Gaoyao, alternately romanized as Koyiu, is an urban district of Zhaoqing in western Guangdong, China. Its population in 2020 was 741,591.[1]

Gaoyao
高要区
Koyiu
Location of Gaoyao (red) within Zhaoqing City and Guangdong province
Location of Gaoyao (red) within Zhaoqing City and Guangdong province
Gaoyao is located in Guangdong
Gaoyao
Gaoyao
Location of the seat in Guangdong
Coordinates: 23°02′N 112°27′E / 23.033°N 112.450°E / 23.033; 112.450
CountryPeople's Republic of China
ProvinceGuangdong
Prefecture-level cityZhaoqing
Area
 • Total2,206 km2 (852 sq mi)
Population
 (2020 census)
 • Total741,591
 • Density340/km2 (870/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+8 (China Standard)
Gaoyao, Zhaoqing
Chinese高要
PostalKoyiu
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGāoyào
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingGou1-jiu3

Name

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Gaoyao (lit.'high and wanting') is a former name of the Lingyang Gorge on the Xi River. It was originally the name of the surrounding land but came to be used for the area's seat of government. Gaoyao is the pinyin romanization of the Chinese name, based on its Mandarin pronunciation; the former Chinese Postal Map spelling was based on the local Cantonese pronunciation of the same name. Gaoyao has also sometimes been romanized as Kaou Yaou.[2]

Geography

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Gaoyao is located on the southern bank of the Xi River, opposite central Zhaoqing. Both are about 100 kilometers (62 mi) away from Guangzhou, the provincial capital.

Climate

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Climate data for Gaoyao (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 28.3
(82.9)
31.4
(88.5)
32.4
(90.3)
34.4
(93.9)
34.9
(94.8)
37.9
(100.2)
38.5
(101.3)
38.1
(100.6)
36.9
(98.4)
35.8
(96.4)
33.1
(91.6)
30.0
(86.0)
38.5
(101.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 18.9
(66.0)
20.9
(69.6)
23.5
(74.3)
27.9
(82.2)
31.3
(88.3)
33.2
(91.8)
34.2
(93.6)
33.9
(93.0)
32.3
(90.1)
29.6
(85.3)
25.6
(78.1)
20.8
(69.4)
27.7
(81.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 13.9
(57.0)
16.0
(60.8)
19.2
(66.6)
23.4
(74.1)
26.5
(79.7)
28.2
(82.8)
28.9
(84.0)
28.6
(83.5)
27.2
(81.0)
24.2
(75.6)
19.9
(67.8)
15.2
(59.4)
22.6
(72.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 10.6
(51.1)
12.7
(54.9)
16.1
(61.0)
20.3
(68.5)
23.3
(73.9)
25.1
(77.2)
25.6
(78.1)
25.3
(77.5)
23.9
(75.0)
20.3
(68.5)
16.0
(60.8)
11.5
(52.7)
19.2
(66.6)
Record low °C (°F) 3.1
(37.6)
3.9
(39.0)
6.1
(43.0)
10.7
(51.3)
16.8
(62.2)
20.4
(68.7)
22.9
(73.2)
22.6
(72.7)
18.8
(65.8)
13.4
(56.1)
5.3
(41.5)
1.7
(35.1)
1.7
(35.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 51.8
(2.04)
43.9
(1.73)
76.2
(3.00)
130.3
(5.13)
189.2
(7.45)
212.3
(8.36)
189.1
(7.44)
188.8
(7.43)
150.6
(5.93)
56.6
(2.23)
41.9
(1.65)
37.8
(1.49)
1,368.5
(53.88)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 7.9 10.3 14.8 14.9 18.0 19.7 16.8 16.0 11.8 5.0 5.5 5.9 146.6
Average relative humidity (%) 78 79 81 80 81 81 79 80 79 75 75 75 79
Mean monthly sunshine hours 99.7 75.9 58.2 77.2 124.5 147.0 191.8 183.8 173.3 182.9 156.3 140.5 1,611.1
Percent possible sunshine 30 24 16 20 30 36 46 46 47 51 48 42 36
Source: China Meteorological Administration[3][4]

History

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Gaoyao was a county of the Qin and Han and its eponymous county seat was the principal settlement of the area. Under the Sui, the administration relocated across the river to Duanzhou, which was renamed Zhaoqing under the Song. Gaoyao continued as a separate county in Zhaoqing Commandery.[2] It was promoted to a county-level city in 1993 and later to urban district status.

Culture and people

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  • Gaoyao is closely connected with the Duanzhou District of Zhaoqing City, geographically as well as culturally. The two urban districts are connected by two road bridges and a railway bridge.
  • Gaoyao is also a known hometown for many Overseas Chinese. There is a large community from Gaoyao in Sydney, Australia.[5][6][page needed]

Notable figures include:

  • Liang Han Chao (梁寒操): historian, educator, and also founder of Kwangtung cultural and history periodical.
  • Herbert Chow Ciu Lung (周小龍): founder of chickeeduck clothing, also a Hong Kong social activist.
  • Joshua Wong Chi-fung (黃之鋒): Hong Kong male politician
  • Fong Lai Ying (方麗盈): Hong Kong experienced female singer

Tourism

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Places of interest include the Red Mansion and Gaoyao Xuegong Pavilion. There are also three pagodas that can be seen in Gaoyao.

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Administrative divisions

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Gaoyao has jurisdiction over one subdistrict and several towns:

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ "China: Guăngdōng (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  2. ^ a b Bolton & Hutton 1941, p. 262.
  3. ^ 中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Experience Template" 中国气象数据网 (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  5. ^ Heritage Council of NSW: "Yiu Ming Temple"
  6. ^ Choi 1975.
  7. ^ National Bureau of Employment Statistics (2012), Zhongguo 2010 nian ren kou pu cha fen xiang zhen jie dao zi liao [Tabulation on the 2010 population census of the People's Republic of China, by township] (Di 1 ban ed.), Beijing: Zhongguo tong ji chu ban she [Population Census Office of China], ISBN 978-7-5037-6660-2

Bibliography

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  • Bolton, Kingsley; Hutton, Christopher (1941) [Reprinted 2000], Triad Societies, vol. 5, Abingdon: Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-24397-1
  • Choi, C. Y. (1975). Chinese Migration and Settlement in Australia. Sydney: Sydney University Press.
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