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{{Expand Chinese|topic=geo|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                   = Chaozhou
|official_name          = <!-- Official name in English if different from 'name' -->
|native_name            = 潮州市
|native_name_lang       = zh
|other_name             = Teochew
|nickname               = The Phoenix City ({{lang|zh-hans|凤城}})
|settlement_type        = [[Prefecture-level city]]
|motto                  =
|image_skyline          = {{multiple image
| border                 = infobox
| total_width            = 280
| image_style            = border:1;
| perrow                 = 1/2/1
| image1                 = Paifangjie (cropped).jpg
| image2                 = Chaozhou Guangji Bridge 20191211_2.jpg
| image3                 = Guangji Gate.jpg
| image4                 = Chaoshan Railway Station South Square (cropped).jpg
}}
|imagesize              =
|image_caption           = From top, left to right: [[Paifang]] Street, [[Guangji Bridge (Chaozhou)|Guangji Bridge]], {{ill|Guangji Gate|zh|广济门城楼}}, [[Chaoshan railway station]]
|image_seal             =
|seal_size              =
|image_shield           =
|shield_size            =
|city_logo              =
|citylogo_size          =
|image_map              = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=8|frame-lat=23.77|frame-long=116.82}}
|image_map1             = Guangdong subdivisions - Chaozhou.svg
|mapsize1               =
|map_caption1           = Location of Chaozhou in Guangdong province
|image_dot_map          =
|dot_mapsize            =
|dot_map_caption        =
|dot_x =  |dot_y =
|pushpin_map           = China
|pushpin_label_position=
|pushpin_map_caption   = Location in China
|pushpin_mapsize       =
|seat_type = Municipal seat
|seat = [[Xiangqiao District]]
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       = People's Republic of China
|subdivision_type1      = [[Provinces of the People's Republic of China|Province]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Guangdong]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China#County level|County-level&nbsp;divisions]]
|subdivision_name2      = 4
|subdivision_type3      = [[Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China#Township level|Township&nbsp;divisions]]
|subdivision_name3      = 43
|subdivision_type4      =
|subdivision_name4      =
|government_footnotes   =
|government_type        =
|leader_title           =[[Communist Party of China|CPC]] Chaozhou
|leader_name            =He Xiaojun ({{lang|zh-hans|何晓军}})<br />Committee Secretary
|leader_title1          = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name1           =Liu Sheng ({{lang|zh-hans|刘胜}})
|leader_title2          =
|leader_name2           =
|leader_title3          =
|leader_name3           =
|leader_title4          =
|leader_name4           =
|established_title      =
|established_date       =
|established_title2     =  <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2      =
|established_title3     =  <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3      =
|area_magnitude         =
|unit_pref                = <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
|area_footnotes           = ([[List of People's Republic of China administrative divisions by area|ranked 31st]])
|area_total_km2           = 3145.93<!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion-->
|area_land_km2            = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
|area_water_km2           =
|area_water_percent       =
|area_urban_km2           =1413.8
|area_metro_km2           =9297.1
|population_as_of               =2020 census<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/china/guangdong/admin/|title = China: Guăngdōng (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map}}</ref>
|population_footnotes           =
|population_note                =
|population_total               =2568387
|population_density_km2         = auto
|population_metro               =12543024
|population_density_metro_km2   =auto
|population_urban               =1750945
|population_density_urban_km2   =auto
|population_density_blank1_km2  =
|population_blank2_title =Major [[ethnic groups of China|ethnic groups]]
|population_blank2= [[Han Chinese|Han]]—99.7%
|blank7_name                     = [[Varieties of Chinese|Languages]]
|blank7_info                     = [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]] and [[Hakka Chinese|Hakka]] ([[Raoping]] area) (regional); [[Standard Mandarin]] (official)
|demographics_type2   = GDP<ref>{{cite book|author=广东省统计局、国家统计局广东调查总队|title=《广东统计年鉴-2016》|date=August 2016|publisher=[[China Statistics Press]]|isbn=978-7-5037-7837-7|url=http://www.gdstats.gov.cn/tjnj/2016/directory.html|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222072646/http://www.gdstats.gov.cn/tjnj/2016/directory.html|archivedate=2017-12-22}}</ref>
|demographics2_title1 = [[Prefecture-level city]]
|demographics2_info1 = [[CN¥]] 124.5 billion<br />[[US$]] 19.3 billion
| demographics2_title2 = Per capita
| demographics2_info2 = CN¥ 48,427<br />US$ 7,506
|timezone               = [[China Standard Time|China Standard]]
|utc_offset             = +8
|coordinates            = {{coord|23.658|N|116.622|E|type:adm2nd_region:CN-44_source:Gaode|format=dms|display=it}}
|coor_pinpoint = Chaozhou municipal government
|elevation_footnotes    =  <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
|elevation_max_m        = 1497.5
|elevation_min_m        = 0
|postal_code_type = [[Postal code of China|Postal code]]
|postal_code            = 521000<br /><small>(Urban center)</small><br />515600, 515700<br /><small>(Other areas)</small>
|area_code = 768
|iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:CN|CN-GD-51]]
|blank_name             =[[License Plate (China)|License plate prefixes]]
|blank_info             = {{lang|zh-cn|粤U}}
|website                = [http://www.chaozhou.gov.cn/ www.chaozhou.gov.cn]
}}
{{Infobox Chinese|order=st|showflag=teo
|c={{linktext|lang=zh|潮州}}
  |p=Cháozhōu |w=Ch'ao<sup>2</sup>-chou<sup>1</sup> |mi={{IPAc-cmn|ch|ao|2|zh|ou|1}}
  |teo=Diê<sup>5</sup>ziu<sup>1</sup>
  |poj=Tiô-chiu
  |j=Ciu4 zau1 |y=Chìuh-jāu
|l="Tide prefecture"
}}
'''Chaozhou''' ({{lang-zh|t=潮州}}), alternatively '''Chiuchow''',<ref>Transliterated from its [[Cantonese]] pronunciation</ref> '''Chaochow'''<ref>From [[postal romanization]]</ref> or '''Teochew''',<ref>Transliteration of [[Teochew dialect|local dialect]]</ref> is a city in the eastern [[Guangdong]] [[province of China]]. It borders [[Shantou]] to the south, [[Jieyang]] to the southwest, [[Meizhou]] to the northwest, the province of [[Fujian]] to the east, and the [[South China Sea]] to the southeast. It is administered as a [[prefecture-level city]] with a jurisdiction area of {{convert|3110|km2|abbr=on}} and a total population of 2,568,387. It is also the ancestral hometown of 2.7 million overseas Teochow people.<ref>{{Cite web |title=潮州市文化旅游资源简介 - 潮州市人民政府门户网站 |url=https://www.chaozhou.gov.cn/zjcz/czly/lygk/content/post_3887136.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=www.chaozhou.gov.cn}}</ref>

