Foshan, a prefecture-level municipality under the direct jurisdiction of Guangdong province, currently governs five districts — Chancheng district, Nanhai district, Shunde district, Gaoming district and Sanshui district.

Located in the mid-south of Guangdong province, Foshan is at the heart of the Pearl River Delta. It connects to Guangzhou in the east and is adjacent to Zhongshan and Macao to the south.

Dragon Boat Race is held in Shunde district, Foshan [Photo/VCG]

The city covers a total area of 3,798 square kilometers and houses a population of 9.55 million people. The mild climate, adequate rainfall, and lush seasons have made it a renowned place of abundance. It has a humid subtropical monsoon climate with an average annual temperature of 23.2 degrees Celsius.

Foshan has a solid industrial foundation, and has formed an industrial development complex composed of 10 powerful industries, including household appliances, equipment manufacturing, electronic and information technology, ceramic materials, metal processing and metallic products. The city is also involved in the emerging industries of auto parts, biomedical and advanced display units.

Known as the hometown of martial arts, Foshan regularly ranks among the four most ancient cities in China. Rising in acclaim from the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), martial arts grew alongside Foshan, with many of its most famous sons being masters of the art, such as Wong Fei-Hung, Yip Man and Bruce Lee.

Foshan is also an important place for the promotion of Lingnan and Guangfu culture. Unique customs such as Dragon and Lion Dancing and Crossing the Tongji Bridge are still carried out in Foshan to celebrate bumper harvests or pray for blessings.

The city has many famous and unique attractions, including Chuanlord Tourism & Leisure Expo Park, Xiqiao Mountain, Foshan Ancestral Temple, and Qinghui Garden.

Foshan is the 17th city in the country and the 3rd in Guangdong province to achieve a total economic output exceeding one trillion yuan ($139.41 billion). In 2023, it achieved a regional GDP of 1.33 trillion yuan, an industrial added value above designated size of 630.1 billion yuan, a local general public budget revenue of 80.05 billion yuan, and a per capita disposable income of 67,000 yuan.

It has won many honorary titles including the National Civilized City, National Historic and Cultural City, National Innovative City, National Ecological Civilization Construction Demonstration Zone, National Forest City, and National Sanitary City, among others.

Official website: https://www.foshan.gov.cn/rdtj/index.html