'an District was established.

3. Geography

3.1 Topography

Chaozhou City is located in the northeastern part of Guangdong Province, in the northern part of the Han River Delta in eastern Guangdong, facing Taiwan across the sea. It is a port city on the eastern coast of Guangdong Province. It borders Zhao'an County and Pinghe County of Fujian Province to the east, Jiedong District of Jieyang City, Guangdong Province to the west, Fengshun County and Dabu County of Meizhou City to the north, and faces the South China Sea to the south, adjacent to Shantou City. The main rivers within its territory are the Han River and the Huanggang River. The maximum east-west width is 76.68 kilometers, and the maximum north-south length is 79.92 kilometers. The total land area is 3613.9 square kilometers, of which the urban built-up area is 37.7 square kilometers, and the sea area is 533 square kilometers.

The terrain of Chaozhou is high in the north and low in the south, with mountainous areas accounting for about 65.2% of the city's total land area. Within its territory, peaks rise and fall, and rivers crisscross. There are 9 peaks with an altitude above 1000 meters. The main peak of the northern Fenghuang Mountain, Niaojì, is the highest peak in eastern Guangdong, with an altitude of 1497.8 meters. It is the hometown of Chinese Oolong tea and the birthplace of the She ethnic minority.

The Han River is the mother river of Chaozhou. It flows through the Chaozhou urban area for about 3 kilometers, with the northern section being relatively wide. The Guangji Bridge, one of China's four ancient bridges, lies across the middle section of the Han River, connecting the ancient city with the transportation on the eastern bank. Its west bank is the North Embankment. Construction of the North Embankment began in June 2000, and the main project was completed by the end of 2001. The completion of the North Embankment resolved issues such as demolition and relocation, construction of flood control passages inside and outside the embankment, relocation of residents from the flood discharge area outside the city wall and environmental remediation, as well as problems like embankment foundation seepage and piping within the embankment endangering its safety, greatly improving the city's flood control capability. Simultaneously, it opened up a large-scale and uniquely characteristic tourist attraction for the general public and visitors from home and abroad.

3.2 Climate

Chaozhou is located close to the Tropic of Cancer and borders the South China Sea, belonging to a subtropical maritime monsoon climate. The climate is characterized by mild temperatures, abundant sunshine, and plentiful rainfall. The annual average temperature is 21.4°C, with 1986.1 hours of sunshine and 1685.8 mm of rainfall. The extreme maximum temperature is 39.6°C, and the extreme minimum temperature is -0.5°C. Winters are not severely cold, summers are not intensely hot, it remains green all year round, and the weather is spring-like across all four seasons. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------------|-----------|-----------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-----------|-----------|------------|------------| | Record high °C | 29.5 | 30.7 | 33.3 | 35.0 | 35.8 | 37.7 | 39.4 | 38.5 | 37.6 | 37.2 | 34.0 | 29.9 | 39.4 | | Record high °F | 85.1 | 87.3 | 91.9 | 95.0 | 96.4 | 99.9 | 102.9 | 101.3 | 99.7 | 99.0 | 93.2 | 85.8 | 102.9 | | Average high °C | 19.9 | 20.3 | 22.4 | 26.2 | 29.4 | 31.5 | 33.5 | 33.2 | 32.2 | 29.9 | 26.4 | 22.0 | 27.2 | | Average high °F | 67.8 | 68.5 | 72.3 | 79.2 | 84.9 | 88.7 | 92.3 | 91.8 | 90.0 | 85.8 | 79.5 | 71.6 | 81.0 | | Daily mean °C | 14.9 | 15.7 | 18.0 | 22.1 | 25.4 | 27.7 | 29.3 | 28.9 | 27.8 | 25.2 | 21.1 | 16.8 | 22.7 | | Daily mean °F | 58.8 | 60.3 | 64.4 | 71.8 | 77.7 | 81.9 | 84.7 | 84.0 | 82.0 | 77.4 | 70.0 | 62.2 | 72.9 | | Average low °C | 11.5 | 12.7 | 15.0 | 19.2 | 22.5 | 25.1 | 26.1 | 25.9 | 24.6 | 21.8 | 17.3 | 13.2 | 19.6 | | Average low °F | 52.7 | 54.9 | 59.0 | 66.6 | 72.5 | 77.2 | 79.0 | 78.6 | 76.3 | 71.2 | 63.1 | 55.8 | 67.2 | | Record low °C | 2.5 | 3.8 | 5.2 | 9.5 | 16.0 | 18.9 | 22.9 | 22.6 | 17.8 | 13.1 | 6.9 | 2.1 | 2.1 | | Record low °F | 36.5 | 38.8 | 41.4 | 49.1 | 60.8 | 66.0 | 73.2 | 72.7 | 64.0 | 55.6 | 44.4 | 35.8 | 35.8 | | Average precipitation mm | 29.6 | 74.5 | 111.8 | 164.2 | 204.7 | 285.4 | 277.4 | 291.4 | 199.4 | 30.1 | 29.7 | 27.8 | 1,726 | | Average Precipitation inches | 1.17 | 2.93 | 4.40 | 6.46 | 8.06 | 11.24 | 10.92 | 11.47 | 7.85 | 1.19 | 1.17 | 1.09 | 67.95 | | Average Relative Humidity (%) | 71 | 76 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 81 | 77 | 78 | 74 | 69 | 68 | 68 | 74 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Chaozhou City administers 2 municipal districts, 1 county, and 2 county-level management areas. It has a total of 5 subdistricts, 41 towns, 891 village committees, and 120 residential committees.