Along with Shantou and Jieyang, Chaozhou is a cultural center of the [[Chaoshan]] region.
{{TOC limit|2}}

==History==
{{Gallery|File:National Museum of China 2014.02.01 15-35-34.jpg|Pottery Dou ({{lang|zh-Hans|陶豆}}), a food or ritual vessel from the pre-[[Qin dynasty|Qin]] period, unearthed in Qiaotou Township, Fubin Town, Raoping County in 1974|File:National Museum of China 2014.02.01 15-36-04.jpg|Pottery jar, unearthed in Qiaotou Township, Fubin Town, Raoping County in 1974|width=250|height=}}The Chenqiaobei Hill Site was discovered in the west of Chaozhou City. The unearthed cultural relics show that the ancestors of Chaozhou had already started a life of fishing, farming and hunting about 6,000-5,000 years ago.<ref>{{Cite web |title=解密潮州历史文化(1)-潮州新闻网-潮州日报官方网站 |url=https://www.chaozhoudaily.com/content/202408/29/c26017557.html |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=www.chaozhoudaily.com}}</ref> During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, the Fubin Culture in Raoping was a representative example, indicating that this place had entered the bronze and agricultural civilization.<ref>{{cite web |author=曾楚楠 |date=2005-08-10 |title=潮州文化的地域特色 |url=http://www.chaozhouqw.gov.cn/wenhua/wfcz/tswf/200508/595.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203165335/http://www.chaozhouqw.gov.cn/wenhua/wfcz/tswf/200508/595.html |archivedate=2008-12-03 |publisher=潮州日报 |language=zh-hans}}</ref> 

In 214 BC, Chaozhou was an undeveloped part of [[Nanhai Commandery]] of the [[Qin dynasty]]. In 331{{Citation needed|date=June 2010}} during the [[Eastern Jin dynasty]], [[Haiyang District|Haiyang]] ({{lang|zh-hant|海陽縣}}) was established as a part of [[Dongguan Commandery]] ({{lang|zh-hant|東官郡}}).

