Canton System
Haizhu District originally consisted of Henan or Honam Island ("South of the River"), across the Pearl River from the old city of Guangzhou (then known as "Canton"). Its main community was also known by the same name and surrounded the Hoi Tong Monastery. From 1856 to 1859, trading companies associated with foreign traders under the Canton System temporarily relocated to the district after the Thirteen Factories site was destroyed in a fire.