• Municipal Districts: Xiangqiao District, Chao'an District
• County: Raoping County
• County-level Management Area: Fengquanhu High-Tech Industrial Development Zone

| Division Code | Division Name | Hanyu Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | |-------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------| | 445100 | Chaozhou City | Cháozhōu Shì | 3,145.89 | 2,568,387 | Xiangqiao District | 521000 | 5 | 41 | | 445102 | Xiangqiao District | Xiāngqiáo Qū | 325.35 | 575,795 | Fengxin Subdistrict | 521000 | 5 | 4 | | 445103 | Chao'an District | Cháo'ān Qū | 1,088.47 | 1,175,150 | Anbu Town | 515600 | 16 | | | 445122 | Raoping County | Ráopíng Xiàn | 1,732.07 | 817,442 | Huanggang Town | 515700 | 21 | |

5. Economy

During the Tang Dynasty, Chaozhou had already developed into a major prefecture in Lingnan. In the Song Dynasty, Chaozhou's foreign economic exchanges became even more frequent. The History of Song contains records about Chaozhou being "located by the sea bordering Fujian, with ships connecting to Ouwu (Zhejiang and Jiangsu) and various foreign countries." At that time, the Bijia Mountain Kiln in Chaozhou was a famous ceramic kiln, and the porcelain it produced was sold to some Southeast Asian countries, making it one of China's ceramic export bases. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Chaozhou's salt industry operated on a large scale, making it one of Guangdong's two major salt distribution centers. Concurrently, Chaozhou sugar (i.e., Chaozhou cane sugar) was also a major business, almost monopolizing the domestic market. In the late Qing and Republican periods, Chaozhou's drawnwork (lace) industry was exceptionally prosperous, primarily for export.

Chaozhou holds titles such as "Famous City of Wedding Dresses and Formal Attire," "China's Porcelain Capital," "China's No. 1 Food Town" (Anbu Town, Chao'an County), "China's No. 1 Flexible Packaging Town" (Anbu Town, Chao'an District), "Hometown of China's Stainless Steel Products" (Caitang Town, Chao'an District), and "Important Town for China's Sanitary Ceramics" (Guxiang Town, Chao'an District). Chaozhou's ceramic production has a history of over 1,300 years. It is China's largest production base for art ceramics, household porcelain, and sanitary ware. It is also China's largest export base for art ceramics and artistically designed household porcelain, as well as the world's ceramic production base with the most complete range of ceramic types and the highest output. Located in the Fengxi District are the Fengxi Ceramic Exhibition Center and the Chaozhou International Ceramic Trade Center, two display windows for Chaozhou ceramics.

During Li Qing's tenure as the head of Chaozhou (between 1998 and 2003), GDP statistics show that the GDP growth rates during his administration were approximately: 11%, 9.1%, 5.6%, 6.9%, 8.8%, and 10.7%. The GDP growth rates before he took office and after he left were even higher than those during his tenure in Chaozhou, indicating that his governance did not bring faster economic development to Chaozhou.

Well-known enterprises in Chaozhou include: Great Wall Group, Yashili Group, Chuangjia Group, Huafeng Group, Sanhuan Group, Sitong Group, Xianglu Tungsten Industry, Zhenglong Co., Ltd., etc.

5.1 Industry

Chaozhou's industry is supported by pillar industries such as ceramics, stainless steel, wedding dresses and formal attire, food, and electronics. In 2008, the total output value of industries above a designated scale was 51.55 billion yuan. It has established the Chaozhou Economic Development Zone and the Shenzhen Nanshan (Chaozhou) Industrial Transfer Park, and plans to build the ASEAN Chaoshang Industrial Park. In 2008, it became one of the first cross-strait ports open for mutual access.

5.2 Agriculture

Chaozhou has a large population but limited land. Villagers in the suburbs highly cherish arable land and have a tradition of intensive and meticulous farming, earning it the nickname "embroidery agriculture." Agricultural production had already reached a relatively high level of development. Furthermore, based on market demand and resource advantages, the region has developed dominant regional industries and products according to local conditions, forming commercialized and intensive agricultural operations that promote scaled economic development.

Focusing on developing "deep blue fisheries," efforts are being made to accelerate the construction of deep-water net cage industrial parks and the development of pelagic fisheries. The development of deep processing of aquatic products and related services is being promoted, actively advancing the tertiary industry. Promoting healthy aquaculture and modern fishery construction, and building modern fishery demonstration bases that are land-saving, water-saving, efficient, and high-quality. Implementing projects for coastal fishermen to change their occupations or industries, continuously improving the security of fishery development and fishermen's livelihoods.

In 2013, Chaozhou's total agricultural output value was 9.41 billion yuan, an increase of 5.2% over the previous year. The total sown area of crops was 960,200 mu, a decrease of 0.6% from the previous year. The sown area for grain was 664,000 mu, a decrease of 3.3% from the previous year. Total grain output was 260,000 tons, a decrease of 10.3% from the previous year. Total fruit output was 174,000 tons, an increase of 12.3% from the previous year; total tea output was 14,500 tons, an increase of 14.2% from the previous year; total vegetable output was 459,000 tons, an increase of 5.3% from the previous year. Total meat output was 75,000 tons, a decrease of 2.6% from the previous year. Aquatic product output was 188,000 tons, a decrease of 5.5% from the previous year.

5.3 Commerce

In 2008, Chaozhou achieved a total retail sales of consumer goods of 17.06 billion yuan, an increase of 20.6% compared to 2007. Chaozhou has numerous commercial districts. Xinqiao Road, Taiping Road, Sanli Street, and Dongmen Street form a traditional characteristic commercial district, with Sanli Street being Chaozhou's famous clothing shopping street. The inner alleys of Xinqiao Road also have emerging small commodity markets. Large commercial shopping centers include RT-Mart, Lotus (a supermarket chain), Fortune Center. In 2019, an agreement was signed with Wanda Group to build the Chaozhou Wanda Plaza (currently under construction).

