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Maoming, alternately romanized as Mowming,[a] is a prefecture-level city located in southwestern Guangdong province, China. Facing the South China Sea to the city's south, Maoming city borders Zhanjiang to the west, Yangjiang to the east, and Yunfu to the northeast, and is 362 kilometers (225 mi) from Guangzhou and 121 kilometers (75 mi) from Zhanjiang. The Maoming Port is a Grade I port that handled 16.8 million tons of cargo in 2007. Refined oil and aquatic products are the major export products from the city. Major export destinations include Hong Kong, Macao and ASEAN member nations.
Maoming
茂名市 Mowming | |
---|---|
Right to left, top to bottom: Maoming at night, Maoming International Hotel, the Maoming ferris wheel, Yan Jingling mountain by the beach, and the Open-Pit Mine Ecological Park (converted from an old mine) | |
Nickname: 南方油城 (Oil City of the South) | |
![]() | |
![]() Location of Maoming City jurisdiction in Guangdong | |
Coordinates (Maoming municipal government): 21°39′46″N 110°55′32″E / 21.6627°N 110.9255°E | |
Country | People's Republic of China |
Province | Guangdong |
Municipal seat | Maonan District |
Government | |
• CPC Committee Secretary | Liang Yimin |
• Mayor | Li Hongjun (李红军) |
Area | |
• Prefecture-level city | 11,424.8 km2 (4,411.1 sq mi) |
• Urban | 2,714 km2 (1,048 sq mi) |
• Metro | 2,714 km2 (1,048 sq mi) |
Elevation | 29 m (95 ft) |
Population (2020 census[1]) | |
• Prefecture-level city | 6,174,050 |
• Density | 540/km2 (1,400/sq mi) |
• Urban | 2,539,148 |
• Urban density | 940/km2 (2,400/sq mi) |
• Metro | 2,539,148 |
• Metro density | 940/km2 (2,400/sq mi) |
• Major Nationalities | Han |
GDP[2] | |
• Prefecture-level city | CN¥ 370 billion US$ 57.3 billion |
• Per capita | CN¥ 59,648 US$ 9,246 |
Time zone | UTC+8 (China Standard) |
Postal code | 525000 (Urban center) 525100-525400 (Other areas) |
Area code | 668 |
ISO 3166 code | CN-GD-09 |
License Plate Prefix | 粤K |
County-level divisions | 6 |
Coastline | 220 km (140 mi) |
Website | www |
Maoming | |||||||||||||
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![]() "Maoming" in Chinese calligraphy | |||||||||||||
Chinese | 茂名 | ||||||||||||
Jyutping | Mau6-ming4 | ||||||||||||
Cantonese Yale | Mauhmìhng | ||||||||||||
Hanyu Pinyin | Màomíng | ||||||||||||
Postal | Mowming | ||||||||||||
Literal meaning | Named for Pan Maoming | ||||||||||||
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As of the 2020 census, Maoming had a population of 6,174,050 inhabitants, 2,539,148 of whom live in the built-up (or metro) area, which includes 2 urban districts (Maonan and Dianbai) largely being conurbated.[4] The city's birth rate is 11.04‰, and its GDP (2012) was RMB 195.118 billion (US$31.81billion), up by 10.6% over the previous year.[5] According to government sources, Maoming's GDP ranked 7th among Guangdong's 21 cities, and ranked 79th of China's 656 cities in 2012.[6]
Etymology
editThe city is named after Jin dynasty Taoist scholar and doctor Pan Maoming (290–371), born in Gaozhou. The local area was renamed by imperial decree in honour of Pan in 598 A.D. during the Sui dynasty.
History
editDuring the early development of Chinese civilization in the Wei and Yellow River valleys and across the North China Plain, the area around Maoming was held by the Baiyue. After the Qin invaded in the late 3rd century BC, the area was divided into Nanhai, Xiang, and Guilin. Maoming County was established c. 600 under the Sui.[citation needed] Under the Qing, it comprised part of Gaozhou Prefecture.[3] Following the Chinese Civil War, Maoming became the primary community in the area and was raised to county-level city status in 1959.
In 2014, the city was the site of popular protests against p-Xylene, a chemical based on benzene that was being produced by local industry.[7] Since the 18th Party Congress and the ascension of Party general secretary Xi Jinping, Maoming has been one of the "hardest hit" areas of the anti-corruption campaign. It was seen as a city where buying and selling official positions was rampant. The 2014 investigation by central inspection authorities found that some 159 local officials had taken various forms of bribes.[8] The former Communist Party Secretary of Maoming, Zhou Zhenhong, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption in relation to the p-Xylene scandal. Two other former party secretaries, Liang Yimin and Luo Yinguo, were removed from office and sentenced to prison, respectively.[7]
Demographics
editThe prefecture includes a large number of minority groups, including the Yao, Zhuang, and Miao, giving it diverse cultural activities and folk arts. The people of southern Maoming speak a Min dialect brought by Putianese immigrants which is especially closely related to the Leizhou dialect while the people of northern Maoming speak the Gaoyang dialect of Cantonese, as well as Mandarin. In addition, Hakka dialect is also spoken by a certain percentage of the Maoming people.
