Zhongshan, city in southern China, also known as Shiqizhen, in south central Guangdong province. It is connected to all parts of the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) delta by canals and waterways, and by road to Guangzhou to the north and Macau to the south.
Zhongshan was founded as Xiangshan in the 11th century as a market town. Located in one of China's richest agricultural areas, it collected farm products to ship to Guangzhou and distributed manufactured goods, mainly from Guangdong, to the surrounding region. The city became a county seat in 1162. Its proximity to Macau made it one of the first parts of China to be influenced by foreign ideas. Many of its citizens became important figures in overseas trade in the 19th century. Sun Yat-sen, also known as Sun Zhongshan, a leader of the 1911 Chinese revolution, was born here in 1866. In his honor, the name of the town and county was changed from Xiangshan to Zhongshan in 1925. Population (1991) 278,829.
