Business Traveller (Asia-Pacific)
GUANGZHOU’S GLORY DAYS
Jason Wordie takes a stroll through Canton’s old quarters, admiring its architectural heritage
Take a walk through Canton’s old quarters with Jason Wordie
Usually overlooked by visitors to China, historic, multilayered Guangzhou offers far more history and cultural interest than its glossy modern business centre would suggest. Known for centuries as Canton, the city’s connections to early global trade go back to Roman times. China’s Latin name – Serica – is the same word for silk and that, in turn, derives from Ancient Chinese. No surprise there – most of this precious substance reached the wider world via Canton. Extensive commercial links to Arab realms from the 7th century AD onwards offer contemporary echoes; Guangzhou is home to one of the world’s oldest mosques, and the city remains a major trade hub between China and the Middle East.
Commercial relationships with the West started in the 17th century. From the 1760s until 1842, Canton was the only port in China open to maritime trade. By the early 19th century, this monopoly position had made it one of the world’s wealthiest cities. Independent-minded, visionary mayors and provincial governors shaped contemporary Canton in the late 1920s and 1930s; extensive infrastructure development from the 1980s further transformed the city. But as Guangzhou’s new urban centre was deliberately located some distance away, Canton’s historic core remains largely intact. Even better, imaginative restoration and conservation initiatives can be seen and appreciated all over the city.
SHAMEEN
Most visitors, alas, only see Guangzhou’s hectic modern face. But for those with time to venture further, the tiny island of Shameen (Shamian), right on the Pearl River, is an ongoing contrast to the rest of the city. Originally a sandbar, (from which it derives its Chinese name), Shameen became an Anglo-French administered Concession in 1860. Buildings mostly date from that period until the early 1950s.
Until 1938, no vehicles were allowed on the island; only sedan chairs, rickshaws and foot-travellers were permitted. Shameen’s pedestrianised flavour continues, with century-old banyan and camphor trees and an attractive, flower-filled central park area. Wedding couples regularly use the island, and its two historic churches – one French, the other English – as atmospheric photograph backdrops.
Foreign-owned buildings were progressively nationalised throughout the early 1950s; state ownership, in turn, helped ensure their long-term conservation. New tenants had no incentive to demolish or modernise – and could not do so anyway. Now a national historic site, strict heritage protocols are applied in Shameen. Creative adaptation of heritage buildings is ongoing; an excellent example is the former Chinese Maritime Customs Commissioner’s residence. Built in 1907, this red-brick mansion has been turned into a small boutique hotel. Known as Shamian Clubhouse, many original decorative features, such as English floor tiles and ornate fireplaces, have been sensitively incorporated. At night, Shameen’s heritage buildings are attractively illuminated; numerous open-air bars near the riverfront offer relaxing venues to enjoy the passing pedestrian scene.
Built around the Pearl River, one of China’s major inland waterways, riverfront promenades abound all over Canton. Tree-shaded, extensive waterfront rambles are an enjoyable aspect of the city that most contemporary visitors never experience. Adjacent to Shameen,
the Canton Bund is the most immediately accessible place to enjoy a scenic stroll. Walk from Shameen for a kilometre or so down to the original, iron cantilevered Pearl River Bridge, opened in 1933, to enjoy the full spectrum of architectural interest.
Bund-front buildings mostly date from the first three decades of the 20th century. These include the old Post Office, the Customs House with a clock tower brightly illuminated at night, and the city’s first high-rise building, the Oi Kwan Hotel. Still in operation as a hotel, strikingly original art-deco features can be seen on the façade. Canton’s interwar aspiration – to rival Shanghai in terms of riverfront grandeur – remains evident along here. Room rates start at RMB350-400 (US$5765) a night, and include breakfast.
Just inland from the Bund, Guangzhou’s Catholic Cathedral was built in the early 1860s from granite quarried in Kowloon in Hong Kong and transported upriver. Constructed by the French on the site of the former Viceroy’s Palace, many original features, such as a stylised ME (for Missions Étrangères, or“Overseas Missions”) on the ironwork, still remain.
Metro stop: Huangsha.
YUEXIU PARK
Guangzhou’s magnificent parks and public gardens offer the city’s most overlooked, underappreciated visitor highlights. Lake gardens and other pleasure grounds were created over the centuries; most originally formed part of private residential complexes built by wealthy compradores (mercantile intermediaries) at the height of the early Canton trade period with the West. With changing times, from the 1920s onwards, these gardens were eventually opened to the public. One of the largest in the city, Yuexiu Park and its immediate environs encompass the magnificent park itself and contain numerous aspects of historical interest.
Located just below the park and arguably the finest example of Chinese Renaissance architecture in the country, the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall was commissioned in honour
of the Cantonese revolutionary “Founder of Modern China”, and completed in 1931. Chinese Renaissance architectural styles link the country’s emerging early 20th century modernisation with its own enormously rich cultural heritage. From the 1880s, architects, engineers and others went to Western countries for further training. Back home, they deployed their new techniques to dramatic effect, with Chinese motifs and traditional decoration skilfully grafted onto their new creations. This was early Chinese internationalism – designed by people completely open to influences from the outside world, yet culturally confident and proudly certain of exactly who they were, and where their personal influences had come from. Entry into Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall grounds is free, but paying the RMB10 (US$1.60) hall admission is worth it since there are well-maintained 1930s-style Chinese renaissance fittings and nicely curated, bilingual museum panels that explain Sun Yat Sen’s connection to Canton and the building.
At the top of the hill immediately behind the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, a striking granite obelisk is also dedicated to the national leader. Designed as a modern Chinese architectural answer to a traditional pagoda, this prominent local landmark was installed as a geomantic feature to balance the building with the adjacent hillside.