The Dongguan Commandery was renamed [[Yi'an Commandery]] ({{lang|zh-hant|義安郡}}) in 413. The commandery became a [[prefecture]] in 590 during the early [[Sui dynasty]], first as Xun Prefecture ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=循州 |p=Xúnzhōu}}), then as Chao Prefecture ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=潮州 |p=Cháozhōu}}) in the following year. In 1914, the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] government combined the Chao and Xun prefectures into Chaoxun Prefecture or Chaoxun [[Circuit (political division)|Circuit]] ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=潮循道}}).

For a short while in the [[Sui dynasty|Sui]] and early [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] dynasties, [[Haiyang District]] was called [[Yi'an District]] ({{lang|zh-hant|義安縣}}). The name remained Haiyang until 1914, when it was renamed to [[Chao'an County]] ({{lang|zh-hant|潮安縣}}) to avoid ambiguity with the [[Haiyang County]], [[Shandong]].

===Modern era===
The seat of the 1951 Guangdong People's Government was in Chao'an County. Part of the county was converted into Chao'an City in 1953, and was renamed Chaozhou City (county-level) later that year. In 1955, the provincial seat moved to [[Shantou]]; the city was abolished five years later, and was reestablished in 1979. In 1983, the situation was reversed, as Chao'an was merged into Chaozhou City. Chaozhou was made a provincially-administered city in January 1989, and a [[vice-prefecture-level city]] in January 1990. In December 1991, Chaozhou was further upgraded to its current statue of [[prefecture-level city]].

Chaozhou and the nearby cities of Shantou and [[Jieyang]] are collectively called [[Chaoshan]] or Teochew.  From 1958 until 1983, this name was used for the joint political-administrative area which encompassed the three cities. For the next five years, Shantou City was a higher-level city, containing Chaozhou and Jieyang within it. Currently, Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang are equal in status.

In 2022, the city's 5-year plan has detailed the realization of a 43.3-gigawatt [[offshore wind power|offshore windfarm]] located between 47 and 115 miles (75 and 185&nbsp;km) off the city's coast.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/a-city-in-china-is-planning-an-offshore-wind-farm-so-big-it-could-power-all-of-norway/|title=A City in China is Planning an Offshore Wind Farm So Big It Could Power All of Norway|date=October 26, 2022|publisher=[[GoodNewsNetwork]]|author-first1=Andy|author-last1=Corbley}}</ref>

==Geography==
Chaozhou is located in the easternmost part of the [[Guangdong]] Province, north of the coastal [[Shantou]] City. It is situated north of the delta of the [[Han River (Guangdong)|Han River]], which flows throughout the city.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chaozhou Government |title=natural geography |url=https://www.chaozhou.gov.cn/sqgm/zrdl/index.html | publisher=Chaozhou Government}}</ref>

The Chaozhou territory is mountainous. In particular, the nearby [[Phoenix Mountain (Guangdong)|Phoenix Mountain]]'s peak is located {{convert|1497|m|ft|0|sp=us}} above sea level. The main nearby rivers are the Huanggang River and the Han River. The Han River flows from west to southeast, and ramps through downtown Chaozhou; the Huanggang river flows roughly from north to south through the territory of Raoping, emptying into the sea. These two rivers provide abundant water for Chaozhou.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.map-china.com/guangdong-s-ow.shtml.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621044129/http://www.map-china.com/guangdong-s-ow.shtml.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 21, 2010|title=Guangdong Province Map|publisher=Lutu Corporation|access-date=28 June 2015}}</ref> Hills account for 65% of the total land area within the city, mainly in Raoping and Northern Chaoan. To the north of the city, there is a wide mountainous area suitable for tea cultivation; the lower-altitude areas nearby are mainly suitable for growing bamboo, peach, plum, olive, and pineapple. On the banks of the Han River, there is fertile land used for rice, sweet potato, peanut, soybean, carrot, orange, peach, and banana cultivation.

The three peaks of Jinshan ({{lang|zh|巾山}}), Mingshan ({{lang|zh|明山}}), and Dushan ({{lang|zh-Hans|独山}}) are collectively known as the ''Sanshan Guowang'' ({{lang-zh|labels=no|t=三山國王}}) or [[Lords of the Three Mountains]], and are venerated in temples, particularly by the [[Hakka people]] worldwide.<ref>Asian Folk Religion and Cultural Interaction, Yoshihiro Nikaidō, p. 190</ref>

<gallery widths="180px">
File:Chaozhou Xiashuimen.jpg|The Lower Water (Xiashui) Gate and ruins of city wall of Chaozhou.
File:Chaozhou streetscape.jpg|A street in Chaozhou
File:Chaozhou Han River.jpeg|[[Han River (Guangdong)|Han River]]
File:潮州市人民政府大门.jpeg|Chaozhou Municipal People's Government
</gallery>