5.4 Tourism

In 2008, tourism revenue reached 3.51 billion yuan, an increase of 13% compared to 2007. As of mid-August 2009, the city had one 4A-level tourist attraction, 15 tourist-starred hotels (with plans to build one five-star hotel, including three four-star hotels), and 18 various travel agencies, two of which handle international tourism business. Chaozhou City is also one of China's Excellent Tourist Cities.

6. Transportation

6.1 External Transportation

6.1.2 Highways

• National Highway G539 (Anjie Highway, Chaozhou Avenue, etc., formerly Provincial Highway S335)
• National Highway G324 (passes through Raoping County)
• Provincial Highway S231 (Ancheng Highway)
• Provincial Highway S232 (Hanjiang Bridge, Hudi Road)
• Provincial Highway S233 (Chaoshan Highway, Fengliu Highway)

6.1.3 Expressways

G15 Shanfen Expressway, G78 Shanmei Expressway, G1523 Chaowan Expressway, S85 Chaoshan Ring Expressway, S11 Dachaozhou Expressway, Chaomei Expressway (planned)

6.1.4 Aviation

Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport

6.1.5 Railway

The Chaoshan Railway was the first railway connecting Chaozhou and Shantou, and also the first commercially operated railway in China. Funded by overseas Chinese brothers Zhang Yunan and Zhang Hongnan (originally from Jiaying) and others, its construction began on August 19, 1904, and it opened on November 16, 1906. Including the Yixi branch line, its actual total length was 42.1 kilometers. After the outbreak of the Chaoshan Campaign in 1939, to prevent the railway from falling into the hands of the invading Japanese army, it was ordered to be dismantled on June 16. After the victory in the War of Resistance, a highway was built on the original railway bed, becoming the current Chaoshan Highway (i.e., Provincial Highway S233). The term "Chaoshan" derives from the former Chaoshan Railway.

With the full completion of the Guangmeishan Railway on July 20, 1995, and its official opening on December 28 of the same year, which passes through Chaozhou, it ended the 56-year history of having no train service. The opening of the Xiashen High-Speed Railway on December 28, 2013, marked Chaozhou's entry into the high-speed rail era.

Currently, the Guangmeishan Railway has Chaozhou Station in Fengxi District, and the Xiashen Railway has Chaoshan Station in Shaxi Town, Chao'an District, which serves as a regional hub station. In the future, it will also connect to the Meishan High-Speed Railway, with the terminal station set as Chaoshan Station. The port railway leading to Chaozhou Port is still in the preparatory stage.

6.1.6 Port

Chaozhou Port is located at Sanbaimen in Raoping County, bordering the Taiwan Strait. It possesses excellent natural conditions and geographical advantages. It is a national Class I open port and a direct shipping port to Taiwan, as well as a natural harbor in Chaozhou suitable for constructing large deep-water berths. Chaozhou Port is divided into three port areas: Sanbaimen Port Area, Xi'ao Port Area, and Jinshiwan Port Area. The planned port area covers approximately 79.2 square kilometers, including 43.8 square kilometers of water area and 35.4 square kilometers of land area. The total port shoreline length for Chaozhou Port is about 28.5 km.

6.2 Local Transportation

6.2.1 Bridges

• Hanjiang Bridge: The second major bridge built in Chaozhou after Guangji Bridge. It belongs to Provincial Highway S232 and consists of the east bridge, west bridge, and the Xianzhou Island interchange in the middle section. The total bridge length is 1150m. It starts from the elevated interchange at Nandi Road and ends at Fengdong Road. It opened to traffic in April 1989. In 2014, the north ramp interchange on Xianzhou Island was rebuilt, and an elevated interchange was built at the west end connecting to Nandi Road.
• Chaozhou Jinshan Bridge: The largest span wind-bracing-free back-to-back five-arch steel pipe bridge in China. The total length is 3574m, including 1930.6m of bridge structure and 1643.4m of municipal roads extending on both sides. The main bridge is 558m long with a deck width of 28m, featuring two-way six lanes. It starts from Chunrong Road, crosses the Han River, and ends at Beiqiao Road in Yixi Town, connecting with Yidong Third Road and County Road X074 Yigui Highway. The bridge features a five-arch steel pipe design, with the central main arch span reaching 160 meters. The ends are supported by elevated three-pillar piers. It opened to traffic on February 14, 2007, initially named Hanjiang North Bridge.
• Chaozhou Bridge: The first cable-stayed bridge in Chaozhou, belonging to National Highway G539. It consists of the east bridge, west bridge, and the Xianzhou Island interchange in the middle section. The total length is about 3000m, with the bridge itself being 2420m long, featuring two-way six lanes. The main tower is 108m high, with the four large characters "Chaozhou Bridge" inscribed at the top by former Guangdong Provincial Governor Lu Ruihua. It has 88 cable stays on both sides. It starts from the intersection of Chaozhou Avenue and Nandi Road, ends at Tianxin Village in Linxi Town, and connects with Chaozhou East Avenue. It opened to traffic on January 15, 2018. Dynamic landscape lighting is activated in the evenings, earning it the local nicknames "Internet-famous Bridge" or "Little Waist."
• Ruyi Bridge: Consists of east and west bridges, crossing the Han River's East Stream, West Stream, and Jiangdong Town. It starts from Ruyi Road on Chaoshan Highway in Fengxi District and ends at Fengmei Village in Linxi Town, Xiangqiao District, connecting with the village road. The total length is 3140m, featuring two-way four lanes. It opened to traffic on January 15, 2018, initially named Hanjiang East-West Streams Bridge.
• Jiangdong Bridge: The first bridge crossing the Han River in Chaozhou after the establishment of the People's Republic of China. It starts at Ge'er Village, Longhu Town, Chao'an District, and ends at Beijie Community, Jiangdong Town, Chao'an District. It opened to traffic in February 1988. This bridge is a major traffic artery for Jiangdong Town and also the main route from Chaozhou to Chenghai District, Shantou City.
• Outer Ring Bridge: Starts from Outer Ring North Road, crosses the Han River, and ends at the Toutang section of County Road X073 in Yixi Town. Currently under construction.

