Humen Strait
| Humen Strait | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 虎門 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 虎门 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | Tiger Gate | ||||||
| |||||||
Humen Strait (Chinese: 虎门, historically known in European maps as Boca do Tigre, Bogue, or Bocca Tigris) is a narrow strait in the Pearl River Delta that separates Shiziyang in the north and Lingdingyang in the south, near Humen (town), Guangdong Province, China, where the Pearl River discharges into the South China Sea. The strait is formed by the islands of Chuanbi or Chuenpee (穿鼻) and Aniangxie or Anunghoy (阿娘鞋, also known as 威远; pinyin: Weiyuan) on the eastern side and Tycocktow (大角头; pinyin: Dajiaotou) on the western side.[1] Since 1997, the strait has been traversed by the Humen Pearl River Bridge.
History
Because of its strategic location as the naval gateway to the city of Guangzhou, the strait was traditionally fortified. It was the site of several major battles in the First Opium War including the Battle of the Bogue in 1841.
Geography
- Western shore: the Nansha District of Guangzhou City
- Eastern shore: Humen Town in Dongguan City
- Upper and Lower Hengdang Islands (横档岛), or Wangtong Islands, in the middle of the Bocca Tigris
Features
- Humen Pearl River Bridge
- Several Qing dynasty forts, including:
- Weiyuan Fort (威遠炮台), in Humen Town
- Shajiao Fort (沙角炮台), in Humen Town
- Nansha Pier (新南沙客运港), in the Nansha District, 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) south of Humen Bridge
See also
- First Battle of Chuenpee (3 November 1839)
- Second Battle of Chuenpee (7 January 1841)
- Battle of the Bogue (23–26 February 1841)
- Treaty of the Bogue (1843)
References
- ↑ Bingham, J. Elliot (1843). Narrative of the Expedition to China from the Commencement of the War to Its Termination in 1842 (2nd ed.). Volume 2. p. 3.
External links
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Coordinates: 22°47′36″N 113°35′52″E / 22.7933°N 113.5979°E