Hundreds of years before China peeked from beneath the veil of communism and segued into the capitalist market and before Hong Kong abandoned British rule, Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, was a city dedicated to commerce. Perhaps partly due to its proximity to the sea, it has always been an outward-looking city, but it was never known for its beauty. Even today Guangzhou’s charms don’t lie in beautiful buildings and pristine, tree-lined boulevards. Rather, it is a working city that buzzes with energy and verve, where urban sprawl is relieved by lovely parks, noteworthy museums, picture-perfect temples, fascinating markets, and wonderful food.

There’s something quirky about this city of more than 7 million people; starting with its mythical origins. According to legend, five celestial beings, each riding on a flying goat, landed in southeastern China and founded Guangzhou. The legend is fitting. While goats may not be the most glamorous of beasts, they are resilient and independent, much like the city itself.

Guangzhou has traded steadily with foreign markets since 1685, when the imperial government opened Guangzhou to foreign trade. British East India Company ships came from bases on the Indian coast and traders established warehouses near the city from which they shipped tea and silk.

Though the city declined in commercial importance when China was forced open in the 1840s, it regained its stature as China’s business link to the West after the communist victory in 1949. The period of opening up and reform that began after Mao’s death in 1976 has resulted in stiff competition from the north, particularly Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta. This means Guangzhou can no longer take its status as the commercial hub of China for granted.

However, according to Bernhard Clever, director of sales for China Southern Airlines in North America, none of the other Chinese cities nipping at Guangzhou’s heels can beat Guangzhou at manufacturing.

“Shanghai may be the banking capital of China,” Clever said, “but factories in Guangzhou’s Guangdong Province manufacture almost everything you can imagine, from eyeglasses to buses; from shoes to refrigerators.”

Clever said that one has only to attend the biannual Guangdong Commodity Fair to see that Guangzhou is still “the window to the Western world.” In its 51st year, the fair now has almost 15,000 exhibitors from more than 200 countries and regions, and attracts nearly 200,000 buyers.

In 2005, Guangdong’s provincial government, realizing it needed to take steps to ensure the province’s position as a driving force in China’s economy, and Guangzhou’s as its primary business center, announced an ambitious five-year plan for its nine major industries: electronics and IT, electric machinery, electric home appliances, petrochemicals, textiles and apparel, food processing, building materials, wood products and paper, and pharmaceuticals.

The plan also addressed the province’s growing automotive industry, by setting a five-year goal that would have vehicle production — centered on Guangzhou — reaching 1.6 million by 2010 and 3 million by 2020, thus establishing Guangdong Province as a world leader in automobile production. Already moving in this direction, in May 2006, Toyota Motor Company became the third automotive firm — along with Nissan and Honda — to establish operations in the province.

Transportation services also are expanding. The New Guangzhou Railway Station, due to open during the 2008 Chinese Lunar New Year, will be four times larger than the existing station, and, according to Wu Junguang, head of the Guangzhou Railway Group, will have 15 platforms, 28 rail lines and serve a projected 78 million passengers a year.

More evidence that Guangzhou is holding its own as a commercial force to be reckoned with is recent major hotel chain expansions. The Shangri-La Hotel Guangzhou, overlooking the Pearl River, opened in February. The Westin Guangzhou i s also due to open this year. A Four Points by Sheraton, Sheraton Guangzhou Hotel and Sheraton Huadu are all scheduled to open in 2009, and W Guangzhou & Residences is slated for 2010.

While Guangzhou’s main focus is business, it’s not entirely without other attractions. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, built in 1925, is the main focus of a 15-acre town center park. Called the “father of modern China,” Sun Yatsen is credited with the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. He became the Republic of China’s first provisional president. This stunning edifice, trimmed in red and gold with a bluetile roof, houses a large theater and concert hall.

The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees boasts the 180-foot octagonal Flower Pagoda, the oldest and tallest in the city. The Bright Filial Piety Temple — believed to date to the fourth century — is one of the oldest in the city, although the present temple buildings were constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. For good luck, pitch a coin into the oversized incense burner just inside the entrance.

The Guangzhou Museum of Art is surrounded by a sculpture garden and an outdoor restaurant that faces the Pearl River. Its large, airy exhibition halls are filled with works of traditional and modern Chinese artists.

The Museum of the Western Han Dynasty, or the Southern Yue King’s Tomb, stands on the site of the tomb of Emperor Wen, dating to 100 B.C. Besides the tomb, where visitors can walk downstairs into the actual chambers, there are more than 500 rare artifacts on display, with English explanations.

LODGING

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL

When the Shangri-La Hotel opened in February, it raised the Guangzhou hotel scene to another level. Adjacent to the Guangzhou International Convention Center, its spectacular views of the Pearl River are combined with a garden setting that provides business travelers with an urban oasis. The city’s first true international luxury hotel boasts eight restaurants and bars, two ballrooms and eight function rooms. $$$$
SHANGRI-LA HOTEL
1 Hui Zhan Dong Road
tel 86 20 8917 8888, fax 86 20 8917 8899
http://www.shangri-la.com/Guangzhou