6.2.2 Public Buses

In 1959, Chao'an County began operating public buses, with Chao'an Automobile Transport Co., Ltd. operating Bus Route 2. Operations were later suspended due to narrow roads and financial losses of the bus company, resuming only in 1977 after the Cultural Revolution.

On February 6, 2010, the buses on 9 public bus routes in Chaozhou city underwent a major renewal. All old, dilapidated buses were retired and replaced with Shenlong SLK6851UF5G3 natural gas buses to address the exhaust pollution problem caused by poor-quality gasoline used in the old buses.

On September 13, 2016, Chaozhou public buses were officially replaced with new energy pure electric buses, phasing out the original diesel buses. The new pure electric buses used Yutong E8 and Golden Dragon XML6805JEV80C models. These new buses produce no exhaust emissions during operation, do not pollute the environment, enhance riding comfort, and solve issues like aging bus bodies and poor exhaust emissions. On the same day, Chaozhou Yueyun Automobile Transport Co., Ltd. was officially established, acquiring the former Changyun Transportation Group, Chao'an Transport General Company, and Raoping County Automobile Transport General Company, and began taking over the Chaozhou public bus industry.

The Chaozhou public bus industry is now operated by Chaozhou Yueyun Public Bus Co., Ltd., managing a total of 27 bus routes covering the urban area, Chao'an, and Raoping. Most routes have three-digit numbers: 1 and 6 for urban routes, 2 for Chao'an routes, K for express routes, and Raoping routes are indicated by place names. The fleet uses pure electric buses from three major brands: Zhengzhou Yutong, Xiamen Golden Dragon, and Zhuhai Yinlong. The first bus on most routes departs at 06:40, and the last bus at 18:30.

Citizens can take buses by paying cash, swiping the Lingnan Tong·Chaozhou Tong card, or scanning Alipay QR codes. Most routes use a segmented fare system, while a few have a flat fare of 2 yuan. Exact fare is required when paying cash. Recharge machines for bus cards are installed at 30 bus stops in the city for convenient instant top-ups. Smart bus stop signs are installed at 14 bus stops, displaying bus arrival information and real-time locations, along with voice reminders before bus arrival. Citizens can also use the "Che Laile" app to synchronously query real-time bus information. To promote the integration of Chaoshan and Jieyang, some bus routes connect with neighboring cities' bus systems in Jieyang and Shantou.

6.2.3 Shared Bicycles

Currently, only Meituan Bike operates shared bicycle services in Chaozhou. Previously, Xiaoming Bike, ofo, Dingta Chuxing, Hello Chuxing, and Qingju Bike had operated in Chaozhou.

On February 19, 2017, Xiaoming Bike entered Chaozhou, marking the first time a shared bike company set up operations in the city. Initially, stations were set up at Binjiang Promenade and People's Square. However, due to lack of legal permission from government departments, the bikes were soon confiscated by local urban management law enforcement. Subsequently, ofo bikes met the same fate.

On January 25, 2018, with approval from the Chaozhou Transportation Bureau, Hangzhou's "Dingta Chuxing" bikes entered Chaozhou, with an initial deployment of 5,000 bicycles. 150 designated bicycle parking points were established in main commercial areas, public transport stops, transportation hubs, residential areas, and around tourist attractions (including Binjiang Promenade, People's Square, etc.). Dingta Chuxing officially began operations on February 1. The reason for introducing Dingta Chuxing was its requirement to lock and park bicycles within designated parking areas equipped with signal transmission poles. Parking outside these areas prevents locking and results in continuous charges. This measure aimed to prevent the disorderly parking and accumulation of shared bikes seen elsewhere. The pricing model was 1 yuan for the first hour, with an additional 1 yuan per hour thereafter.

In July 2020, Didi Chuxing's Qingju electric scooters began operating in Chaozhou, while Meituan shared bikes also entered the market in small numbers, the latter bearing local electric bicycle license plates. However, Qingju electric scooters were soon withdrawn due to corresponding urban civilization policies. As Meituan Bike increased its deployment in Chaozhou and Dingta Chuxing bikes gradually decreased, Meituan Bike has become the only shared bike operator currently still active in Chaozhou.#### 6.2.4 Taxis Chaozhou has three taxi companies: Jinqi, Hongwei, and Hezhong. As of November 2008, there were approximately 784 taxis in operation. Most taxi drivers are from provinces such as Anhui, Henan, and Hunan. In November 2008, taxi drivers went on strike due to "too many taxis in Chaozhou." Before June 2008, the starting fares were relatively high and inconsistent, ranging from at least 6 yuan to as much as 10 yuan. Subsequently, the Chaozhou Transportation Bureau implemented regulations to adjust pricing based on vehicle class. Class I taxis (with engine displacements above 1.6 liters) have a starting fare of 5.00 yuan for the first two kilometers, with an additional 1.10 yuan for every extra half kilometer. Class II taxis (with engine displacements above 1.3 liters) have a starting fare of 4.00 yuan for the first two kilometers, with an additional 1.00 yuan for every extra half kilometer. Class III taxis (with engine displacements below 1.3 liters, including minivans) have a starting fare of 3.00 yuan for the first two kilometers, with an additional 0.90 yuan for every extra half kilometer. Fares are metered based on a starting rate of 3 to 5 yuan per kilometer, with an additional 1 yuan fuel surcharge.