For centuries, Guangzhou was a walled city. Mostly demolished in the early 20th century, remains of the Ming city walls can still be seen. One example lies within Yuexiu Park, and includes five-storeyed, red sandstone Zhenhai Tower. First built several hundred years ago, this prominent landmark, now the Guangzhou Museum, showcases the city’s history and offers extensive park and city views from the upper storeys. Entrance is RMB10 (US$1.60).
Across from Yuexiu Park’s main gates, just a short walk from the Marriott China Hotel, the Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nam Yue King is one of China’s major historic sites. Discovered in 1983, and extensively excavated and restored, the archaeological complex dates from around 122BC and links modern Canton to a pre-Chinese, Han Dynasty-era kingdom, whose influence extended to presentday northern Vietnam. Chariots, terracotta items, extensive murals, superb bronze artefacts and a fabulous jade burial suit can all be seen for a RMB10 (US$1.60) admission fee.
Close by, Liuhuahu Park’s extensive lake gardens have several reasonably priced, casual waterfront eateries. Lanpu Garden, the walled orchid garden directly across the road from Yuexiu Park’s main entrance, is one of the city’s hidden gems. The entrance ticket price of RMB8 (US$1.30) includes a pot of tea in the open pavilion, which overlooks a lily pond. Here, within moments, modern China’s frenzied bustle vanishes into a placid vision of old Cathay.
Metro stop: Yuexiu Park.
JADE MARKET
Appropriately enough for a major commercial city, Canton’s speciality markets are destinations in themselves – yet often overlooked by overseas visitors. One sight which rivals the city’s wholesale tea market – and that is truly something else – is Chang Shou Road’s jade market. Famous all over the country, items sold range from cheap soapstone and imitation jades, to extensively worked heirloom treasures. Plenty of delightful objects can be obtained in the intermediate price range. Even average quality is high.
Jade and curio traders come from all over the country to stock up here. Original and reproduction antique furniture can also be found in this area; prices are high, but reasonable for this quality.
Nearby, 19th century lanes contain narrow-fronted, highly ornamented courtyard houses. A swift peek
inside their gates offers a lingering glimpse of what most of backstreet Canton looked like before the city’s transformation began in the 1930s. Lanes were gated at the entrance, and an entire urban-village world was contained within these narrow precincts. Excellent restoration work is ongoing around here as well.
For centuries, Canton has been internationally known for its innovative food culture. Global trade links from the 18th century onwards created a class of very wealthy, discerning patrons who – due to strict laws that prohibited an ostentatious public display of wealth by merchants – had to find some other way to enjoy their money. As they could afford high-quality, innovative cuisine, this developed into an enduring passion for good food, which remains deliciously evident today.
Historically, the Cantonese were the nation’s migrants, as well as political and social innovators. At least in part due to the city’s long exposure to the outside world, these factors give context to the city’s fabulous – and historic – food culture. Combined with openness to outside influences, Canton’s expanding wealth and emergent middle class in the 1920s created excellent business opportunities for the catering trade. Close by the jade market, the Guangzhou Restaurant, established in 1935, is an enduring example of this trend and serves excellent traditional Cantonese food. This deservedly famous local landmark is the original restaurant; other branches have since opened elsewhere in the city. Prices are reasonable, and quality remains very high – a full and varied meal for two to three people will come to
about RMB300 (US$49). Beautifully decorated private rooms are set around a superb central courtyard – an experience not to be missed.
Metro stop: Changshoulu.
FLOWERY PAGODA AREA
Tucked away within more modern developments, impressively built landmarks from centuries past remain to be enjoyed. Among the most striking – and readily accessible - are the Flowery Pagoda and Guangxiao Temple; only a short walk from each other, these historic sights are not to be missed. Extensive areas of increasingly well-restored interwar streetscapes lie between the two temple complexes. Many buildings contain striking geometric design features with art-deco influences.
Guangxiao Temple – also known as the Temple of Bright Filial Piety, was originally built in the 3rd century AD, and extensively rebuilt during the Tang and Sung periods (7th to 12th centuries AD). The present complex contains historic links to the development of Zen Buddhism in China; an early Zen monk trained here, and the belief system spread steadily onwards from Canton. Your RMB5 (US$0.80) entry ticket will get you a discount of equal value at the attached vegetarian restaurant, which serves a basic meal of rice, soup and vegetarian soong for about RMB15-25 (US$2.45-4) depending on what you pick. A more varied meal can be about RMB50 (US$8).
Also known as the Six Banyans Temple, the Flowery Pagoda was one of the few locations within the city which, prior to treaty revisions in the 1840s, could be visited by foreigners. The pagoda became world famous, somewhat by accident, as the design featured on“Willow-Pattern” plates, a renowned Canton export item for more than two centuries. Entry is RMB10 (US$1.63).
A short walk away, an ancient mosque dates back to the 8th century AD and illustrates Canton’s early global trading connections to the Arab world and beyond. Known as the “Lighthouse ”mosque due to its distinctive yet plain minaret, access is restricted; the building can be clearly seen from the street. Modern Guangzhou is closely linked to the Middle East through trade; Arabic script and Silk Road influenced cuisines abound, and casual eateries serving Muslim food are commonplace across the city.
One stop away by Metro (the station bears its name), the Chen Clan Academy is a superb example of Lingnan (“South of the Mountain Ranges”) architectural style. Set around extensive courtyards, this magnificent complex was originally built in the 1890s as a gathering place for people bearing the Chen surname. Restored and open to the public, Chen Clan Academy showcases various forms of distinctive Lingnan decorative art, such as ornately carved brick and plaster work. An excellent tea shop offers superb teapots and other items at competitive prices. Entry here is also RMB10 (US$1.60).
Metro stop: Ximenkou.