Foshan 佛山
—  Prefecture-level city  —
City of Foshan · 佛山市
Foshan
Foshan Location in Guangdong
Coordinates: 23°1′0″N 113°7′0″E / 23.016667°N 113.116667°E / 23.016667; 113.116667Coordinates: 23°1′0″N 113°7′0″E / 23.016667°N 113.116667°E / 23.016667; 113.116667
Country	China
Province	Guangdong
City Seat	Chancheng District
Government
• CPC Committee Secretary	Lin Yuanhe (林元和)
• Mayor	Chen Yunxian （陈云贤）
Area
• Prefecture-level city	3,813.64 km2 (1,472.45 sq mi)
• Water	690 km2 (270 sq mi)
• Urban	153.69 km2 (59.34 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Prefecture-level city	7,194,311
• Density	1,900/km2 (4,900/sq mi)
• Urban	7,194,311
• Metro	7,194,311
Time zone	China Standard Time (UTC+8)
Postal code	528000
Area code(s)	757
License plate prefixes	粤E（for cars registered in Chancheng, Sanshui and Gaoming District）, 粤Y(for cars registered in Nanhai District), 粤X(for cars registered in Shunde District)
GDP
- Total	¥ 481.5 billion (2009)
- Per capita	¥ 80,579 (2009)
Website	http://www.foshan.gov.cn/

Foshan (Chinese: 佛山; pinyin: Fóshān, pronounced [fwɔ̌ ʂán]), is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper (year 2000 figures).

It is shown on some older maps as 'Fatshan', which is a phonetic spelling of the city's Cantonese name. Today many areas of Foshan city are occupied mostly by Chinese migrants coming from different provinces of China and speak only Mandarin, while its native dialect is a Foshan variant of Cantonese.

History[link]

The town of Foshan is many centuries old, and was famous for its porcelain industry. Now, the third largest city in Guangdong, it has become relatively affluent compared to other Chinese cities, and is home to many large private enterprises. Foshan has recently seen a transformation brought by China's booming economy. Foshan is also famous for its martial arts. It contains numerous Wing Chun schools where many come to train and spar.

City of Guangfo[link]

In January 2009 the National People's Congress approved a development plan for the Pearl River Delta Region. On March 19, 2009 the Guangzhou Municipal Government and Foshan Municipal Government both agreed to establish a framework to merge the two cities.^[1]

Administration[link]

The prefecture-level city of Foshan administers five county-level divisions, all of which are districts.

Map	#	Name	Hanzi	Hanyu Pinyin	Population (2010 census.)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
	City Proper
	1	Chancheng District	禅城区	Chánchéng Qū	1,101,077	154	7,150
	Inner Suburbs
	2	Nanhai District	南海区	Nánhǎi Qū	2,588,844	1,074	2,410
	3	Shunde District	顺德区	Shùndé Qū	2,461,701	806	3,054
	Outer Suburbs
	4	Sanshui District	三水区	Sānshuǐ Qū	622,645	874	712
	5	Gaoming District	高明区	Gāomíng Qū	420,044	960	438

These are further divided into 64 township-level divisions, including 37 towns and 27 subdistricts.

Foshan is close to Guangzhou and considers its link with Guangzhou very important. A Guangzhou-Foshan metropolitan region is being formed.

Geography and climate[link]

This section requires expansion.

Guangzhou lies to the east, Zhongshan to the southeast, Jiangmen to the southeast, Yunfu to the west, and Zhaoqing to the northwest.

Foshan experiences a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).

Transportation[link]

FMetro[link]

The first line of FMetro opened in 2010, making Foshan the tenth city in Mainland China to have an underground railway system. Currently the underground network is made up of one line, covering a total length of 20.4 km (12.7 mi), while another two lines are under construction and due to be completed in 2015 and 2020. A long term plan is to make the city's underground system expand to 8 lines.

Being a prominent link to Guangzhou city, the Guangfo Line of the FMetro and Guangzhou Metro is the first inter-city subway in mainland China. The line was open in time for the 2010 Asian Games making it very convenient to go from Foshan downtown area to any place in Guangzhou.