Administration
editThe prefecture-level city of Maoming administers 5 county-level divisions, including 2 districts and 3 county-level cities.
Map | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Simplified Chinese | Hanyu Pinyin | Population (2010 census) |
Area (km2) |
Density (/km2) |
Maonan District | 茂南区 | Màonán Qū | 820,934 | 507 | 1,619.2 |
Dianbai District | 电白区 | Diànbái Qū | 1,615,505 | 2,227 | 725.4 |
Huazhou | 化州市 | Huàzhōu Shì | 1,178,873 | 2,354 | 500.8 |
Xinyi | 信宜市 | Xìnyí Shì | 913,717 | 3,081 | 296.6 |
Gaozhou | 高州市 | Gāozhōu Shì | 1,288,724 | 3,276 | 393.4 |
- Defunct Maogang District
Geography
editSituated in the southwestern coastal area of Guangdong, Maoming has under its jurisdiction Maonan District, Maogang District, Dianbai County. The city administers the smaller cities of Xinyi, Gaozhou, and Huazhou at the county level.
Maoming's coastline is 128.1 kilometers long.[9] The "First Shoal of China" resort is 25 kilometers (16 mi) from downtown Maoming.
Climate
editClimate data for Maoming (2002–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 28.9 (84.0) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.5 (90.5) |
34.0 (93.2) |
38.4 (101.1) |
37.5 (99.5) |
36.9 (98.4) |
37.3 (99.1) |
36.5 (97.7) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.5 (92.3) |
29.8 (85.6) |
38.4 (101.1) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 21.1 (70.0) |
22.5 (72.5) |
24.5 (76.1) |
27.8 (82.0) |
31.3 (88.3) |
32.5 (90.5) |
33.0 (91.4) |
32.8 (91.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
30.3 (86.5) |
27.1 (80.8) |
22.8 (73.0) |
28.2 (82.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 15.8 (60.4) |
17.8 (64.0) |
20.5 (68.9) |
23.8 (74.8) |
27.0 (80.6) |
28.3 (82.9) |
28.6 (83.5) |
28.2 (82.8) |
27.4 (81.3) |
25.1 (77.2) |
21.7 (71.1) |
17.2 (63.0) |
23.5 (74.2) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 12.4 (54.3) |
14.9 (58.8) |
17.8 (64.0) |
21.2 (70.2) |
24.2 (75.6) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.7 (78.3) |
25.3 (77.5) |
24.3 (75.7) |
21.4 (70.5) |
17.9 (64.2) |
13.4 (56.1) |
20.3 (68.6) |
Record low °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) |
4.0 (39.2) |
4.9 (40.8) |
11.2 (52.2) |
16.1 (61.0) |
18.9 (66.0) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.3 (72.1) |
17.3 (63.1) |
13.7 (56.7) |
6.1 (43.0) |
3.5 (38.3) |
3.5 (38.3) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 43.3 (1.70) |
39.5 (1.56) |
60.4 (2.38) |
141.2 (5.56) |
214.3 (8.44) |
299.8 (11.80) |
308 (12.1) |
302.4 (11.91) |
201.2 (7.92) |
71.6 (2.82) |
33.1 (1.30) |
37.1 (1.46) |
1,751.9 (68.95) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 6.5 | 8.0 | 10.2 | 11.7 | 15.7 | 17.7 | 17.4 | 19.1 | 14.2 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 137 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 76 | 80 | 83 | 84 | 84 | 85 | 83 | 84 | 81 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 80 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 116.2 | 86.8 | 73.6 | 99.3 | 156.5 | 160.6 | 195.2 | 183.4 | 176.6 | 197.3 | 165.2 | 143.5 | 1,754.2 |
Percent possible sunshine | 34 | 27 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 40 | 47 | 46 | 49 | 55 | 50 | 43 | 40 |
Source: China Meteorological Administration[10][11] |
Economy
editMaoming was called one of "the top 100 developed cities in China" and the "National Garden City". Maoming is one of the largest petrochemical production areas in South China, and one of the largest fruit production areas. Other major industries include tilapia culture and processing, winter-planted vegetable production, and other energy, material, and heavy-chemical industrial production.