6.2.5 Pedicabs

There are over 1,700 licensed pedicabs in Chaozhou. Renting a pedicab for a city tour is one of the highlights of exploring the ancient city of Chaozhou. Many pedicab operators have received tourism training and can design custom tour routes. Prices are negotiable.

7. Education

During the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, Chaozhou already produced its first Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). When Han Yu was demoted to Chaozhou, he promoted education by establishing schools, significantly enhancing the region's educational standards. The literary culture in Chaozhou flourished during the Song Dynasty, noted for having "two academies in one prefecture, a feature unmatched by other regions." In the Southern Song Dynasty, the registered population of Chaozhou exceeded 140,000. After the Duanping era, the number of participants in the imperial examinations reached "over ten thousand by the final session." Throughout the Song Dynasty, Chaozhou produced as many as 172 Jinshi, including a remarkable achievement of nine candidates passing consecutively in the second year of the Jianyan era (1128). In the Ming Dynasty, there were 160 Jinshi and 1,088 successful candidates in the provincial examinations. In the palace examinations across various dynasties, Chaozhou also produced outstanding talents such as Zhuangyuan (top scholar) Lin Daqin, Bangyan (second-place) Wang Dabao, and Tanhua (third-place) Yao Hongzhong.

In 2008, Chaozhou City had a total of 44,944 junior high school graduates. Among them, 32,184 registered for the senior high school entrance examination, representing a registration rate of 71.61%, an increase of 2.6 percentage points from 69.05% in 2007. The enrollment rate was 69.53%, up by 4.5 percentage points from 65.05% in 2007. The three-year retention rate for junior high school students remained above 92.28%, ranking sixth in Guangdong Province. Enrollment in senior high school education reached 25,266 students (including vocational secondary schools but excluding technical schools), an increase of 1,130 students or 4.7% compared to 24,136 in 2007. This included 20,304 students enrolled in regular senior high schools, an increase of 850 students or 4.4% from 19,454 in 2007, and 4,962 students enrolled in vocational secondary schools, an increase of 409 students or 9.0% from 4,553 in 2007. Additionally, 1,050 students were admitted to vocational secondary schools in the Pearl River Delta region. The overall senior high school enrollment rate in the city further improved, with the gross enrollment rate reaching 60.9%, an increase of 4.5 percentage points from 56.43% in 2007.

In 2015, four experimental junior high schools in Chaozhou's urban area (Jinshan Experimental School, Senior Experimental School, Chengnan Experimental Middle School, and Chengji Experimental Middle School) abolished the entrance examination system for new students. Similar to the six junior high schools in the urban area (Chengji Middle School, Chengnan Middle School, Chengxi Middle School, Taiping Middle School, Kaiyuan Middle School, and Xihua Middle School), they adopted a lottery-based enrollment method. This initiative aimed to promote educational equity in Chaozhou and alleviate pressure on teachers, students, and parents.

Since 2015, Chaozhou has organized the "Respecting Teachers and Valuing Education" series of activities to inherit the spirit of Han Yu and foster a culture of respecting teachers and valuing education. Large-scale parades for "Respecting Teachers and Valuing Education" were held on September 1, 2015, and September 9, 2016. However, the parade segment was discontinued in 2017, and only the "Gold and Silver Star" scholarship award ceremony has been held since then.

Chaozhou City has a total of 1,241 schools, including 1 regular higher education institution, 648 primary schools, 91 junior high schools, 35 regular senior high schools, 15 vocational senior high schools, 204 standardized kindergartens, and 247 public kindergartens.

7.1 Higher Education

Chaozhou currently has two universities, including one undergraduate university and one vocational college.

Regular Undergraduate University: Hanshan Normal University
Regular Vocational College: Guangdong Chaozhou Health Vocational College

7.2 Secondary Education

• Primary Schools: Chengnan Primary School, Miande Primary School, Changli Road Primary School, City Experimental School, Xiangqiao District Experimental School, Fengxi Primary School
• Junior High Schools: Chengji Middle School, Chengnan Middle School, Chengxi Middle School, Taiping Middle School, Kaiyuan Middle School, Xihua Middle School, Jinshan Experimental School, Senior Experimental School, Fengxi Middle School, Chongli Middle School
• Regular Senior High Schools: Jinshan Middle School, Senior Middle School, Nanchun Middle School, Miande Middle School, Overseas Chinese Middle School, Cidu Middle School, Songchang Middle School, Bao Shan Middle School in Chao'an District
• Vocational Senior High Schools: Chaozhou Vocational and Technical School, Hongqiao Vocational and Technical School, Senior Technical School, Chaozhou Health School

8. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's resident population was 2,568,387. Compared with the 2,669,466 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a decrease of 101,079 people over the past ten years, a decline of 3.79%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.39%. Among them, the male population was 1,305,930, accounting for 50.85% of the total population; the female population was 1,262,457, accounting for 49.15% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 103.44. The population aged 0–14 was 495,815, accounting for 19.3% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,580,261, accounting for 61.53% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 492,311, accounting for 19.17% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 340,793, accounting for 13.27% of the total population. The urban population was 1,648,643, accounting for 64.19% of the total population; the rural population was 919,744, accounting for 35.81% of the total population.