The existing line of FMetro network:

• Line 1 (Guangfo Line): From Kuiqi Lu Station to Xilang Station

Air[link]

Foshan Shadi Airport was once a regional airport with mixed usage (both military and domestic transport) since January 22, 1987, as it became a base of China United Airlines (CUA) in Guangdong Province. When CUA ceased domestic flights on November 1, 2002, Foshan Airport remained military service only. The airport resumed its regional airport status in 2005 when the regrouped CUA, which was partly purchased by Shanghai Airlines, resumed domestic flight service. It is expected domestic flight linkage between Foshan and at least ten Chinese cities including Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Yinchuan etc.

Rail[link]

Foshan railway station

Foshan is a main interchange for railway routes linking Guangzhou, Hong Kong and the western Guangdong Province. It is connected with Hong Kong via the KCRC Guangdong Through Train service from Foshan railway station. The inter-city through train service was extended from Guangzhou to Foshan since the 1990s.

Bus[link]

Bus service is the major mode public transport inside the city of Foshan.

Auto[link]

The Foshan Auto carplates begin with the Guangdong 粤-

• 粤Y is for Nanhai District (南海区)
• 粤X is for Shunde District (顺德区)
• 粤E is for Gaoming District (高明区), Sanshui District (三水区), and Chancheng District (禅城区)

Economy[link]

Statue of Guan Yin on Mount Xiqiao, in Nanhai

Agriculture[link]

There are Agricultural Model Districts (AMD) around the prefecture, such as Shunde Chencun AMD, and AMDs in Dali Town, Shatou Town and Locun Town in Nanhai, with a total area of about 9.4 km².

The AMDs aim to provide an all-round environment for modern agriculture. Agricultural processes are upgraded through technology, and sale service is incorporated with a new style of tourism that attracts target clients. The modern integrated practice mode resulted in the reputation of the largest base for wholesale, food production, storage and logistics of agricultural products in Guangdong Province.

Manufacturing industries[link]

Following Shenzhen and Guangzhou, Foshan is the third largest manufacturing base in the Pearl River Delta. Once home to a strong State-Owned Enterprises sector, its current economic strength lies in privates firms and Township and Village Enterprises in Shunde and Nanhai. In 2002, private firms contributed 56.12% of the industrial output and firms from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan contributed 63.44% in exports.

Key industries in Foshan include:

• Household electrical appliance and tool manufacturing
• Furniture
• Non-metal ore and manufacturing
• Electronics and communications
• Stainless steel products
• Plastic products
• Ceramics

Towns in Foshan specialize in pillar industries as follows:

• Beijiao Town, Shunde (顺德北滘) - household electrical appliances
• Chencun Town, Shunde (顺德陈村) - flowers and horticulture
• Dali Town, Nanhai (南海大沥) - aluminium products
• Lecong Town, Shunde (顺德乐从) - furniture production and distribution
• Nanzhuang Town, Nanhai (南海南庄) - building materials
• Xiqiao Town, Nanhai (南海西樵) - tourism and textiles
• Yanbu Town, Nanhai (南海盐步) - underclothes
• Nanzhuang Town, Chancheng (禅城南庄) - ceramics

Some well-known brands to come out of these pillar industries include Midea, Kelon, and Jianlibao. Foshan's furniture and lighting industry is known as the world's largest furniture wholesale market and the world's largest lighting wholesale market.

Industrial Zone[link]

• Foshan Hi-Tech Development Zone

Foshan Hi-Tech Development Zone was founded in 1992. Its total planned area is 7.55 square kilometers. The zone is very close to the national highway G325 as well as Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. The major industries in the zone including automobile assembly, biotechnology and chemicals processing.^[3]

Development strategy[link]

Foshan aims to become a manufacturing giant and the third largest city in Guangdong. To do this, it has pledged to make large-scale investment in the construction of the infrastructure such as transportation and energy. Urban development will focus on the central urban group and Shunde urban group, each with more than one million inhabitants.

Education[link]

Foshan University's front gate

Foshan is home to Foshan University,^[4] a designated full-time comprehensive university.

