View source for Shangchuan Island

{{Short description|Island off the coast of Guangdong Province, China}}
[[File:中国广东省江门市台山上川岛 China Guangdong Province, Jiangmen City - panoramio (10).jpg|thumb|Flying Sand Beach ({{zh|c=飞沙滩|labels=no}}) on the eastern coast of Shangchuan Island.]]
'''Shangchuan Island''' ({{zh|c=上川岛|p=Shàngchuāndǎo}}, also known as "Schangschwan", "Sancian", "Sanchão", "Chang-Chuang", "St. John's Island" or "St John Island"<ref name="cc">{{cite web|location=[[Washington, D. C.]]|url=http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/china/txu-oclc-10552568-nf49-12.jpg|title=NF 49-12 CH'IH-CH'I|language=en,zh|date=1954|via=[[Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection]]|publisher=[[Army Map Service]]|quote=SHANG-CH'UAN (ST JOHN ISLAND) {{lang|zh|上川}}}}</ref>) is the main island of [[Chuanshan Archipelago]] on the southern coast of [[Guangdong]], [[China]].

Administratively, it is a part of [[Chuanshan Archipelago|Chuandao]] ({{zh|c=川岛镇|labels=no}}), [[Taishan, Guangdong|Taishan]]. Located {{convert|14|km|sp=us}} from the mainland, it became the largest island in Guangdong after [[Hainan]] Island (the largest island in the country) was carved out of the province in 1988.

The area of the island is {{convert|139.87|km2|sp=us}}, and has a population of 16,320.

It is known for having been the place of death of St. [[Francis Xavier]]. Nowadays, it is a tourist site in Guangdong.
{{TOC limit|2}}

==History==
[[File:Muerte de san Francisco Javier.jpg|thumb|upright|Painting of the death of St. [[Francis Xavier]] by [[Francisco Goya]].]]
[[File:Chapel of the Tomb of St Francis Xavier at Shangchuan Dao.jpg|thumb|Plan of the Chapel of the Tomb of St Francis Xavier at Shangchuan Dao, by Achille-Antoine Hermitte. Completed in 1869.]]
The island was called Shangchuan Shan ({{lang|zh|上川山}}) in the Ming dynasty, as recorded in the ''Records of the Unity of the Great Ming'' ({{lang|zh|大明一統志}}) published in 1461.<ref>{{cite book|year=1461|title=Da Ming Yitong Zhi ''(大明一統志)''|trans-title=Records of the Unity of the Great Ming|volume=79|language=zh|url=https://rbook.ncl.edu.tw/NCLSearch/Search/SearchDetail?item=3d84528db89c41a1a26d328bc60fd190fDYyOTQz0&page=&whereString=&sourceWhereString=&SourceID=0&HasImage=}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Shi Weile|year=2005|title=Zhongguo Lishi Diming Da Cidian ''(中国历史地名大词典)''|trans-title=Dictionary of Chinese Historical Place Names|publisher=China Social Sciences Press|isbn=7-5004-4929-1|pages=173|language=zh}}</ref>

Shangchuan Island was one of the first bases established by the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] off the China coast, during the 16th century. They abandoned this base after the Chinese government gave consent for a permanent and official Portuguese trade base at [[Macau]] in 1557.

The [[Spanish people|Spanish]] ([[Kingdom_of_Navarre|Navarrese]]) [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] [[missionary]] St. [[Francis Xavier]] died on the island on December 3, 1552, as he was waiting for a ship to take him to mainland China.
There is [[Achille-Antoine Hermitte#Chapel of the Tomb of St Francis Xavier|a small chapel]] that commemorates his death place, designed by [[Achille-Antoine Hermitte]] and completed in 1869.<ref>{{citation |title=Achille-Antoine Hermitte's Surviving Building / 阿基里‧ 安當‧ 埃爾米特的倖存建築 |page=98 |last1=Davies |last2=戴偉思  |first1=Stephen|journal=Journal of the [[Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch]] |volume=56 |year=2016 |publisher=Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch |jstor=jroyaaisasocihkb.56.92}}</ref>

==Geography==

The island has been isolated from the mainland since the last [[ice age]]. It is located near [[Xiachuan Island]], which lies west of Shangchuan. The two islands, together with smaller islets, form [[Chuanshan Archipelago]].