Major Economic indicators (2012)[5]
GDP: RMB 195.118 billion (US$31.81 million), 10.6% up
GDP Composition:
- Primary Industry (Agriculture) 19.1%
- Secondary Industry (Industry & Construction) 37.2%
- Tertiary Industry(Service) 43,7%
GDP Per Capita: RMB 33,537(US$5467.93), 8.9% up
Unemployment Rate: 2.5%
Fixed Asset Investment: RMB 18.01 billion (US$2,64 billion), 23.5% up
Utilized FDI: US$31 million, 44.2% down
Total Import & Export: US$673 million, 9.1% down
Export: US$532 million, 7.4% up
Import: US$141 million, 42.5% down
Sales of Consumer Goods: RMB 60.1 billion (US$8.8 billion), 20.3% up
Environmental issues
editIn March 2014, local people staged a protest over the production of paraxylene, a chemical used to make fabrics and plastic bottles at a plant run by the local government and state-owned Sinopec, China's biggest refiner.[12]
Transport
editHighway
editMaoming can be reached by the Maozhan Expressway, which is linked to the Kaiyang Expressway and Fokai Expressway, which leads to the provincial capital, Guangzhou. Guangzhou is a 5 - 6 hour commute from Maoming.[13]
Railway
editMaoming is served by the Guangzhou-Maoming Railway, which runs east to the provincial capital, the Hechun-Maoming Railway, which runs west to the Litang-Zhanjiang Railway, and the Luoyang–Zhanjiang Railway, which runs north through eastern Guangxi and central Hunan to China's Central Plain.
Tourist attractions
editMaoming is home to the No. 1 Shoal of China Vacation Area (中国第一滩), Chicken Island (Guangdong) (放鸡岛) and Tianmashan (天马山) Eco-tourist Area, the Temple of Madam Xian (冼太庙 ; Xiǎn Tài Miào) in Gaozhou, and the Genzi Litchi Cultural Tourist Area.
The No.1 Shoal of China Vacation Area is 25 kilometers (16 mi) from the downtown Maoming, in the Maogang District. With miles of fine beach outside the shelter belt, tourists can enjoy parachute gliding and sailboarding. It is also a national training center for beach volleyball, and often hosts national and international competitions.
Chicken Island is the largest island in Maoming, covering an area of 1.9 km2. This tourist resort is a diving center, boasting clear and pristine sea water. It is known for its coral reefs and recreational scuba diving. Skin diving, deep diving, and explorational diving are available as well.
The Temple of Madam Xian was constructed in 1535 in memory of Madam Xian, who was the female leader of the Baiyue Tribe. The temple is rich in cultural and historical objects, such as ancient statues, sculptures, and stone inscriptions.
Maoming is a famous litchi production area. The Genzi Litchi Cultural Tourist Area is situated in Genzi, a small town in Maoming.
Maoming's most popular local specialty foods include Huazhou Baiqie Chicken (白切鸡), Gaozhou Salted Chicken (盐焗鸡 yánjú jī), Fenpi (粉皮), Genzi Beef Rice Noodles and Xinyi Huaixiang Chicken.
Downtown Maoming is a comfortable walking city, great for just wandering into shops. A downtown park comes alive at night as couples and families stroll.
Maoming is accessible from Guangzhou (approximately four hours by train or a first class bus). Two train stations serve Maoming, one downtown that provides the connection to Guangzhou and points to the north, and one a few minutes south of town that connects to the south and west.
Notable people:
- Jiang, Mao Shen (江茂森), born in 1901, and died in 1982. historian, also a senior member of Chinese Nationalist Party(KMT)
- Tonyee chow hang tung (鄒幸彤): vice chairperson of Hong Kong alliance in support of patriotic movements of China
- Alexandra Wong fung yiu (王鳳瑤), social activist of Hong Kong, Ms Wong has a nickname: senior lady Wong(王婆婆)
- Wong Sun (黃新): born in 1926, and died in November 1999, Wong was a male actor of Hong Kong television broadcasting company (TVB)
- Chiu, Miu Ling (招妙玲), Hong Kong actress, she has a nickname: big sound woman (大聲婆), Chiu died around 2013.
- Cheng, Siu Ping (鄭少萍 ): Hong Kong actress, Cheng migrated to USA around 1990s.
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "China: Guăngdōng (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
- ^ 广东省统计局、国家统计局广东调查总队 (August 2016). 《广东统计年鉴-2016》. 中国统计出版社. ISBN 978-7-5037-7837-7. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ a b Gützlaff, Charles (1838), China Opened, p. 527.
- ^ "China: Guăngdōng (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
- ^ a b "Maoming Economic and Social Development Report". Bureau of Statistics of Maoming.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "SOUTHCN, Chinese City GDP Ranking 2012". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
- ^ a b 10年4任书记3人落马 (in Simplified Chinese). 14 October 2014.
- ^ 广东茂名买官价目表:副区长为转正送30万美金 (in Simplified Chinese). Netease. 17 August 2014. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ the Local Chronicles Office of Maoming Government. "the overview of Maoming". Maoming Government.
- ^ 中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ 中国气象数据网 (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ Rajagopalan, Megha (31 March 2014). "Hundreds protest chemical plant in southern China". Reuters. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ "Guangzhou to Maoming Train Schedule and Ticket Prices".
External links
edit- Government website of Maoming (in Chinese and English)
- Bureau of Statistics of Maoming
- China Knowledge