==Climate==
{{Weather box
|width=auto
|location = Chaozhou, elevation {{convert|61|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|collapsed = Y
|Jan high C =  19.8
|Feb high C =  20.3
|Mar high C =  22.4
|Apr high C =  26.3
|May high C =  29.5
|Jun high C =  31.8
|Jul high C =  33.5
|Aug high C =  33.3
|Sep high C =  32.3
|Oct high C =  29.9
|Nov high C =  26.3
|Dec high C =  21.8
|Jan mean C =  14.7
|Feb mean C =  15.5
|Mar mean C =  17.8
|Apr mean C =  21.9
|May mean C =  25.4
|Jun mean C =  27.8
|Jul mean C =  29.1
|Aug mean C =  28.7
|Sep mean C =  27.7
|Oct mean C =  24.9
|Nov mean C =  21.1
|Dec mean C =  16.5
|Jan low C =  11.3
|Feb low C =  12.4
|Mar low C =  14.8
|Apr low C =  18.8
|May low C =  22.5
|Jun low C =  25.1
|Jul low C =  25.9
|Aug low C =  25.6
|Sep low C =  24.4
|Oct low C =  21.3
|Nov low C =  17.4
|Dec low C =  12.9
|Jan record high C = 29.5 |Jan record low C = 2.5
|Feb record high C = 30.7 |Feb record low C = 3.8
|Mar record high C = 33.3 |Mar record low C = 5.2
|Apr record high C = 35.0 |Apr record low C = 9.5
|May record high C = 35.8 |May record low C = 16.0
|Jun record high C = 37.7 |Jun record low C = 18.9
|Jul record high C = 39.4 |Jul record low C = 22.9
|Aug record high C = 38.5 |Aug record low C = 22.6
|Sep record high C = 37.6 |Sep record low C = 17.8
|Oct record high C = 37.2 |Oct record low C = 13.1
|Nov record high C = 34.0 |Nov record low C = 6.9
|Dec record high C = 29.9 |Dec record low C = 2.1
|year high C= |year low C=
|year high F = |year low F =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm =  40.4
|Feb precipitation mm =  52.9
|Mar precipitation mm =  102.2
|Apr precipitation mm =  147.8
|May precipitation mm =  195.3
|Jun precipitation mm =  322.0
|Jul precipitation mm =  270.8
|Aug precipitation mm =  291.7
|Sep precipitation mm =  183.0
|Oct precipitation mm =  27.7
|Nov precipitation mm =  40.4
|Dec precipitation mm =  37.4
|Jan humidity =  74
|Feb humidity =  77
|Mar humidity =  78
|Apr humidity =  79
|May humidity =  80
|Jun humidity =  82
|Jul humidity =  79
|Aug humidity =  80
|Sep humidity =  77
|Oct humidity =  71
|Nov humidity =  72
|Dec humidity =  71
|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
|Jan precipitation days =  6.3
|Feb precipitation days =  9.5
|Mar precipitation days =  12.3
|Apr precipitation days =  12.9
|May precipitation days =  16.4
|Jun precipitation days =  18.9
|Jul precipitation days =  15.2
|Aug precipitation days =  16.3
|Sep precipitation days =  11.1
|Oct precipitation days =  3.9
|Nov precipitation days =  4.9
|Dec precipitation days =  6.2
|year precipitation days = 
|Jan sun =  151.4
|Feb sun =  112.0
|Mar sun =  111.2
|Apr sun =  120.2
|May sun =  144.5
|Jun sun =  161.3
|Jul sun =  228.5
|Aug sun =  205.3
|Sep sun =  200.4
|Oct sun =  205.9
|Nov sun =  182.7
|Dec sun =  168.8
|year sun = 
| Jan percentsun =  45
| Feb percentsun =  35
| Mar percentsun =  30
| Apr percentsun =  32
| May percentsun =  35
| Jun percentsun =  40
| Jul percentsun =  55
| Aug percentsun =  52
| Sep percentsun =  55
| Oct percentsun =  58
| Nov percentsun =  56
| Dec percentsun =  51
| year percentsun =
|source 1 = [[China Meteorological Administration]]<ref name="cma graphical">{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data |publisher=[[China Meteorological Administration]] |language = zh-hans |access-date=28 May 2023}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web|url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网|publisher=[[China Meteorological Administration]] |language = zh-hans | access-date =28 May 2023 |title=Experience Template }}</ref>
}}

==Administrative divisions==
Chaozhou's [[prefecture-level city|municipal]] executive, legislature and [[Intermediate People's Court|judiciary]] are situated in [[Xiangqiao District]], together with its [[Communist Party of China|CPC]] and [[Public security bureau (China)|Public Security bureau]].

