1. Differences in geographical concepts: Chaoshan is the general name of a geographical and cultural region, covering Chaozhou, Jieyang, Shantou and other cities and some surrounding areas. Chaozhou dialect is the main dialect in this area, which has the same cultural customs and historical heritage, such as Chaozhou music, Chaozhou opera and Chaoshan cuisine. Shantou is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province, China, which is located at the southern tip of Hanjiang Delta.
2. Differences in administrative divisions: From the perspective of administrative divisions, Shantou is an independent prefecture-level city with its own municipal government and administrative districts, which are responsible for managing various affairs within the city. However, there is no independent administrative division in Chaoshan area, and the cities included, such as Chaozhou and Jieyang, have their own administrative institutions.
3. Chaoshan, as a region with profound cultural background, is located in the southeast coast of Guangdong Province. It is the core area of Chaoshan cultural area and Chaozhou dialect area, covering Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang, and it is also the ancestral home and concentrated place of Chaoshan people.