Tourism[link]

Foshan has many tourist spots, including Chinese temples and other examples of Chinese architecture. The old Ancestral Temple in Foshan houses the city's guardian, where it has stood for hundreds of years. The temple still stands after enduring many wars and the Cultural Revolution. Much of its original architecture is still intact. The temple is now used to stage the traditional Cantonese opera in addition to veneration.

Besides the Ancestral Temple, another example of traditional Chinese buildings is the Liang . It is one of the four famous Yuan, or private estates, in Guangdong. It epitomizes the building style of the Ming-Qing dynasties, with delicate craftsmanship throughout the building, and a compact yet elegantly designed garden. It is very well preserved, with most of its original artifacts displayed in-house. Very near to this site is a group of preserved buildings that date back to the Qing dynasty. Although they are now private houses, permits to visit some of these buildings can be obtained from the Tourist Bureau. These buildings all display the very classic building style of that era, which is the abandonment of the large and ostensible garden and space in favour to small yet multi-stories houses that is practical when there is little space.

Another potential tourist site in Foshan is the old porcelain furnace in Shi Wan. It is said to have been in operation since the Tang dynasty, and the fire inside has never gone out. It is still producing some of the chinaware that made Foshan famous. Surrounding that site are many workshops of the local artists.

The countryside surrounding Foshan city retains much of its traditional south Chinese rural characteristics.

Foshan Ancestral Temple

• Foshan Ancestral Temple
• Dong Hua Li (东华里)
• Qing Hui Garden
• Renshou Pagoda
• Folk Arts & Crafts Center
• Pottery & Ceramics Guild
• Statue of Guan Yin on Mount Xiqiao

Notable people[link]

• Wong Fei Hung (1847–1924), legendary martial art master and healer.
• Kang Youwei (1858–1927), late Qing Dynasty political reformist campaigning for a constitutional monarchy in China.
• Yip Man (1893–1972), Wing Chun martial art master, sifu of Bruce Lee.
• Bruce Lee's ancestral hometowns include Shunde, a district of Foshan.
• Thierry Breton, former French finance Minister, was made "honorary citizen of Foshan" in 2000.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Foshan

• Government website of Foshan (Chinese) and (English)
• Map of Foshan (Chinese)

v t e Pearl River Delta Region Pearl River Delta Economic Zone Guangdong Province Guangzhou • Shenzhen • Zhuhai (Hengqin New Area) • Dongguan • Zhongshan • Foshan • Jiangmen • Huizhou (Huicheng • Huidong • Boluo) • Zhaoqing (Sihui • Gaoyao) Special Administrative Region  Hong Kong •  Macau

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since November 2010. The notability of this article's subject is in question. If notability cannot be established, it may be listed for deletion or removed. Tagged since August 2009. It may need to be wikified to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Tagged since March 2011.

Ip Ching is a Grandmaster of the Chinese Martial Art Wing Chun, one of five still living Grandmasters of the Ip Man (Yip Man) family of Wing Chun Gung Fu.

Biography[link]

Ip Ching (Ip Hok Ching Chinese 葉學正 ^[1] )(born in Foshan, China in 1936) is the second eldest son of Yip Man. At a young age Ip Ching started his training along with his brother Ip Chun, under his master Yip Man (also his father). However this was short lived as his father had to leave and travel to Hong Kong in search of a better life for his family. In 1962 Ip Ching and his older brother Ip Chun were reunited with their father in Hong Kong. Ip Ching resumed his training under Ip Man’s direct guidance. Yip Man taught from his home and today this is where Ip Ching resides. As well as learning Wing Chun at his father’s home Ip Ching also was an avid observer of his father teaching other students. In turn gaining valuable insight on his father’s teaching methods. In 1972 Grand Master Yip Man died. Ip Ching continued teaching whilst running a manufacturing business. In 1994 he retired from his work and decided to open his doors to full time, teaching Wing Chun across the globe.

References[link]

• http://www.thewingchunschool.com/html/GMIC.htm
• http://www.kwokwingchun.co.uk/
• http://www.wckfc.com/

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since April 2008. It includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Tagged since December 2010. The notability of this article's subject is in question. If notability cannot be established, it may be listed for deletion or removed. Tagged since December 2010.