{|class="wikitable collapsible" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto; width:90%; text-align:center;"
!colspan="6"| Map
|-
|colspan="6" | <div style="position: relative" class="center">
{{Image label begin|image=Administrative Division Chaozhou 2.png|width=420|link=}}
{{Image label|x=260|y=550|scale=420/750|text=[[Xiangqiao District|'''Xiangqiao''']]}}
{{Image label|x=170|y=430|scale=420/750|text=[[Chao'an District|'''Chao'an''']]}}
{{Image label|x=400|y=360|scale=420/750|text=[[Raoping County|'''Raoping<br />County''']]}}
{{Image label|x=160|y=580|scale=420/750|text=[[Fengxi District|{{small|'''''Fengxi'''''}}]]}}
{{Image label end}}
</div>
|-
! Name
! Simplified Chinese
! Hanyu Pinyin
! Population<br />{{nowrap|(2010 census)}}
! Area<br />(km<sup>2</sup>)
! Density<br />(/km<sup>2</sup>)
|-
|[[Xiangqiao District]]
|{{lang|zh-hans|湘桥区}}
|Xiāngqiáo Qū
|575,795
|152.50
|1,770
|-
|[[Chao'an District]]
|{{lang|zh-hans|潮安区}}
|Cháo'ān Qū
|1,335,398
|1,261.34
|1059
|-
|[[Raoping County]]
|{{lang|zh-hans|饶平县}}
|Ráopíng Xiàn
|881,974
|1,732.07
|520
|}

==Language==
{{main|Teochew dialect}}
The [[Teochew dialect]] ({{lang-zh|t=潮州話|labels=no}}), by which the Chaozhou culture is conveyed, is a dialect of [[Southern Min]]. It is one of the most conservative Chinese dialects because it preserves many [[Old Chinese]] pronunciations and vocabulary that have been lost in some of the other modern [[varieties of Chinese]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o-Fiq1Ct4OIC&q=chaozhou+most+conservative+chinese+dialect&pg=PA111|title=Nominalization in Asian Languages: Diachronic and typological perspectives|page=11|editor1-last=Yap|editor1-first=Foong Ha|editor2-last=Grunow-Hårsta|editor2-first=Karen|editor3-last=Wrona|editor3-first=Janick|publisher=[[John Benjamins Publishing Company]]|year=2011|isbn=978-9027206770}}</ref>

The dialect is spoken by about 10 million people in Chaozhou and approximately 2–5 million people overseas. Teochew people are the largest ethnic Chinese group in [[Thailand]] and [[Cambodia]], and the second largest ethnic Chinese group in [[Singapore]], after the [[Hoklo people|Hokkien]]. However, in Singapore, [[Standard Mandarin|Mandarin]] is gradually supplanting the Teochew topolect as the mother tongue for this group, especially among younger generations.

== Education ==
[[File:Hanshan Normal University - West Gate.jpg|thumb|right|The west gate of [[Hanshan Normal University]]]]
* [[Hanshan Normal University]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chinatefl.com/guangdong/study/HanshanTC.htm|title=Hanshan Normal University|publisher=China TEFL|access-date=2 September 2020|archive-date=11 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211175138/http://www.chinatefl.com/guangdong/study/HanshanTC.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Chaozhou Radio and TV University<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chaozhou.xuexiaodaquan.com/xuexiao/1506394.html |title=潮州广播电视大学|website=xuexiaodaquan.com|access-date=2 September 2020|language=zh}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[Image:Chaozhou Opera-Menglikung.jpg|thumb|right|225px|Chaozhou Opera]]
Chaozhou is famously known as a globally renowned cultural center of the [[Lingnan]] region of China. Throughout China's turbulent history, the Chaozhou region was nonetheless able to flourish and thrive, enabling the nourishing of a unique and distinctive character epitomized in the city's native [[Teochew dialect|dialect]], ceramics, opera, [[Chaozhou cuisine|cuisine]], Fenghuang Dancong tea, music, style of lion dance, embroidery and another needlework called drawnwork.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chaozhou {{!}} China {{!}} Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Chaozhou|access-date=2021-11-29|website=www.britannica.com|language=en}}</ref>

[[Chaozhou opera]] ({{lang-zh|t=潮劇|labels=no}}) is a traditional art form which has a history of more than 500 years and is now appreciated by 20 million Chaozhou natives in over 20 countries and regions. Based on the local folk dances and ballads, Chaozhou opera has formed its own style under the influence of [[Nanxi (Chinese opera)|Nanxi Opera]]. Nanxi is one of the oldest Chinese operas and originated in the [[Song dynasty]]. Clowns and females are the most distinctive characters in a Chaozhou opera, and fan-playing and acrobatic skills are more prominent than in other types of performances.

