Bocca Tigris
Encyclopedia
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 虎门; pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Hǔmén, literally: "tiger gate") is a narrow strait in the Pearl River Delta
Pearl River Delta
The Pearl River Delta , Zhujiang Delta or Zhusanjiao in Guangdong province, People's Republic of China is the low-lying area surrounding the Pearl River estuary where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea...
, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, People's Republic of China, where the Pearl River
Pearl River (China)
The Pearl River or less commonly, the "Guangdong River" or "Canton River" etc., , is an extensive river system in southern China. The name Pearl River is usually used as a catchment term to refer to the watersheds of the Xi Jiang , the Bei Jiang , and the Dong Jiang...
discharges into the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. The strait is formed by the islands of Chuenpee (穿鼻) and Anunghoy (阿娘鞋, a.k.a 威远) on the eastern side and Tycocktow (大角头) on the western side. Since 1997, the strait is crossed by the Humen Pearl River Bridge
Humen Pearl River Bridge
The Humen Pearl River Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Pearl River in Guangdong Province, southern China. It connects the Nansha District of Guangzhou to Humen Town of Dongguan...
.
History
Because of its strategic location as a naval gateway to GuangzhouGuangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, the strait was traditionally fortified and some major battles in the First Opium War
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
were fought here.
Geography
- Western shore: Nansha DistrictNansha DistrictNansha District is a district in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.-External links:*...
of GuangzhouGuangzhouGuangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
City - Eastern shore: Humen TownHumen TownHumen Town , also known as Taiping, is a town within the borders of Dongguan city, on the eastern side of the Bocca Tigris on the east bank of the Pearl River Delta, in Guangdong province, southern China...
of DongguanDongguanDongguan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.An important industrial city located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, Shenzhen to the south, and the Pearl River to...
City - Upper and Lower Hengdang Islands (横档岛), or Wangtong Islands, in the middle of the Bocca Tigris
Features
- Humen Pearl River BridgeHumen Pearl River BridgeThe Humen Pearl River Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Pearl River in Guangdong Province, southern China. It connects the Nansha District of Guangzhou to Humen Town of Dongguan...
- Several Qing DynastyQing DynastyThe Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
forts, including:- Weiyuan Fort (威遠炮台), in Humen Town
- Shajiao Fort (沙角炮台; lit. "sand corner" fort), in Humen Town
- Nansha Pier (新南沙客运港), in Nansha District, 1.6 km south of Humen Bridge
See also
- First Battle of ChuenpeeBattle of ChuenpeeThe First Battle of Chuenpee was fought between British and Chinese ships at the entrance of the Bocca Tigris, China, on 3 November 1839 during the First Opium War...
(3 November 1839), fought at the Bocca Tigris - Second Battle of ChuenpeeSecond Battle of ChuenpeeThe Second Battle of Chuenpee was fought between British and Chinese forces at the Bocca Tigris, China, on 7 January 1841 during the First Opium War. The British captured the forts on the islands of Chuenpee and Tycocktow. The battle led to negotiations between British Plenipotentiary Charles...
(7 January 1841) - Battle of the BogueBattle of the BogueThe Battle of the Bogue was fought between British and Chinese forces at the Bocca Tigris, China, on 23–26 February 1841 during the First Opium War...
(23–26 February 1841) - Treaty of the BogueTreaty of the BogueThe Treaty of the Bogue was an agreement between China and the United Kingdom, which was concluded in October 1843 in order to supplement the previous Treaty of Nanking...
(1843)