Samuel Kwok
Born	1948 Hong Kong
Residence	Blackpool, UK
Other names	Sam Kwok
Occupation	Martial arts practitioner

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Samuel Kwok

Samuel Kwok is a martial arts practitioner and teacher in the Chinese art of Wing Chun.^[1]

Biography[link]

Samuel Kwok was born in Hong Kong in 1948, the son of a Church Minister. His interest in the martial arts started at an early age, his first experience was in White Crane Kung Fu, under the guidance of his uncle Luk Chi Fu. His Wing Chun training first started in 1967 under Chan Wai Ling in Hong Kong.

In 1972 Samuel Kwok came to the UK to study psychiatric nursing and pursue a new life. Living in London then, he went to the Church of Reverend Kao, he told him about one of the members of the congregation, a Wing Chun teacher called Lee Sing, who started teaching Samuel Kwok in 1973.

In 1978 he returned to Hong Kong in hope to find the true source of Wing Chun. Samuel Kwok was introduced to Ip Chun by Lee Sing; who at the time was joining the Ip Man Martial Arts Association. It was during a second meeting with Ip Chun that he offered to teach Samuel Kwok the Wooden Dummy techniques, realizing that he was being given a great honour he accepted. At this time, Ip Chun was only teaching part time.

For the next few years Samuel Kwok had private tuition from Ip Chun, and after gaining Master level in Wing Chun, he opened his first school in Hong Kong. It was not long before his students began making a name for themselves at tournaments and demonstrations in the colony.

When returning to the UK in 1981, he was appointed chairman and senior overseas representative of the Ip Chun Martial Art Association by Grandmaster Ip Chun.

Having settled in the UK, Master Kwok started to teach Wing Chun privately but later he opened his first school after great demand from several martial arts enthusiasts. In his bid to promote Traditional Wing Chun and his Si-Fu, in 1981 Master Kwok held the first of many seminars in the UK for Grandmaster Ip Chun.

In 1991 Master Kwok invited both Grandmasters Ip Chun and Ip Ching to the UK, to held their first joint seminars across the country. This was the first visit to the UK by Grandmaster Ip Ching.

In 1994 Master Kwok returned to Hong Kong to study with Grandmaster Ip Ching. Also In 1994 Master Kwok and Master Steve Lee Swift from New York helped to organize some very successful seminars in America, taught by Grandmaster Ip Chun.

In 1995 once again Grandmaster Ip Ching was invited by Master Kwok to the UK, to conduct several seminars across the country, but this time he was accompanied by Grandmaster Chu Shong Tin, one of the first students in Hong Kong of the late Grandmaster Ip Man.

Also in 1995 the two famous brothers Grandmaster Ip Chun and Ip Ching visited Chicago to teach together for the first time in America. Again, this visit was arranged and assisted by Master Samuel Kwok.

The Samuel Kwok Wing Chun Martial Art Association has now grown to become one of the largest Kung Fu organizations in the country. With students in Europe, U.S.A., South Africa and Australia; it has now become international. Although Master Kwok has many students teaching for him, he has always remained faithful to true Wing Chun tradition and still teaches classes personally.

In 1998 Master Samuel Kwok received a BA honour from Manchester University for his lifetime achievement and promotion of Martial Arts. Today Master Kwok is constantly promoting Wing Chun across the world by conducting and organizing seminars, competitions, demonstrations, books,^[2] videos and helping the B.C.C.M.A. promote Chinese Martial Arts. He also helps to arrange tours and training in Hong Kong with Grandmaster Ip Ching for his students, showing that like himself he wants his students to benefit from this great master first hand.

Lineage[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Samuel Kwok's Homepage
• Ip Ching's Homepage
• Ip Chun's Homepage
• Samuel Kwok Website Brazil

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2010)

Wong Fei-hung 黃飛鴻
An alleged picture of Wong Fei-hung[1]
Born	(1847-07-09)9 July 1847 Foshan, Guangdong, China
Died	24 May 1924(1924-05-24) (aged 76) Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Residence	Foshan, Guangdong, China Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Style	Chinese martial arts Hung Gar
Teacher(s)	Wong Kei-ying
Rank	Grandmaster
Occupation	Martial artist, physician, revolutionary
Spouse	Ms. Luo (1871, her death) Ms. Ma (1896, her death) Ms. Chen (1902, her death) Mok Kwai-lan (1915-1924, his death)
Notable students	Leung Foon Lam Sai-wing Dang Fong Ling Wan-kai