[[Gongfu tea ceremony|Kung fu tea]], the 'espresso' of Chinese teas with a formidable kick, which was first created in the [[Song dynasty]], is still flourishing and remains an important part of social etiquette in Chaozhou. Visitors to local families can be sure of at least one round of Kung Fu {{clarify|date=March 2014}} tea. Though it tastes bitter when it first reaches the mouth, Kung Fu tea renowned for its lingering aftertaste.

At the local teahouse, tea service is often accompanied by Chaozhou music. [[Chaozhou xianshi|String music]], gong and drum music and the ancient music of set flutes<!--what are "set flutes"? This is a poor translation--> are the traditional forms of Chaozhou music. Chaozhou string music is made up of mostly plucked and bowed string instruments, and on some occasions, wind instruments are used. The most characteristic instruments are the ''rihin''<!--where does the romanization "rihin" come from?--> ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=二弦}}), ''[[Tihu (instrument)|tihu]]'', ''[[yehu]]'' (all two-stringed bowed lutes), and the ''[[sanxian]]'', ''[[pipa]]'', ''[[Ruan (instrument)|ruan]]'', ''[[guzheng]]'', and ''[[yangqin]]''. The number of instruments and performers in an ensemble is flexible and depends on the availability of instruments and musicians to play them – but to have an even and balanced texture, only one of each instrument is preferred. Chaozhou drum music ensembles includes the big drum and gong, the small drum and gong, the dizi set, drum and gong and su, drum and gong combinations. The current Chaozhou drum music is said to be similar to the form of drum and wind music during the Han and Tang dynasties. The Chaozhou ''[[guzheng]]'' and ''[[erhu]]'' are also regarded as major members of the southern instrument family.

The region is most widely known for the origin of '[[Bak Kut Teh]]' ({{lang-zh|labels=no|t=肉骨茶}}), loosely translated in dialect as 'Meat Bone Tea', which is a popular dish among the overseas Chinese Teochew community in Singapore and Malaysia. Owing to its coastal geography, Chaozhou is also famed for its seafood soups, and a porridge called "mue" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|t=潮洲糜}}).

==Tourism==
Chaozhou is a famous historical and cultural center of the Chaoshan region. The city, known as the "Classic [[Tourist city|Tourist City]]", constantly welcomes thousands of tourists a day. There are over 600 valuable historic relics kept in Chaozhou city. Among them, 42 are classified under the state, provincial and city's key preservation units of cultural relics. The [[Teochew dialect|Chaozhou Dialect]], [[Chaozhou Opera]], Chaozhou [[Chinese tea ceremony|Ganghu tea]], etc. are unique features of Chaozhou culture. Several historically significant attractions are below.
* [[Guangji Bridge (Chaozhou)|Guangji Bridge]], built in the [[Southern Song dynasty]] (1170 A.D.).
* [[Kaiyuan Temple (Chaozhou)|Kaiyuan Temple]], a Buddhist center embodied with the quintessence of the architectural art of various dynasties such as the Tang, the Song, the Yuan and the Qing. This temple is over 200 years old. The temple is also home to the largest Buddhist Institute in Southeast China. Inside, handsome calligraphy and inscribed steles remind visitors that this temple once functioned as the record keeper of the city.
* {{ill|Residence of the Imperial Son Xu|zh|许驸马府}}, which retains the basic pattern of the architecture of the Song dynasty.
* [[Jiadi Alley]] ({{lang|zh|甲第巷}}), the ancient family houses.
* [[Beige Fodeng]], The Lighthouse of Buddha ({{lang|zh-hant|北閣佛燈}}). The lighthouse was used for boats on the Han River, as this part of the river is dangerous. It is said that a former emperor once passed the area in his "dragon boat" while he was sleeping and was woken up by the light from the lighthouse. He thought that the light was sent by a bodhisattva and therefore named it the "Lighthouse of Buddha".
* [[Huang Jilue Temple]] ({{lang|zh-hant|己略黃公祠}}), displaying the wood carving art of Chaozhou in the Qing dynasty.
* The old site of the [[Song Kiln]], that shows the scale of production and the exquisite craftsmanship of ceramic in ancient Chaozhou.
* The {{convert|2.6|km|mi|sp=us|adj=mid|-long}} [[Ming city wall]] ({{lang|zh-hant|明城牆 }}).
* [[Xi Hu Yuan]], a museum in the main city park, has a unique collection of stones with natural geological markings representing (or resembling) Chinese characters.

