Foshan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Foshan 佛山市 Fatshan
Prefecture-level city
Clockwise from top right: Zumiao of Foshan, Qingyun Tower in Shunfengshan Park, Foshan New Town in Shunde, Guanyin atop Mount Xiqiao, & Downtown Foshan in Chancheng
Nickname(s):  禅 (Chan)
Location of Foshan in Guangdong
Country	China
Province	Guangdong
Municipal seat	Chancheng District
Area
• Prefecture-level city	3,848 km2 (1,486 sq mi)
• Water	690 km2 (270 sq mi)
• Urban	3,848 km2 (1,486 sq mi)
• Metro	19,870.4 km2 (7,672.0 sq mi)
Elevation	16 m (52 ft)
Population  (2020 census)
• Prefecture-level city	9,498,863
• Density	2,468.5/km2 (6,393.4/sq mi)
• Urban	26,940,000
• Urban density	7,001.0/km2 (18,133/sq mi)
• Metro	65,594,622
• Metro density	3,301.122/km2 (8,549.868/sq mi)
GDP
• Prefecture-level city	CN¥ 1.759 trillion US$ 166.8 billion
• Per capita	CN¥ 127,085 US$ 19,699
Time zone	UTC+8 (China Standard Time)
Postal code	528000
Area code(s)	(0)757
ISO 3166 code	CN-GD-06
Licence plate prefixes	粤E 粤Y (for motor vehicles registered in Nanhai before February 2018) 粤X (for motor vehicles registered in Shunde before February 2018)

Foshan
"Foshan" in Chinese characters
Chinese	佛山
Hanyu Pinyin	Fóshān
Cantonese Yale	Fahtsàan or Fahtsāan
Postal	Fatshan
Literal meaning	"Buddha Mountain"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Fóshān Bopomofo ㄈㄛˊ   ㄕㄢ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Forshan Wade–Giles Fo2-shan1 Yale Romanization Fwóshān IPA [fu̯ǒ.ʂán] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Fahtsàan or Fahtsāan IPA [fɐ̀t̚.sâːn] or [fɐ̀t̚.sáːn] Jyutping Fat6saan1 Southern Min Tâi-lô Pu̍t-suann

Foshan is a big city in central Guangdong Province, China. It's known as a "prefecture-level city," which means it's a major city that also manages several smaller areas around it. The whole area of Foshan is about 3,848 square kilometers.

In 2020, nearly 9.5 million people lived in Foshan. The city is part of a huge urban area called the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone. This area is home to over 65 million people, making it one of the largest urban areas in the world!

Foshan is famous for its culture. It's seen as the birthplace of Cantonese opera, which is a type of Chinese musical theater. It's also known for Nanquan, a powerful martial art, and for lively lion dancing.

What's in a Name?

"Faesan" (Foshan), from Johan Nieuhof's 1665 Embassy of the Dutch East India Company to the Emperor of China

The name Fóshān comes from the Chinese words 佛山. In Mandarin Chinese, it means "Buddha Mountain." You might also see it spelled "Fatshan," which comes from how people say it in Cantonese.

The name "Buddha Mountain" refers to a small hill near the city center. Back in the year 628 AD, three bronze statues of Buddha were found there. A monastery (a place where monks live) was built nearby, and the town grew up around it. Even though the monastery was destroyed in 1391, the name stuck!

A Look Back in Time: Foshan's History

Early Days and Growth

For a long time, Foshan was a small town along the Fen River. It started growing around a Buddhist monastery built during the Tang dynasty. When that monastery was destroyed in 1391, the Foshan Ancestral Temple, a Taoist temple dedicated to the Northern God, became the new heart of the community. This temple was rebuilt in 1372 and is still an important place today.

By the early Ming Dynasty, Foshan became one of China's four biggest markets. It was especially famous for its beautiful ceramics (pottery) and metalwork. During the Qing Dynasty, Foshan was even called the "Birmingham of China" because of its strong steel industry.

Foshan in the 20th Century

In the early 1900s, Foshan got railway connections to nearby cities like Guangzhou. After the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, the Ancestral Temple became the Foshan Municipal Museum.

Foshan continued to be a major center for ceramics and steel. In 1951, it became its own city, separate from Nanhai County. By the 1970s, Foshan had grown to 300,000 people, making it the second-largest city in Guangdong Province after Guangzhou.

Later, in 1983, Foshan became a "prefecture-level city," which meant it became even more important. In 2002, the areas of Shunde and Nanhai officially joined Foshan's main urban area.

Recently, a special Japanese-themed street called Ichiban Street opened in Foshan. It looks just like famous shopping streets in Japan, even with a sakura (cherry blossom) tree! This street has become very popular with young people who couldn't travel abroad during the coronavirus pandemic.

Where is Foshan?

Foshan is located on the Fen River, which is part of the Pearl River Delta. This delta is a large area where rivers meet the sea. Foshan is about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Guangzhou, another major city. It's also near Zhongshan to the southeast and Jiangmen to the south.

Foshan's Climate

Foshan has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild, drier winters. It's a bit like the weather in places like Florida in the USA or parts of Japan.

Foshan's Economy

Foshan has a strong economy. It has been famous for its ceramics (pottery) since the Ming dynasty.

In 2015, Foshan's total economic output was about 0.8 trillion Chinese Yuan. This means the average income per person was over $10,000 US dollars. One part of Foshan, Shunde District, is especially rich. It has over 3,000 factories that make electronic appliances. These factories produce more than half of the world's air conditioners and refrigerators!

Foshan also has more than 30 towns that specialize in certain industries. For example, some towns focus on making furniture, others on machinery, and some on beverages. There's also a Foshan Hi-Tech Development Zone, which is a special area for new technology and industries like car assembly and biotechnology.

