FO-SHAN

Pinyin Foshan, city in central Kwangtung sheng (province), China. Fo-shan itself is situated in the delta 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Canton, on a spur of the CantonSan-shui railway. Historically, Fo-shan (originally called Nan-hai) was a subordinate county of nearby Canton. Fo-shan has always been a prosperous trade centre, with excellent river communications with western Kwangtung province and the Chuang Autonomous Region of Kwangsi and a location at the centre of an extremely productive and populous plain. Its growth was greatly accelerated in the Ming (13681644) and Ch'ing (16441911/12) periods, when it became the centre of flourishing handicraft industries, specializing in the manufacture of silk threads and silk textiles and in such ancillary handicrafts as embroidery and dyeing. Metal implements and paper also were manufactured. During the 18th century, Fo-shan was known as one of the four greatest commercial centres in China, ranking with Han-k'ou. In 1912 it became the seat of Nan-hai county. During the 20th century, Fo-shan suffered badly from the competition of the ever-growing city of Canton and also from the silting up of its waterways, which could only be used by shallow-draft craft. Before 1949, Fo-shan (meaning Buddha's Mountain) was a centre of popular religion, manufacturing vast quantities of paper money, firecrackers, images, and incense for use in religious ceremonies. It has experienced some light industrial growth since 1949, especially of its handicraft industries, and it has become a popular tourist destination. Sculptures and handicrafts are displayed in the Ancestral Temple (built about 1200). On the southern edge of the city are the peaks, caves, and waterfalls of scenic Mount Hsi-ch'iao. Pop. (1990) 303,160.