Conghua

Conghua District occupies the northernmost reaches of Guangzhou, where the flat expanse of the Pearl River Delta gives way to the foothills of northern Guangdong. Spanning just under two thousand square kilometers—a territory larger than some small prefectures—its landscape unfolds in tiers of green ridges, placid reservoirs, and mineral-rich springs. The Liuxi River courses through its center, feeding a network of more than one hundred lakes. These waters sustain a forest canopy that extends across nearly seven out of every ten hectares, lending the district a tranquil character seldom found so close to a megacity.

Prior to its current status within Guangzhou, this region bore the name Conghua County. Carved from Panyu in the spring of 1489, its earliest mandate held symbolic meaning: a place of distant lands made to flourish under imperial order. During the Qing, Conghua County answered to the Guangzhou prefecture, and through the Republic of China era it shifted among regional inspection districts before reverting to provincial oversight. In the upheaval of 1949, the People’s Liberation Army secured the county, initiating a succession of administrative transfers—from the Northern Guangdong region to the Foshan commissioner, then under direct control of Guangzhou municipal authorities by 1960. By 1994, the county had transformed into a county-level city, reflecting its growing economic role. A final reclassification came on February 12, 2014, when the State Council integrated the former city into Guangzhou’s urban framework as Conghua District.

Mount Tiantangding, rising to 1,210 meters, stands as Guangzhou’s highest summit. From its slopes, one observes the Tropic of Cancer slicing across southern China, a line marked nearby by an austere stone tower. Below, the Huanglongdai Reservoir mirrors the sky, managed alongside Dalingshan and Liuxihe forestry enclaves that preserve fragments of subtropical woodland. Here, rivers and ridges foster biodiversity and have given shape to a local culture rooted in water’s rhythms.

That heritage finds expression in the Shuizu Dance, performed mainly in Caotang Village. For over two centuries, dancers have mimicked fish, shrimp, and crab with graceful arm movements, invoking ancestral prayers for favorable weather and abundant harvests. Costumes of iridescent greens and muted grays echo the aquatic plants framing village ponds, and the dance features at agrarian festivals across Conghua and its neighbors.

The district’s springs have drawn visitors for centuries. Water temperatures hover in the mid-forties Celsius, rich in minerals reputed to aid recovery. Emperors once dispatched envoys to these pools, and modern heads of state have spent days resting amid pavilions half-hidden by bamboo. Hot-spring resorts now rise alongside rural lanes, offering immersion in rock-lined baths beneath pine canopies.

Agriculture remains central to Conghua’s economy. The district produces tens of thousands of tons of lychees each season from orchards that spread up low mountain slopes. Varieties such as Feizixiao, Zhuangyuanhong, and Nuomici ripen in early summer, their red shells inscribed with fine-net patterns. Harvests account for a leading share of China’s lychee exports, and local cooperatives sustain smallholders who tend ancient trees passed down through families.

Industrial development coexists with these traditions. In 2018, local output reached some forty-one billion RMB, and in 2020 the resident population approached seven hundred thousand. An imposing landmark of modern engineering, the Guangzhou Pumped Storage Power Station, harnesses elevation changes to generate peak-load electricity. Its 2.4 million kilowatt capacity ranks among the world’s largest. Most of that power supplies the broader Southern Power Grid, including Hong Kong’s demand during evening hours.

Transport links weave Conghua into Guangdong’s arterial network. National Highways 105 and 106 intersect here, while the Beijing–Hong Kong–Macau Expressway threads toward the northeast. At ground level, three local bus firms run two dozen urban and rural routes, supplemented by micro-buses and peak-hour shuttles. Fares range modestly from one to six RMB; a smart-card system extends discounts to students and seniors, and frequent riders receive further reductions after a threshold of trips. Metro Line 14 penetrates the district with stops at Taiping, Shengang, Chicao, Conghua Bus Station, and Dongfeng, and future Line 37 is planned.

Administratively, Conghua District encompasses three subdistricts—Jiekou, Jiangpu, and Chengjiao—alongside five towns: Wenquan, Liangkou, Lutian, Taiping, and Aotou. Entities such as the Huanglongdai Reservoir Management Office and the Dalingshan Forest Farm complete a governance framework that balances urban services with rural stewardship. The district government sits on Xincheng East Road in Jiekou Subdistrict, overseeing planning that preserves forested slopes even as housing and commercial development press outward from Guangzhou’s core.

Tourism relies on the convergence of natural and cultural assets. Shimen and Liuxi River National Forest Parks draw hikers to crests marked by waterfalls and ancient trees. At the Tropic of Cancer Tower, visitors note the line where the sun passes directly overhead twice each year. In evening markets, stalls sell fresh lychees and hot-spring eggs, while teahouses serve local oolong amid screens carved with motifs of water and mountain.

Conghua’s story arises from the interplay of water, wood, and stone—elements that shape both livelihood and identity. The district unfolds as a zone of transition: from sprawling delta to ascending slopes, from agrarian village to modern municipality. In its springs and orchards, reservoirs and roads, one finds the imprint of centuries and the pulse of a region adapting to change. That balance endures as Conghua navigates its place within Guangzhou’s expanding sphere, sustaining traditions even as it incorporates the forces of contemporary development.