<gallery widths="140px">
File:Chaozhou Kaiyuan Si 2013.10.26 14-16-40.jpg|The Dabei Hall of [[Kaiyuan Temple (Chaozhou)|Kaiyuan Temple]]
File:许驸马府.JPG|Interior of the {{ill|Residence of the Imperial Son Xu|zh|许驸马府}}
File:Huang Jilue Temple.jpg|Huang Jilue Temple
File:Confucianism school of Haiyang County.JPG|Haiyang Xuegong (Haiyang Confucianism school)
File:Chaozhou Jiadiwan.jpg|Jiadi Alley in the preservation area of Chaozhou old town
File:Lishizongci Chaozhou.jpg|The Ancestral Temple of Li Clan
File:潮州人民广场音乐喷泉.jpeg|Chaozhou People's Square [[musical fountain]]
</gallery>

== Media ==
=== Newspaper ===
[[File:潮州日报大厦.jpeg|thumb|right|Chaozhou Daily building]]
* Chaozhou Daily

=== Radio and television ===
[[File:CZBTV Building.jpeg|thumb|right|Chaozhou Broadcasting Television Center]]
* Chaozhou Broadcast Television, CZBTV
** Chaozhou Television
** Radio Chaozhou

==Chaozhou communities==
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2015}}
* The township of [[Chaojhou, Pingtung|Chaozhou]] in western [[Pingtung County]], [[Taiwan]] is named after Chaozhou.
* The Chaozhou people form the second largest group amongst the ethnic Chinese in [[Singapore]], after the [[Hoklo|Hokkien]], comprising 21% of [[Chinese Singaporean]]s. Teochew was originally the dominant language amongst the Chinese immigrants in Singapore, until it was superseded by the Hokkiens due to later immigration flows. Concentrations of Chaozhou people once settled along the banks of the [[Singapore River]] as well as the [[Straits of Johor]], until urban development and the redistribution of the people in [[public housing in Singapore|public housing development]] diluted this geographic trend, although they are still known to concentrate in the northeast such as in [[Hougang]]. Traditional commercial sectors of Chinatown once dominated by Teochews include Circular Road and South Bridge Road. Chaozhou peoples also founded rural settlements and were active in the plantation industry, and gave rise to modern place names such as [[Choa Chu Kang]], [[Lim Chu Kang]] and [[Yio Chu Kang]]. Today, the Chaozhou people continue to be represented by various clans, one of the most prominent being the [[Ngee Ann Kongsi]], which built schools such as the [[Ngee Ann Secondary School]] and [[Ngee Ann Polytechnic]], maintains the oldest Teochew temple in Singapore, [[Yueh Hai Ching Temple]], and also went into real-estate ([[Ngee Ann City]]). Much effort has been made to preserve their distinct identity and culture under the dominant influence of the Hokkien community, including through the airing of a popular television drama, ''[[The Teochew Family]]'' in 1995 by [[Mediacorp|MediaCorp]]'s [[Channel 8 (Singaporean TV channel)|Channel 8]].
* There is a large number of Teochew people in [[Penang]], [[Malaysia]]. In the early 19th century, some Teochew people settled here, and in 1855 they founded the Teochew Association, which also includes a temple in Chulia Street, [[George Town, Penang|George Town]]. The community continued to grow; in 1919 a school named after the [[Han River (Guangdong)|Han River]], [[Han Chiang School]], was founded to provide education for the people. Today, during larger occasions, the Teochew community still holds Teochew operas here. Han Chiang School went on to become one of the most famous education institutions in Penang. It comprises three schools: [[SJK(C) Han Chiang]], [[Han Chiang High School]] and [[Han Chiang College]].
* There is a large population of Chaozhou people in [[Hong Kong]]. When mainland China opened its borders to Hong Kong in the 1950s, there was an exodus of refugees into Hong Kong fleeing communist rule. Refugees from Chaozhou banded together in very tight communities and were known to be very generous towards helping refugees from their own regions. They spoke their own Teochew dialect amongst themselves, which made them stand out among locals, given the dominant dialect was Cantonese in Hong Kong. Locals called them by the name "Chiu Chow Loun", Chiu Chow being the Cantonese pronunciation of Chaozhou. Teo Chew Nang is the Teochew pronunciation of the word "Teochew people". Teochews were known to be very hardworking people, and good at running small businesses. Back in the 1960s, most "rice stores" (grocery stores for dried food and uncooked rice) in Hong Kong were owned by Chiu Chow Loun. Decades and generations later, the children of these immigrants have blended into Hong Kong society. Large corporation-run supermarkets drove many independent Chiu Chow "rice stores" out of business. ] Chiu Chow Loun no longer stands out as a distinct community in Hong Kong, though they are still very active in organizing charity activities, especially around the "[[Zhong Yuan festival]]" in the seventh month of the Chinese calendar.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sparks |first=Douglas W. |date=1972 |title=The Teochiu: Ethnicity in Urban Hong Kong |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23886744 |journal=Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society |volume=16 |pages=25–56 |jstor=23886744 }}</ref>