How Foshan is Organized

Foshan is a "prefecture-level city" that manages five smaller areas called districts. These districts are:

• Chancheng
• Nanhai
• Sanshui
• Gaoming
• Shunde

These districts are further divided into smaller parts like subdistricts and towns. Foshan is very connected to Guangzhou and is an important part of the larger Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.

Chancheng Nanhai Shunde Sanshui Gaoming Foshan's Main Areas Division Area (km2) Population (2020) Main Office Smaller Parts Subdistricts Towns Residential areas Villages Foshan 3848.49 9,498,863 Chancheng 11 21 408 328 Chancheng 154.15 1,330,262 Zumiao Subdistrict 3 1 89 54 Nanhai 1073.94 3,667,247 Guicheng Subdistrict 1 6 183 67 Shunde 806.55 3,229,090 Daliang Subdistrict 4 6 93 108 Sanshui 874.22 803,226 Xinan Subdistrict 2 5 22 48 Gaoming 939.64 469,038 Hecheng Subdistrict 1 3 21 51 Administrative Divisions in Chinese English Chinese Chancheng District 禅城区 Nanhai District 南海区 Shunde District 顺德区 Sanshui District 三水区 Gaoming 高明区 Foshan city 佛山市

Languages Spoken in Foshan

Most people who grew up in Foshan speak a type of Cantonese called Samyap. However, Mandarin is also used, especially in schools and for business. While many locals understand Mandarin, they usually speak Cantonese in their daily lives.

Getting Around Foshan

Foshan railway station

Foshan has been working to make its public transportation even better.

Foshan Metro (FMetro)

The city has its own subway system called FMetro. The first line opened in 2010. More lines are being built to help people travel easily around the city.

• Line 1 (Guangfo Line): Connects Xinchengdong Station to Lijiao Station
• Line 2: Runs from Nanzhuang Station to Guangzhou South Railway Station
• Line 3: Goes from Shunde Polytechnic Station to Zhen'an Station

Trains

Foshan is an important train hub. You can catch trains here that connect to Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and other parts of western Guangdong Province. There's even a special train service that goes directly to Hong Kong from Foshan railway station.

Air Travel

Foshan has an airport called Foshan Shadi Airport. There are also plans for a new airport, the Pearl River Delta International Airport, to serve the region.

Learning in Foshan

Foshan University's front gate

In Foshan's public schools, the main language used for teaching is Mandarin.

Universities in Foshan

• Foshan University
• South China Normal University (Foshan campus)
• Southern Medical University (Shunde campus)
• Guangdong University of Finance & Economics (Sanshui campus)

Schools in Foshan

• Nanhai Senior High School

Sports in Foshan

Foshan is a city that loves sports!

• It was one of the host cities for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
• During the 2010 Asian Games, Foshan hosted events like Synchronized swimming at the Foshan Aquatics Center and boxing at the Foshan Gymnasium.
• In 2014, the city hosted The Foshan Open, a professional golf event.

Foshan has also been home to professional football (soccer) teams.

Fun Places to Visit in Foshan

Foshan Ancestral Temple

If you visit Foshan, here are some cool places to check out:

• Foshan Ancestral Temple (Zumiao): A beautiful and historic Taoist temple.
• Nanfeng Kiln: A very old pottery kiln that has been used for centuries.
• Liang's Garden: A peaceful and traditional Chinese garden.
• Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall: A museum dedicated to the famous martial artist Wong Fei-hung.

Foshan's Sister Cities

Foshan has "sister city" relationships with many cities around the world. This means they share cultural and economic ties.

• Itami, Japan
• La Possession, France
• Port Louis, Mauritius
• Oakland, California, United States
• Stockton, California, United States
• Markham, Ontario, Canada (Friendly co-operative)
• Townsville, Australia
• Medway, United Kingdom
• Starogard Gdański, Poland
• St. George's, Grenada
• Ingolstadt, Germany

Famous People from Foshan

Many notable people have come from Foshan, especially famous martial artists!

• Chan Wah-shun (c.1836–1906): A martial arts teacher.
• Ip Ching (1936-2020): A martial artist.
• Ip Chun (born 1924): A martial artist and actor, known for the Wing Chun style.
• Ip Man (1893–1972): A grandmaster of Wing Chun martial arts and a teacher of Bruce Lee.
• Kang Youwei (1858-1927): A political thinker and reformer.
• Lam Sai-wing (1861–1943): A master of Hung Gar martial arts.
• Law Kar-ying (born 1946): A famous Hong Kong Cantonese opera singer and actor.
• Lee Shau-kee (born 1928): A Hong Kong billionaire and philanthropist.
• Leung Jan (1826-1901): A Wing Chun master and doctor.
• Wong Fei Hung (1847–1925): A legendary Hung Ga martial arts master and doctor, honored at a memorial hall in Chancheng.
• Wu Yee-sun (1900-2005): A Hong Kong entrepreneur and billionaire.
• Yam Kim-fai (1912-1989): A famous Cantonese opera actress.
• Yang Huiyan (born 1981): A successful businesswoman.
• Yuen Kay-shan (1889-1956): A Grandmaster of Wing Chun.

Images for kids

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  Clockwise from top right: Zumiao of Foshan, Qingyun Tower in Shunfengshan Park, Foshan New Town in Shunde, Guanyin atop Mount Xiqiao, & Downtown Foshan in Chancheng

• 

  "Foshan" in Chinese characters

• 

  "Faesan" (Foshan), from Johan Nieuhof's 1665 Embassy of the Dutch East India Company to the Emperor of China

• 

  Map of Foshan's administrative divisions

• 

  Foshan railway station

• 

  Foshan University's front gate

• 

  Foshan Ancestral Temple

See also

In Spanish: Foshan para niños