8.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the city's resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 2,512,703, accounting for 97.83%; the ethnic minority population was 55,684, accounting for 2.17%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population decreased by 135,226, a decline of 5.11%, and its proportion of the total population decreased by 1.36 percentage points; the ethnic minority population increased by 34,147, a growth of 158.55%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 1.36 percentage points.

9. Religion

9.1 Buddhism

The main Buddhist sects in Chaozhou are: the Huashou branch of the Caodong school, the Banshan'an branch of the Linji school from Putuo Mountain, and the Huxi branch of the Huangbo school. Buddhist organizations include: the Buddhist Association, the Buddhist Lay Practitioners' Forest, and the Yishou Mutual Aid Society.

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the Liang and Chen periods of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there was one Buddhist temple in Haiyang (or Yingzhou). By the Southern Dynasties and Sui Dynasty, the number in Haiyang had increased to two, indicating that Buddhism was introduced to Chaozhou as early as the Eastern Jin period.

The Chaozhou Kaiyuan Temple, one of the four major ancient Kaiyuan Temples in China, was built by imperial decree in the 26th year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (738 AD). It is said that its predecessor was the "Lifeng Temple" established during the Sui and Tang dynasties.

The Lingdong Buddhist College was founded on October 9, 1933, by Master Chenghong. Master Jichen, who was teaching at the Minnan Buddhist College at the time, served as its dean. It ceased operations in May 1948 and was re-established in October 1991 after preparations by Masters Mingsheng, Huiran, and Ciyun from the Chaozhou Kaiyuan Temple.

9.2 Taoism

The people of Chaozhou worship deities from the Taoist pantheon, primarily the Supreme Laozi (Lord Lao), the Jade Emperor, the Mysterious Heavenly Emperor (Zhenwu Emperor), Heavenly Master Zhang, and Lü Dongbin (Ancestral Master Lü) and Han Xiangzi from the Eight Immortals. They also venerate folk deities more directly related to their daily lives, mainly the Three Mountain Kings, the City God, the God of Wealth, the Three Star Gods of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity, Tianhou (Mazu), the Great Emperor Baosheng, the Goddess of Childbirth, the Pearl Goddess, the Duke and Duchess Deities, and various trade or guild deities.

• The Sacred King Anji The Sacred King Anji holds a lofty position in Chaozhou, revered by the local people as the "Great Lord" and receives prayers from a wide multitude of devotees.

The Qinglong Ancient Temple, also known as the Sacred King Anji Temple, is located on the southern embankment at the western end of the Hanjiang Bridge in Chaozhou. Its gate faces east, overlooking the Han River. The Qinglong Ancient Temple was first built during the Northern Song Dynasty. Every year in February or March, the temple, together with the Wang Kang Traditional Culture Research Association, hosts the annual Chaozhou Qinglong Temple Fair. The fair aims to pray for "national prosperity and people's peace, and favorable weather," and features a grand procession for the Three Mountain Kings. The "Thousand Incense Forest" at the temple fair—a formation of numerous large incense sticks—is also a major spectacle.

9.3 Protestantism

In 1848 (the 28th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty), the German Basel Mission and the Chongzhen Hui organized by Swiss believers sent Pastor Rudolph Lechler to Longhu, Chao'an, to preach, but he was not tolerated by the local authorities.

Around 1856, the Presbyterian Church began missionary work in the urban area of Chaozhou. It later moved to Fensihou Lane, then to Houdong, and finally built a church on Nandi Ding (the site of the former Chaozhou Health School, now the Chaozhou New World commercial district under construction). This church was later destroyed in the 1918 Nan'ao earthquake. In 1922, construction began on another church at Wanshou Gong (today's Wanshou Lane on Changli Road). The church was completed in 1924, and a dedication ceremony was held. Thereafter, the Presbyterian Church began expanding to towns like Yixi.

In 1880 (the 6th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty), the American Baptist Mission was introduced to Haiyang County and the towns of Huanggang and Sanrao in Raoping County. In 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign), it reached the prefectural city. American missionary Mr. Kingsbury built two missionary residences on Bijia Mountain in Chaozhou and successively established preaching stations at locations like Mawang Temple and Shibaqu in the urban area. In 1906, a church was built on Xima Road (now No. 84 Xima Road) and named the "Lecture Hall." Later, the Lecture Hall was rebuilt into a two-story building and renamed "Chengzhong Tang" (City Center Church). In 1948, the Baptist Mission began expanding into rural areas.

In 1907 (the 33rd year of the Guangxu reign), Pastors Kang and Mai of the Seventh-day Adventist Church came to the prefectural city to preach. In the same year, Elder Huang Xirong built a Seventh-day Adventist church on Shibaqu Lane.

After 1958, the three denominations held joint worship services at the Chinese Christian Church at Wanshou Gong on Changli Road. During the Cultural Revolution, the church was impacted, the building was sealed, and believers, priests, nuns, and pastors were persecuted. In 1983, believers from the three denominations resumed normal religious life together at the original Chengzhong Tang, with Pastor Guo Xuedao leading the services. They renamed Chengzhong Tang as the "Shiqu Tang" (Urban District Church). On September 25, 1999, the Chaozhou Christian Church held a foundation-laying ceremony for a new church, Heng'ai Tang, on Fengyuan Road in Xiangqiao District. On December 24, 2000, "Heng'ai Tang" was completed and dedicated, becoming the main urban church of the Chaozhou Christian Church. The original Chengzhong Tang then became a branch church for some elderly believers living in the old city area to conduct their religious life.