* 70% of the population of [[Kowloon Walled City]] (formerly located in Hong Kong) was Chiu Chow.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lee |first=Jung Joon |date=2016 |title=Kowloon Walled City Revisited: Photography and Postcoloniality in the City of Darkness |journal=Trans Asia Photography |volume=6 |issue=2 |doi=10.1215/215820251_6-2-202 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
* There is a large population of Chaozhou people in [[Pontianak, Indonesia|Pontianak]] and [[Ketapang]], Indonesia, as they are the dominant Chinese group in these areas. Teochew is the main lingua franca used among the Chinese here.
* There is a large population of Chaozhou people in Cambodia, where they have been residents for generations. Most of the trade in Cambodia, even in small towns, is dominated by Teochews. Most of the business and professional classes in Cambodia can trace their ancestry to Chaozhou. The Teochew community associations are engaged in managing their own schools, pagodas and charities. 
* There is also a large population of Chaozhou people in Thailand. Thailand has had a long history of business and trade with Teochew merchants. Many of the major business families in Thailand can trace their roots to Chaozhou. There are also many instances in the Thai language where Teochew words have been adopted as part of daily use.
* There is also a large population of Teochew nang ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=潮州人}}; Teochew people) settled in Vietnam, especially in Saigon's districts 5 and 6. Outside of Saigon, Teochews settled in all six counties of the Mekong Delta. The majority of Teochew nang live in places such as Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Rach Gia. It was once said in Vietnamese "Dưới sông cá chốt trên bờ Triều Châu" meaning that the Teochew nang were as abundant as that of fishes in the river of Bac Lieu & Ca Mau areas. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, the victorious communist Vietnamese confiscated many assets of the wealthy, including those of the Teochew nang. They were then forced by the Communist government to resettle in what was called "kinh tế mới", or new economic zone, which was uninhabited farmland. Since 1975, many hundreds of thousands of Teochew nang have left Vietnam as "boat people" or refugees. Most resettled in the US, Australia and various countries in the European Union.

== Demographics ==
According to the [[2020 Chinese census|Seventh National Census]] in 2020, the city's Permanent Population ([[hukou]]) was 2,568,387.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=潮州市第七次全国人口普查公报 - 潮州市人民政府门户网站 |url=https://www.chaozhou.gov.cn/zwgk/tjxx/tjnj/content/post_3718646.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=www.chaozhou.gov.cn}}</ref> Compared with the 2,669,844 people in the [[2010 Chinese census|Sixth National Census]] in 2010, the total number of people decreased by 101,457 or 3.80% over the decade.<ref name=":0" />

== Sister cities ==
* [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]] (2005-11-25)
* [[13th arrondissement of Paris]], France (2009-05-15)
* [[Xiamen]], China (2013-07-24)
* [[San Francisco]], United States (2013-11-22)

==Notable people==
* [[Howard Cai]] (born 1945) – food critic
* [[Li Ka-shing]]

==See also==
* [[Chaozhou cuisine]], the cooking style originating from Chaozhou.
* [[Dawu Clay Sculpture]], a famous folk art in Chaozhou.
* [[Teochew dialect]], the dialect spoken in Chaozhou.
* [[Teochew people]], history of the people from Chaozhou.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Chaozhou}}
* {{wikivoyage inline|Chaozhou}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090501221309/http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/teochew/ UC Los Angeles Teo-Chew Association]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090209015510/http://www.ucbtca.org/ UC Berkeley Teo-Chew Association]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180803074956/http://www.chaozhou.gov.cn/ Government website of Chaozhou] {{in lang|zh-hans}}

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