ABSTRACT
Chinese writings trace the history of the Guangzhou region to almost 3000 B.C. It was referred to variously as Nanjiao, Nanhai, and Nanyueh. Some form of contact and even tribu tary relations seem to have existed with northern China dur ing the Shang Dynasty (1766-1122 B.C.) or earlier. As the region is separated from the north by high mountain ranges, contact can only have been intermittent and infrequent, how ever. Many Chinese documents make reference to the region's periodic insubordination to northern authorities down to the Zhou period (1122-256 B.C.).