9.4 Catholicism

Catholicism has a history of over 300 years in Chaozhou. In the mid-17th century, Portuguese Dominican missionaries began preaching in the prefectural city of Chaozhou. By 1724 (the 2nd year of the Yongzheng reign), there was already a church in the prefectural city, covering an area of 200 square zhang, but it was later destroyed and abandoned. However, there were no permanently residing clergy at that time; every one or several years, Dominican priests from Fujian or Portuguese priests from Macau would visit to inspect the mission. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), French priest Father Li came to Chaozhou on a missionary tour. In the same year, the Holy See issued an encyclical, transferring the Chaozhou mission to the French Société des Missions Étrangères de Paris. In 1875 (the 1st year of the Guangxu reign), French priest Father Shao came to Chaozhou to assist in missionary work, widely establishing study halls. He purchased the Gao San Lao residence in the prefectural city to serve as a church, and Chaozhou Prefecture had become the central hub for Catholicism in the entire Chaozhou region. In 1885 (the 11th year of the Guangxu reign), French priest Father Boussec applied for and received approval from the Chaozhou Prefecture to purchase land in the prefectural city to build a large church. The foundation was laid the following year, and the church was completed in 1904 (the 30th year of the Guangxu reign). Covering an area of 1,242 square meters, it was named the "Cathedral of Our Lady, Help of Christians" and was the largest church in the province after the Sacred Heart Cathedral (Shishi) in Guangzhou.

In 1914, the Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Guangdong was divided into the Apostolic Vicariate of Guangzhou and the Apostolic Vicariate of Chaozhou. On August 18, 1915, the Apostolic Vicariate of Chaozhou was changed to the Apostolic Vicariate of Shantou.

10. Culture

Chaozhou is a nationally renowned historical and cultural city, celebrated as the "Coastal Zou-Lu" and "Famous Prefecture of Lingnan." Chaozhou culture originated from its ancient inhabitants, took shape during the Qin and Han dynasties, developed through the Tang and Song dynasties, flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and has been innovating in the modern era. It is a small branch of the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation and the birthplace of Chaozhou culture. It features a blend of Chinese and foreign cultural elements while maintaining its own unique cultural system. There is also a specialized field of study dedicated to Chaozhou culture known as "Chaozhou Studies."

10.1 Language

The primary language spoken throughout the city is Chaozhou dialect (Teochew), with Hakka spoken in a few areas (limited to parts of the mountainous regions in northern Fenghuang, Chao'an near Fengshun, areas north of Rongxi Village in Xinfeng, Raoping, and parts of Dongshan and Xinxu in central regions).

Chaozhou dialect belongs to the Chaoshan subgroup of Southern Min (Hokkien). Due to geographical isolation, immigrants from the Central Plains of China who arrived in the Chaoshan region during the medieval and ancient periods preserved many cultural traditions from those times. Unlike other regions in China that underwent significant cultural transformations, Chaozhou has retained more elements of ancient Chinese. For example, "食茶" (literally "eat tea") means "to drink tea."

10.2 Drama and Music

• Chaozhou Opera, also known as Teochew opera, is popular in eastern Guangdong, parts of southern Fujian, and overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asian countries. It is one of China's top ten opera genres and one of the oldest local operas in China.
• Chaozhou Music, often referred to as the "Authentic Sound of Huaxia" both domestically and internationally (due to its extensive preservation of ancient Han Chinese musical elements and essence). It includes Chaozhou String Poems, Chaoyang Flute Suites, Chaozhou Chamber Music, Chaozhou Temple Music, and Chaozhou Grand Gong and Drum music.

10.3 Cuisine

Chaozhou cuisine is diverse, ranging from exquisite Chaozhou dishes to popular Teochew cold dishes, with countless varieties of snacks.

• Chaozhou Dishes: Notable dishes include: Baked Large Sea Snail in Open Oven, Mandarin Crab with Two Pastes, Stewed White Eel, Dry-baked Crab Tower, White Sauce Pomfret, Braised Abalone in Brown Sauce, Braised Sea Cucumber in Brown Sauce, Sweet Swallow's Nest with Egg White, Stewed Fish Maw in Clear Soup, Quick-fried Squid in Oil, Clear Soup with Snail Meat, Stewed Prawns in Clear Soup, Lobster with Lettuce, Steamed Unicorn Fish, Braised Shark Fin in Brown Sauce, Stewed Phoenix Wing in Clear Soup, Huguo Vegetable (a local leafy green dish), etc.
• Chaozhou Night Congee: Street-stall style dining, featuring dishes like fish rice, marinated seafood and river food, braised chicken/duck/goose, braised pork, tofu, eggs, and other braised items, along with various Teochew rice cake snacks.
• Chaozhou Congee: Teochew Clay Pot Congee.
• Chaozhou Hot Pot: Teochew Beef Hot Pot.
• Chaozhou Staple Foods: Stir-fried Kway Teow (rice noodles), Kway Teow Soup, Jian Mi Wan (pointed rice balls), Kway Chap (rice noodle sheets in broth), Braised Pork Rice, Trotters Rice.
• Chaozhou Snacks: Sweet Soup, Daren Candy, Sugar Onion Pancake, Shusha, Nantang, Spring Roll, Oyster Omelette, Sticky Rice Sausage, Laoma Gong Rice Dumpling, Beef Balls, Fish Book, Wheat Bun, White Rice Peach, Pig's Trotters Ring, Duck Mother Twist, Pumpkin Taro Paste, Sugar-braised Sweet Potato, Frosted Taro, Qingxin Balls, Grass Jelly, Red Peach Rice Cake, Chive Rice Cake, Satay Rice Cake, Stir-fried Rice Cake, No-rice Rice Cake, Salty Water Rice Cake, Gantong Rice Cake, Ping Pong Rice Cake, Mouse Song Rice Cake, Radish Rice Cake, Sweet Rice Cake, Fermented Rice Cake, Puzhi Rice Cake, etc., totaling about 230 varieties.
• Chaozhou Preserved Side Dishes: Used by Teochew people to accompany congee. Common ones include salted vegetables, preserved radish, Gongcai, winter vegetable, olive vegetable, olive paste, oil olive paste, black olive, soybean paste ginger, salted plum, salted egg, pickled scallion, salted garlic meat, marinated mantis shrimp, marinated clams, marinated crab, small crab, Qianluo Gui, Raozifu, kale stem, pickled carambola, salted Balang fish, Huaxian fish, pickled cucumber, etc., roughly over a hundred kinds.
• Chaozhou Condiments: Fish sauce, satay sauce, Puning soybean paste.
• Chaozhou Tea Ceremony: Gongfu Tea.