Wong Fei-hung (July 9, 1847 – May 24, 1924)^[2] was a Chinese martial artist, physician, acupuncturist and revolutionary who became a folk hero and the subject of numerous films and television series. He was considered an expert in the Hung Gar style of Chinese martial arts. Wong is visibly the most famous Hung Gar practitioner in modern times. As such, his lineage has received the most attention.^[3] As a physician, Wong practiced and taught acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine in Po-chi-lam (T: 寶芝林, S: 宝芝林, P: Bǎozhīlín, J: bou2 zi1 lam4), his private clinic in Foshan, Guangdong. A museum dedicated to him was built in Foshan. Wong's most famous disciples included Wong Hon-hei (his son), Lam Sai-wing, Leung Foon, Dang Fong, Wong Sai-wing and Ling Wan-kai. Wong was also associated with "Beggar So" of the Ten Tigers of Canton.

Biography[link]

Part of the series on Chinese martial arts
List of Chinese martial arts
Terms
Kung fu (功夫) Wushu (武術) Qigong (氣功)
Historical places
Shaolin Monastery (少林寺) Wudang Mountains (武當山) Mount Hua (華山) Mount Emei (峨嵋山) Kunlun Mountains (崑崙山)
Historical people
Yue Fei (岳飛) Yim Wing-chun (嚴詠春) Hung Hei-gun (洪熙官) Fong Sai-yuk (方世玉) Dong Haichuan (董海川) Yang Lu-ch'an (楊露禪) Wu Quanyou (吳全佑) Ten Tigers of Canton (廣東十虎) Chen Fake (陳發科) Chan Heung (陳享) Wong Fei-hung (黃飛鴻) Sun Lu-t'ang (孫祿堂) Huo Yuanjia (霍元甲) Yip Man (葉問) Wang Zi-Ping (王子平)
Famous modern actors
Bruce Lee (李小龍) Jackie Chan (成龍) Sammo Hung (洪金寶) Yuen Biao (元彪) Jet Li (李連杰)
Legendary figures
Bodhidharma (菩提達摩) Zhang Sanfeng (張三丰) Eight immortals (八仙) Five Elders (五祖)
Related
Hong Kong action cinema Wushu (sport) Wuxia (武俠)
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Wong was born on Mount Xiqiao, Foshan, Guangdong, during the reign of the Daoguang Emperor in the Qing Dynasty. At the age of five, he started learning Hung Gar from his father Wong Kei-ying. When he was 13, he learnt the Tour de Force of Iron Wire Fist and sling from Lam Fuk-sing (林福成), a student of "Iron Bridge Three" Leung Kwan, after meeting Lam in Douzhixiang during a martial arts street performance. He learnt the Shadowless Kick from Sung Fai-tong (宋輝鏜) later.

In 1863 at the age of 17, Wong set up his first martial arts school in Shuijiao. 26 years later in 1886, he opened his Po-chi-lam (寶芝林) clinic at Ren'an. In 1919, Wong was invited to perform at Chin Woo Athletic Association's Guangzhou branch during its opening ceremony.

Wong died of illness on May 24, 1924 in Chengxi Fangbian Hospital in Guangdong. He was buried at the foot of Baiyun Mountain. Wong's wife Mok Kwai-lan (莫桂蘭) and his two sons, along with his students Lam Sai-wing and Dang Sai-king (鄧世瓊), later moved to Hong Kong and established martial arts schools there.

In legend, Wong was recruited by Liu Yongfu, commander of the Black Flag Army, to be the army's medical officer and martial arts instructor. Wong also instructed Guangdong's local militia in martial arts. He followed Liu's army to fight the Imperial Japanese Army in Taiwan before as well.

Personal life[link]

Wong married four times in his life. The personal names of his first three wives are unknown. He had four known children.

The following names are in Cantonese romanisation:

• Surnamed "Lo" or "Law" (simplified Chinese: 罗; traditional Chinese: 羅; pinyin: Luó), married Wong in 1871, died of illness three months after their marriage.