The Pearl River is 2,124 kilometres long and it is the largest river in Guangzhou and the third largest river in China. In its course running across Guangzhou, there is a huge stone island standing in the way of flowing water. The island has been washed by the river water for thousands of years and polished to resemble a big shiny pearl. And it is called "the pearl stone in the sea" by the local. Therefore, the river where the "pearl stone" positioned is called the Pearl River.

The Pearl River is the joint name of five river systems including Xijiang (the West River), Beijiang(the North River), Dongjiang (the East River), Liuxihe (the Liuxi River) and Xunjiang (the Xun River). The main stream Xijiang (the West River) originates from a Caster water cave at Mahongshan, Qujing city, Yunnan province. It runs across Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, and Guangdong provinces, etc. The branches of the Pearl River run across Humen, Jiaomen, Hongqili, Hengmen, Modaomen, Jitimen, Hutiaomen, Yamen and then go in the sea. The total length from its headstream to Modaomen is 2214 kilometres, its drainage area ranks only after Changjiang (Yangtze River), Huanghe and Heilongjiang. Its annual mainstream drainage volume ranks the first among all the biggest rivers in China.

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