Shangshuan Island has an area of 137.3&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> and a 217&nbsp;km coastline.

Settlements on the island include:
* [[Dalangwan]]
* [[Shadi, Guangdong|Shadi]] ({{zh|c=沙堤|labels=no}}), a fishing port on the southwestern coast

==Climate==

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location = Shangchuan Island, elevation {{convert|22|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)
|Jan high C = 	18.6
|Feb high C = 	19.6
|Mar high C = 	22.3
|Apr high C = 	25.9
|May high C = 	29.2
|Jun high C = 	30.8
|Jul high C = 	31.4
|Aug high C = 	31.5
|Sep high C = 	30.6
|Oct high C = 	28.0
|Nov high C = 	24.5
|Dec high C = 	20.3
|Jan mean C = 	15.5
|Feb mean C = 	16.6
|Mar mean C = 	19.4
|Apr mean C = 	23.1
|May mean C = 	26.5
|Jun mean C = 	28.2
|Jul mean C = 	28.6
|Aug mean C = 	28.5
|Sep mean C = 	27.6
|Oct mean C = 	25.2
|Nov mean C = 	21.5
|Dec mean C = 	17.2
|Jan low C = 	13.4
|Feb low C = 	14.6
|Mar low C = 	17.3
|Apr low C = 	21.2
|May low C = 	24.5
|Jun low C = 	26.2
|Jul low C = 	26.4
|Aug low C = 	26.1
|Sep low C = 	25.3
|Oct low C = 	23.1
|Nov low C = 	19.4
|Dec low C = 	15.0
|Jan record high C = 27.2 |Jan record low C = 4.1
|Feb record high C = 27.9 |Feb record low C = 4.2
|Mar record high C = 29.6 |Mar record low C = 4.1
|Apr record high C = 31.9 |Apr record low C = 10.4
|May record high C = 35.0 |May record low C = 16.2
|Jun record high C = 35.4 |Jun record low C = 20.3
|Jul record high C = 37.0 |Jul record low C = 22.0
|Aug record high C = 35.9 |Aug record low C = 21.8
|Sep record high C = 35.9 |Sep record low C = 17.7
|Oct record high C = 33.1 |Oct record low C = 13.1
|Nov record high C = 31.7 |Nov record low C = 6.4
|Dec record high C = 28.2 |Dec record low C = 3.8
|year high C=  |year low C= 
|year high F = |year low F =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 	31.5
|Feb precipitation mm = 	37.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 	75.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 	165.1
|May precipitation mm = 	313.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 	451.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 	312.4
|Aug precipitation mm = 	393.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 	320.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 	118.5
|Nov precipitation mm = 	37.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 	32.0
|Jan humidity = 	76
|Feb humidity = 	82
|Mar humidity = 	86
|Apr humidity = 	87
|May humidity = 	85
|Jun humidity = 	85
|Jul humidity = 	84
|Aug humidity = 	85
|Sep humidity = 	81
|Oct humidity = 	75
|Nov humidity = 	74
|Dec humidity = 	71
|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm	
|Jan precipitation days = 	5.6
|Feb precipitation days = 	8.4
|Mar precipitation days = 	11.7
|Apr precipitation days = 	12.4
|May precipitation days = 	14.2
|Jun precipitation days = 	17.7
|Jul precipitation days = 	17.0
|Aug precipitation days = 	16.9
|Sep precipitation days = 	13.8
|Oct precipitation days = 	7.1
|Nov precipitation days = 	5.2
|Dec precipitation days = 	4.9
|year precipitation days = 	
|Jan sun = 	130.0
|Feb sun = 	95.0
|Mar sun = 	88.3
|Apr sun = 	113.0
|May sun = 	165.9
|Jun sun = 	182.2
|Jul sun = 	224.6
|Aug sun = 	200.0
|Sep sun = 	187.8
|Oct sun = 	198.6
|Nov sun = 	169.4
|Dec sun = 	154.2
|year sun = 	
| Jan percentsun = 	38
| Feb percentsun = 	29
| Mar percentsun = 	24
| Apr percentsun = 	30
| May percentsun = 	41
| Jun percentsun = 	45
| Jul percentsun = 	55
| Aug percentsun = 	51
| Sep percentsun = 	51
| Oct percentsun = 	55
| Nov percentsun = 	51
| Dec percentsun = 	46
| 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>
}}

==Economy==

Shangchuan and [[Xiachuan]] have been established as a Tourism Open Integrated Experimental Zone (旅游开发综合试验区, [[pinyin]]: ''lǚyóu kāifā zōnghé shìyàn qū'').

