Isn’t it fascinating how a name can reveal so much? Shiling. It means Lion Ridge. This name comes from the mountain ridge shaped like a lion. We are standing in Shiling. It is a town in Huadu District. Huadu is a district of Guangzhou. Shiling is about 34 kilometres from Guangzhou’s downtown.
Let’s delve into Shiling’s story. Archaeological records show that worship of Pangu occurred here as far back as 500 CE. Pangu is a Chinese deity. Shiling was founded as a hamlet during the Qing dynasty. This was during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. That’s between 1736 and 1795.
Did you know Hong Xiuquan developed his revolutionary theory in Shiling? He also wrote many famous works here. This was around 1845 to 1847. He stayed at the Yuan Floral Hall. The ruins are still visible today.
Shiling transformed over time. In 1953 it became a commune. By 1983 it was a region. Finally in 1986, it became a town.
Shifting gears. Let’s talk about Shiling’s economy. In 2017, the town’s GDP reached 10.759 billion Yuan. That was a 7.5% increase from the year before. Farming plays a big role here. Primary produce includes rice, fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Poultry and fish breeding are also important.
However, Shiling is most famous for its leather industry. It started in the 1970s. The government promoted leatherworking. Farmers integrated leather production into their lives. Shiling now is a major leatherworking center in China. Before 2000, Shiling mainly made low and medium quality leather goods. These were for Chinese markets.
Then something changed. The town began hosting the Shiling Leather and Leather Goods Festival in 2000. This is a trade fair. The local government worked to improve the quality of leather goods. They also wanted to internationalize the industry. They even created a post-doctoral research institute for leather research. A design institute trained people to become leather workers and designers.
Today Shiling’s leather industry is massive. It includes 8,000 enterprises. These companies employ about 300,000 people. Over 2,600 brands manufacture their leather goods here. These include famous names like Guess, Coach, and Walmart.
The Shiling leather industry was worth 4.7 billion yuan in 2002. By 2009, it had almost doubled to 9 billion.
Also from the 2000s, Shiling has experienced significant real estate development. This is along the G94 Pearl River Delta Ring Expressway. These developments have been called a golden corridor. Also they are known as tomorrow’s satellite city.
Despite being an industrial hub, Shiling promotes tourism. The local government highlights mountains and historical sites. They also host cultural festivals. These festivals showcase local folk culture.
One major attraction is the Pangu Temple. It was built in 1809. It was rebuilt in 1901 after a fire. The temple is a tourist attraction and pilgrimage site. People come for the lion dance, waterfall, and clean spring water. The Longkou spring is believed to have healing properties. A festival is held on Pangu’s birthday. It’s on the 12th day of the 10th month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
Following the Pangu Temple’s success, other resorts opened nearby. They are in the mountain areas.
So, as we stand here in Shiling, we see a town of many facets. It’s a place where ancient traditions meet modern industry. A place where lion-shaped mountains watch over a thriving community.