CHINA HOTEL

Housed in a U-shaped high-rise in the heart of the city, the five-star China Hotel by Marriott caters to the business traveler. Dedicated to ensuring guests enjoy a pleasant and worry-free stay, the staff is exceptionally well trained and helpful. Guestrooms have all the amenities one would expect of a five-star property, from down bedding to high-speed Internet access. Onsite dining includes international and Chinese restaurants and a champagne and cigar bar featuring live music. Coffee aficionados can experience a little taste of home at the in-house Starbucks. $$$
CHINA HOTEL
Liu Hua Lu
tel 86 20 8666 6888, fax 86 20 8667 7288
http://www.marriott.com

GOLDEN BRIDGE HOTEL

This four-star hotel for business travelers is located in the Wuyang New City Commercial Zone and provides free shuttle bus service to the city’s two exhibition centers. Redecorated in 2005 in a simple Scandinavian modern style, guestrooms are spotless, spacious and comfortable, with amenities including broadband Internet access and international direct dial phone. The staff is efficient and helpful. Considering the quality of decor and service, and the reasonable room rates, this hotel is a real bargain. $$
GOLDEN BRIDGE HOTEL
93 Siyouxin Road, Dongshan District
tel 86 20 8391 8868
http://www.goldenbridgehotel.com

DINING

CHUAN GUO YAN YI RESTAURANT

Lovers of hot Sichuanese cuisine should head for Chuan Guo Yan Yi restaurant, where the food is not for the faint of heart or delicate of stomach. The hot pot — meats and vegetables cooked in chili pepper soup — is renowned, and the huajiao (peppercorn) will numb your mouth. A beer accompaniment is a good idea, just in case you get a little more fire than you expected. $$
CHUAN GUO YAN YI RESTAURANT
140-148 Tiyu Dong Lu (4th Floor)
tel 86 20 3887 3878

DONG BEI REN

An extremely popular chain that brings northeastern Chinese cuisine to this southern city, Dong Bei Ren is a hubbub of activity, and for good reason: The food is delicious. Flavors are dark and rich, in contrast to the subtlety of Cantonese cooking. One specialty is jiaozi, a sort of miniature Chinese ravioli that comes with a wide variety of fillings. Vegetarian dishes include an eggplant and potato concoction and sweet potatoes in hot sugar.To accompany the meal there are fresh fruit juices and a surprisingly potent sweet red wine. $
DONG BEI REN
Hengtai Plaza, 1 Hequn Lu
Dongshan District
tel 86 20 8775 1854, 86 20 8760 0688
http://www.dongbeiren.com.cn

PAN XI RESTAURANT

One of the city’s most established and attractive Cantonese restaurants, Pan Xi is located on the edge of Liwan Lake. Composed of a series of teahouse rooms interconnected by paths and bridges, it looks more like a temple than a dining establishment. Famous for dim sum, which includes fried dumplings with shrimp, chicken gizzards, pork and mushrooms and even shark fin, it also features other traditional delicacies, such as scallop and crab soup, quail eggs cooked with shrimp roe and snake. $$
PAN XI RESTAURANT
151 Long Jin Xi Lu
tel 86 20 8181 5718

DIVERSIONS

Heading for one of Guangzhou’s urban parks is a great way to decompress after an intense day of business meetings. In 1959, the mythical flying goats believed to have transported the city’s founding fathers to the site were immortalized in the Sculpture of the Five Rams in Yuexiu Park. At 230 acres, Yuexiu is the largest park in the city, with lush foliage, a five-story 14th-century tower (now a museum), three large manmade lakes, a restaurant and a swimming pool. Lovely Liuhua Park has walkways lined with palms, a fancy restaurant and the city’s largest manmade lake. After a walk in the park, stop in at one of the city’s expat bars for a cold drink and a chat with English-speaking locals. For sports fans, the TV screen at the Elephant and Castle (tel 86 20 8359 3309) shows sporting events from around the world. The Paddy Field (tel 86 20 8360 1379) is the only Irish bar in the city and, besides offering a good selection of imported beers, including Guinness, of course, it often hosts special events and has live music. The Zinc Cafe Bar (tel 86 20 8558 5597, http://www.zincgz.com) is modern and hip and serves all sorts of drinks as well as light meals. There’s a good selection of English-language magazines for customers to peruse, a book exchange and music from around the world.

Just the Facts

Time Zone: GMT/UTC +8
Phone Code: Country code 86; area code for Guangzhou 20
Currency: Chinese Yuan (CNY)
Entry/Exit Requirements: A valid passport and visa are required to enter and transit China and must be obtained from Chinese Embassies and Consulates before traveling to China. Persons transiting China on the way to and from Hong Kong or Macau Special Administrative Regions must obtain visas allowing multiple entries. For information, consult the Visa Office of the Embassy of China (PRC) (Room 110, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington D.C. 20007, tel 202 338 6688 or 202 588 9760, http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/). Americans traveling in Asia may also obtain visas to enter China from the Chinese visa office in Hong Kong and the Embassy of China in Seoul, South Korea.
Official Language: Putonghua (Mandarin). The local dialect is Cantonese. Mandarin and English are the languages of business.
Key Industries: Electronics and IT, petrochemicals, textiles and apparel, electric machinery (machinery and home appliances), food processing and building materials

INFO TO GO

For business travelers arriving from Hong Kong, the Guangzhou-Kowloon Through Train takes approximately 1 1/2 hours. There is also an Express Coach between Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) and Guangzhou, which takes 3 1/2 hours. Those arriving by air fly into Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport (CAN). A taxi from the airport to downtown will cost about $15.