Feisha Beach Resort ({{lang|zh|飞沙滩旅游区}}) is a commercial tourist resort located on the island's eastern shore.

==Transportation==

Shangchuan Island is linked by ferry to [[Guanghai]], [[Haiyan, Taishan|Haiyan]] ([[Shanju]]) and [[Xiachuan Island]].
Shanzui Harbor provide ferry services between the islands and mainland.

==See also==
{{portal|Islands}}
* [[Chuanshan Archipelago]]
* [[Tamão]], [[Lampacau]], [[Shuangyu]]
* [[List of islands of the People's Republic of China]]
* [[List of islands in the South China Sea]]
* [[List of Jesuit sites]]

==Notes and references==
<references />

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Guillemin |first=Philippe François Zéphirin |author-link=Philippe François Zéphirin Guillemin |date=1870 |title=Lettres sur l'erection de la chapelle de S. François Xavier dans l'île de Sancian et autres faits récents de la mission. |language=French |url= |location=Rome |publisher=Imprimerie de la Propagande, P. Marietti |page= |isbn=}}
* Masson, Matthieu (2019), "Sancian: Landscape and Architecture in the Burial Place of St. Francis Xavier", ''Tianzhujiao Yanjiu Xuebao'' 天主教研究學報 n.10, 173–222.
* De Caro, Antonio (2025). “Pilgrims to Shangchuan Island: (Re-)Constructing a Holy Topography and Celebrating St. Francis Xavier (1688–1933)” in ''From Europe to Overseas: Saints, Martyrs, Heroes, Models and'' ''Soft Power in an Early Modern Global Perspective,'' edited by Michela Catto and Eleonora Rai. Refo500 Academic Studies series (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2025), 123–137. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.13109/9783666502057.123)

==External links==
{{commons category|Shangchuan Island}}

===General===
* {{cite journal |last1= Stuckey|first1= Peter |last2= Bailey|first2= Chris |year= 2002|title=Visiting St. John's Island|journal= Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch|volume=  42|pages= 435–448|url= http://hkjo.lib.hku.hk/archive/files/11c96c2f84fc6ca9d7c0676a5ab47b7f.pdf|issn= 1991-7295}}
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=21.672592,112.773972&spn=0.321590,0.467709&t=k&hl=en Satellite view on Google Maps]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100411055344/http://www.shangchuan.cn/ Website about Shangchuan]}} {{in lang|zh|en}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20051118162600/http://www.taishan.com/english/tour/island.htm Shangchuan on taishan.com]}} {{in lang|en}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120912184644/http://www.tsinfo.com.cn/en/4-03-01.htm on tsinfo.com.cn]}} {{in lang|en}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120716232608/http://www.tsinfo.com.cn/Disp.Aspx?ID=5301&ClassID=366 Pictures of the island]}} (click on the links on the left to view more)

===Maps===
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040312120411/http://www.portsmouthbookshop.com/MapPage/MapPages542xx/54282maca.htm Old map]}}

===Francis Xavier Chapel===
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20031016220801/http://www.jesuites.com/xavier/images/sancian_maxi.jpg Picture of Shangchuan island. The chapel marks the location of Francis Xavier's death]}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130724170140/http://www.tsinfo.com.cn/UploadFiles/2005/02/22/022211304125023.jpg Another picture of the chapel]}}
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=21.748882,112.774755&spn=0.001335,0.004206&z=18 Satellite view of the chapel]

{{coord|21|39|55|N|112|47|44|E|region:CN-44_type:isle|display=title}}
{{Islands of Guangdong}}

[[Category:Taishan, Guangdong]]
[[Category:Islands of Guangdong]]
[[Category:Islands of the South China Sea]]
[[Category:Populated places in China]]
[[Category:Islands of China]]