Zhongshan · 中山
Zhongshan, in the Pearl River Delta, is the birthplace of Sun Yat-sen and "China's lighting capital": the town of Guzhen, within the municipality itself, concentrates the world's largest cluster of lamp and lighting manufacturers. Just an hour from Hong Kong and Macau by ferry.
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Wholesale markets in Zhongshan
📍 No. 68 Zhongxing Avenue, Guzhen township
300,000 m² with three major pavilions: international top-tier brands, cutting-edge LED effects and Chinese high-end lighting. The starting point to get your bearings in China's lighting capital.
📍 No. 38 Qijing Road, Guzhen
Over 200,000 m² of industrial area and showroom; particularly strong in LED and technical luminaires.
📍 No. 12 Xinxing Zhong Road, Guzhen
79,000 m² across 9 floors, with the best collection of local Guzhen brands organised by product category.
📍 About 80 km from Guangzhou (1.5-2 hours by car or DiDi) with no metro of its own: base yourself in Guangzhou or Zhongshan city. If you source street lighting, LED strips, ceiling fixtures or chandeliers for hospitality and construction, Guzhen is the essential visit.
What to see
Guzhen (lighting capital)
The town hosting the lighting fair, with thousands of manufacturers and showrooms in the sector
Sun Yat-sen's Former Residence
Birthplace of the founder of modern China, in Cuiheng village, now a museum
Sunwen Xi Lu Pedestrian Street
Century-old street with early 20th-century Lingnan and Nanyang-style arcade (qilou) architecture
Getting around
Zhongshan doesn't have its own airport: the nearest is Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN), with direct shuttle buses between the airport and several hotels in the city. Since 2011 Zhongshan has had its own train stations (Zhongshan and Zhongshan North), on the Guangzhou-Zhuhai intercity high-speed line: about 40 minutes to Guangzhou South and 20 minutes to Zhuhai. There's also a direct ferry to the port of Hong Kong (1-1.5h) and to Hong Kong airport (1h10). Zhongshan doesn't have a metro: getting around the city is usually by taxi/DiDi (starting fare ~8 CNY) or bus (flat fare ~2 CNY, over 100 lines).
In mainland China, Google, Gmail, WhatsApp and Instagram aren't accessible without a VPN arranged before you travel (it can't be installed once you've arrived). Hong Kong doesn't have this restriction.
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Frequently asked questions about Zhongshan
When is the best time to visit Zhongshan?
October to March, with drier and milder weather typical of subtropical Guangdong. The lighting fair has a spring edition (March) and an autumn edition (October), both with good weather.
Do I need a visa to visit Zhongshan?
Always check the current visa policy for your nationality before traveling: China has expanded short-stay visa exemptions to several European nationalities in recent years, but the conditions change frequently. For longer stays or multiple entries, consider arranging a business (M) visa in advance.
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