São João Island
Administratively, it is a part of Chuandao (川岛镇), Taishan. Located 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) 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 139.87 square kilometers (54.00 sq mi), 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.
History
The island was called Shangchuan Shan (上川山) in the Ming dynasty, as recorded in the Records of the Unity of the Great Ming (大明一統志) published in 1461.
Shangchuan Island was one of the first bases established by the 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 (Navarre) 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 a small chapel that commemorates his death place, designed by Achille-Antoine Hermitte and completed in 1869.
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 km and a 217 km coastline.
Settlements on the island include:
Climate
| Climate data for Shangchuan Island (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 27.2 (81.0) |
27.9 (82.2) |
29.6 (85.3) |
31.9 (89.4) |
35.0 (95.0) |
35.4 (95.7) |
37.0 (98.6) |
35.9 (96.6) |
35.9 (96.6) |
33.1 (91.6) |
31.7 (89.1) |
28.2 (82.8) |
37.0 (98.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 18.6 (65.5) |
19.6 (67.3) |
22.3 (72.1) |
25.9 (78.6) |
29.2 (84.6) |
30.8 (87.4) |
31.4 (88.5) |
31.5 (88.7) |
30.6 (87.1) |
28.0 (82.4) |
24.5 (76.1) |
20.3 (68.5) |
26.1 (78.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 15.5 (59.9) |
16.6 (61.9) |
19.4 (66.9) |
23.1 (73.6) |
26.5 (79.7) |
28.2 (82.8) |
28.6 (83.5) |
28.5 (83.3) |
27.6 (81.7) |
25.2 (77.4) |
21.5 (70.7) |
17.2 (63.0) |
23.2 (73.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.4 (56.1) |
14.6 (58.3) |
17.3 (63.1) |
21.2 (70.2) |
24.5 (76.1) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.1 (79.0) |
25.3 (77.5) |
23.1 (73.6) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.0 (59.0) |
21.0 (69.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 4.1 (39.4) |
4.2 (39.6) |
4.1 (39.4) |
10.4 (50.7) |
16.2 (61.2) |
20.3 (68.5) |
22.0 (71.6) |
21.8 (71.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
13.1 (55.6) |
6.4 (43.5) |
3.8 (38.8) |
3.8 (38.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 31.5 (1.24) |
37.2 (1.46) |
75.5 (2.97) |
165.1 (6.50) |
313.1 (12.33) |
451.4 (17.77) |
312.4 (12.30) |
393.4 (15.49) |
320.2 (12.61) |
118.5 (4.67) |
37.8 (1.49) |
32.0 (1.26) |
2,288.1 (90.09) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 5.6 | 8.4 | 11.7 | 12.4 | 14.2 | 17.7 | 17.0 | 16.9 | 13.8 | 7.1 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 134.9 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 76 | 82 | 86 | 87 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 85 | 81 | 75 | 74 | 71 | 81 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 130.0 | 95.0 | 88.3 | 113.0 | 165.9 | 182.2 | 224.6 | 200.0 | 187.8 | 198.6 | 169.4 | 154.2 | 1,909 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 38 | 29 | 24 | 30 | 41 | 45 | 55 | 51 | 51 | 55 | 51 | 46 | 43 |
| Source: China Meteorological Administration | |||||||||||||
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 (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 (Shanju) and Xiachuan Island. Shanzui Harbor provide ferry services between the islands and mainland.
See also
- 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
- ^ "NF 49-12 CH'IH-CH'I" (in English and Chinese). Washington, D. C.: Army Map Service. 1954 – via Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection.
SHANG-CH'UAN (ST JOHN ISLAND) 上川
- ^ Da Ming Yitong Zhi (大明一統志) [Records of the Unity of the Great Ming] (in Chinese). Vol. 79. 1461.
- ^ Shi Weile, ed. (2005). Zhongguo Lishi Diming Da Cidian (中国历史地名大词典) [Dictionary of Chinese Historical Place Names] (in Chinese). China Social Sciences Press. p. 173. ISBN 7-5004-4929-1.
- ^ Davies, Stephen; 戴偉思 (2016), "Achille-Antoine Hermitte's Surviving Building / 阿基里‧ 安當‧ 埃爾米特的倖存建築", Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch, 56, Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch: 98, JSTOR jroyaaisasocihkb.56.92
- ^ 中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ "Experience Template" 中国气象数据网 (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
Further reading
- Guillemin, Philippe François Zéphirin (1870). Lettres sur l'erection de la chapelle de S. François Xavier dans l'île de Sancian et autres faits récents de la mission (in French). Rome: Imprimerie de la Propagande, P. Marietti.
External links
General
- Stuckey, Peter; Bailey, Chris (2002). "Visiting St. John's Island" (PDF). Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch. 42: 435–448. ISSN 1991-7295.
- Satellite view on Google Maps
- Website about Shangchuan (in Chinese and English)
- Shangchuan on taishan.com (in English)
- on tsinfo.com.cn (in English)
- Pictures of the island (click on the links on the left to view more)