10.4 Handicrafts

Chaozhou boasts a wide variety of handicrafts, primarily including Chaozhou embroidery, Chaozhou wood carving, Chaozhou stone carving, Chaozhou jade carving, drawnwork, ceramics, and wheat straw painting.

10.5 Folk Customs

• Chu Huayuan (Out of the Garden): The coming-of-age ceremony in the Chaoshan region. In the eyes of Teochew people, children before adulthood are like living in a garden. When they reach adulthood (at the nominal age of 15), the child is "led out of the garden," signifying they are now adults capable of independent living.
• Ying Laoye (Parading the Deities): A deity procession in the Chaoshan region.
• Shao Ta (Burning the Tower): A folk activity during the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Chaoshan region.
• Yulan Festival (Ghost Festival): The day for worshipping wandering ghosts during the Zhongyuan Festival, also distributing medicine and rice to the poor.
• Bai Laoye (Worshipping the Deities): A general term for worshipping deities in the Chaoshan region. The specific deities worshipped vary from village to village and place to place, but they all share the same name, "Bai Laoye." Of course, there are times when the same deity is worshipped, such as on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, etc.

10.6 Balladry

Chaozhou Balladry (Gece) is the most popular storytelling and singing literature in Chaozhou folk literature, evolving from Tanci (plucking rhymes).

10.7 Yingge Dance

Yingge Dance: "Yangge in the north, Yingge in the south."

10.8 Charitable Halls

Chaoshan Charitable Halls (Shantang) are charitable institutions with folk religious characteristics and are exemplary models of China's non-governmental charitable endeavors.

10.9 Architecture

• Xia Shan Hu (Descending Tiger)
• Si Dian Jin (Four Points of Gold)
• Si Ma Tuo Che (Four Horses Pulling a Carriage)

10.10 Cultural and Museum Venues

• Chaozhou Museum
• Chaozhou Culture and Art Center
• Huaxia History Museum
• Chen Yangzhong Art Gallery
• Chen Shunqiang Wood Carving Art Gallery
• Traditional Handicrafts Exhibition Hall
• China Porcelain Capital Exhibition Hall
• Rao Zongyi Academic Museum
• Danfu Cultural Relics Institute
• Ceramics Eight Treasures Building
• Chaozhou City Library

10.11 Media

10.11.1 Newspapers and Periodicals

Chaozhou Daily is the only newspaper in Chaozhou City and the official newspaper of the Chaozhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. It was first published on October 1, 1992, initially named Chaozhou Bao. It became a daily newspaper starting January 1, 1994. The first redesign occurred in October 1996. By the end of 1998, it transitioned to color printing. In October 1999, it expanded to a broadsheet format with 8 pages. In January 2006, it further expanded to a 12-page color broadsheet (8 pages on Saturdays and Sundays). Another redesign took place in September 2012, adopting the internationally popular 680mm "golden" newspaper format. The Chaozhou Daily Press built its office and printing plant buildings next to the municipal government on Fengchun Road, with a total floor area of nearly 20,000 square meters. Its official website is Chaozhou News Network (archived page). Additionally, Chaozhou Daily publishes Primary School Student Weekly and Middle School Student Weekly targeted at local students.

10.11.2 Broadcasting and Television

Chaozhou Radio and Television Station is the broadcasting and television media of Chaozhou City. Established on March 18, 2004, it was formed by merging ten institutions including Chaozhou Television Station and Chaozhou People's Broadcasting Station. It employs over 400 staff and is located at No. 48 Xirong Road, Xiangqiao District. Its signal covers Chaozhou, Shantou, Jieyang, and parts of Fujian Province, reaching a population of over 10 million. In 1987, a broadcasting and television tower was built on the top of Xihu Mountain, primarily responsible for transmitting Chaozhou, national, and provincial radio and TV programs. In 2012, the entire Chaozhou area achieved full coverage of cable digital television. In 2017, DTMB wireless digital television service was launched (analog TV signal transmission is expected to cease by 2020).

Chaozhou Television Station began broadcasting on August 2, 1987. It currently has two TV channels: News Comprehensive Channel and Public Channel. Chaozhou People's Broadcasting Station started broadcasting on January 16, 1990. It currently has three radio frequencies: Comprehensive Broadcasting (FM94.0), Opera Broadcasting (FM103.1), and Traffic Music Broadcasting (FM91.4).

Furthermore, Chao'an District and Raoping County under Chaozhou's jurisdiction also have their own radio and television stations.

11. Sister Cities

| Country | City | Date Established | |------------------|-------------------|----------------------| | Thailand | Bangkok | November 23, 2005 | | France | 13th Arrondissement of Paris | May 15, 2009 | | United States | Monterey Park | July 31, 2012 | | People's Republic of China | Xiamen | July 24, 2013 | | United States | San Francisco | November 22, 2013 | | Malaysia | Johor Bahru | October 17, 2015 | | People's Republic of China | Liuzhou | August 30, 2018 |

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