Lying in the midwest of Guangdong Province,
Zhaoqing City is one of the birthplaces of aboriginal culture south of the Five
Ridges in remote ancient. Archeological findings prove that human beings moved
about Zhaoqing as early as about 140,000 years ago. About 100,000 years ago, the
place was in the transition to the Neolithic Age. About 5,000 years ago, the
ancestors of Zhaoqing had been engaged in farming, livestock breezing, weaving
and pottery making. Bronze wares unearthed in tombs of the Spring and Autumn
Period (770-476BC) and the Warring States Period (475-221BC) in Zhaoqing keeps
the trace of Shang (17th - 11th century BC) and Zhou
(11th century - 771BC) cultures of the Central Plains and the Chu and
Yue cultures at the Yangtze River Valley, as well as the distinct features of
the culture south of the Five Ridges.
Zhaoqing is a national historical and
cultural city, and the converging place of the cultures of the Central Plains
and south of the Five Ridges. It boasts more than 300 historic sites of
scientific research value, including the Mei Nunnery, the Chongxi Tower, the
Song Dynasty City Wall, the Yuejiang Pavilion, the Lijiao Pavilion, the Wenming
Tower, the Huangyan Cave, and the Taixin Bridge, etc. Textual research shows
that Zhaoqing is also the birthplace of the Guangdong dialect.
The Star Lake Scenic Area is one of the key national scenic
spots proclaimed by the State Council in the first batch. Recently, it
was ranked as one of the first batch of the ten major national civilized
scenic area models. The Seven-Star Lake is characterized by enchanting landscape
of lakes and mountains, with seven rock peaks standing imposingly in the lake of
6.5 square meters, and is reputed as the No.1 Wonder South of the Five Ridges
and the Earthly Fairy Land. In recent years, the causeway of eight kilometers
long and the seven rock peaks in the Star Lake Scenic Area were decorated with
colorful neon lights, creating a Night Star Lake. Dinghu Mountain tops the four
famous mountains in Guangdong, and is reputed as a Green Gem on the North
Tropic, and Life Natural Museum.