History of Zhuhai
As one of the birthplaces of maritime civilization in southern China, Zhuhai has been home to island people for 6,000 years. The ancient Maritime Silk Road runs across the city and adds to its broad and unique maritime culture.
Many famous and legendary figures were originally from Zhuhai, including Tang Shaoyi (Tong Shao Yi), the first prime minister of the Republic of China (1912-49); Chen Fang (Chun Afong), first consul-general of the Qing government in Honolulu; Su Zhaozheng, leader of the Canton-Hong Kong strike; Lin Weimin, first chair of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions; Yang Pao’an, first Marxism disseminator in southern China; Tang Guo’an (Tong Kwo On), first president of Tsinghua University; Rong Guotuan, China’s first world champion from the 25th World Table Tennis men’s singles; Rong Hong (Yung Wing), first Chinese student studying abroad to receive a PhD from the US; Su Manshu, painter, poet and litterateur; Gu Yuan, renowned printmaker; Tang Tingshu, well-known entrepreneur; and Xu Run, founder of Renji Hospital, the first one in Shanghai. In addition, inscriptions can be found on precipices dating back 3,000 years at Gaolan Island’s Baojing Bay, and the Meixi Royal Stone Archways given to Chen Fang by Emperor Kuang hsu (Guangxu). Zhuhai also possesses an ancient park built by Tang Shaoyi during the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and the early Republic of China.
As a pioneer in China’s Reform & Opening-up, Zhuhai has set many records. It hosted China’s only international air show — the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition; established China’s first cross-border Zhuhai-Macao Industrial Zone; initiated the Hengqin FTZ, the first one in China under a “One Island, Two Systems” model; and participated in constructing China’s first cross-border sea span, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
The former county of Zhuhai Was established in 1953, and was upgraded to a city in 1979. In 1980, it became one of the first special economic zones in China. It has under its jurisdiction three administrative districts, namely, Xiangzhou, Jinwan and Doumen, and five economic development zones, namely, the Zhuhai State-Level New-and Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Zhuhai Free Trade Zone, Zhuhai Harbor Industrial Zone, Hengqin Economic Development Zone and Wanshan Marine Development Experimental Zone. It had a population of 1,233,500 in 2002. Today, Zhuhai has evolved from small border villages into a rapidly growing beautiful coastal city with modem economic development zones.
