Bocca Tigris

Bocca Tigris
Traditional Chinese	虎門
Simplified Chinese	虎门
Literal meaning	Tiger Gate
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Hǔmén

The Bocca Tigris (Portuguese: Boca do Tigre), Bogue, or Humen is a narrow strait in the Pearl River Delta that separate 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. Since 1997, the strait has been traversed by the Humen Pearl River Bridge.

File:Humen Bridge.JPG

The Humen Bridge over the Bocca Tigris

File:Canton estuary.jpg

Map of the Pearl River Delta, showing the Bocca Tigris

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)

External links

• Satellite view of Bocca Tigris on Google maps