Along the north bank of the Pearl River, there is a two-kilometer stretch of river road named Yanjiang West Road, or Yanjiang Xilu (沿江西路). In the early 20th century, it used to be the busiest street in the city, renowned as “the Bund of Guangzhou”. The ancient buildings on the road bear witness to the century-long history of Guangzhou as a cosmopolitan port city. Now let’s have a closer look at them and get a taste of the history and culture here.
Mansion of the Canton Customs (粤海关旧址)
During nearly a hundred years of the Qing Dynasty (1616-1912), Canton Customs had once been the only national customs open to the outside world. Built in 1916, the Mansion of the Canton Customs has now become one of the most impressive ancient buildings remaining along the waterfront.
Designed by a British architect in the neoclassical style, the Mansion is crowned with a bell tower that chimes at 8 am and 8 pm. Thus, it is called the “Great Bell Tower” by locals and is regarded as a model of modern Western architecture in Guangzhou.
In 2016, the Canton Customs Museum was opened in the Mansion. A collection of artifacts displayed in the museum epitomize the history of Guangzhou’s customs and modern commerce.
Postal Museum (邮政博物馆)
The Postal Museum was built on the former site of the Guangzhou Post Bureau of the Qing Dynasty, which was founded in 1897. Over the past hundred years or so, the building has survived two fires and constitutes a living fossil showing the postal past of Guangzhou and the country.
Today, the Postal Museum has the dual function of a post office and an exhibition hall. The museum includes four sections: the Ancient Post, the Qing Dynasty Post, the China Post, and the Guangzhou Post after the reform and opening up.
Nanfang Hotel (南方大厦)
Built by overseas Chinese in Australia in 1922, Nanfang Hotel is one of the earliest skyscrapers in China. Daxin Company, the predecessor of Nanfang Hotel, used to be the most luxurious department store in Guangzhou in modern China. The building was equipped with elevators, spiral ramps for cars, a sky garden and a playground on the roof.
Since 2005, along with the trend of economic globalization, the building has been transformed into an international digital wholesale venue. It is no wonder that Nanfang Hotel is a monument to Guangzhou’s economic development.
Oi Kwan Hotel (爱群大厦)
Financed by overseas Chinese, Oi Kwan Hotel was completed in 1937. In the 30 years since then, the hotel was the tallest building in Guangzhou. The style of the building is a combination of Western and Eastern elements, with its shape modeled after the Flatiron Building, the first skyscraper in New York, and at the same time incorporated characteristics of Lingnan culture, such as the overhangs.
One of its distinguishing features is the revolving restaurant located on the 17th floor, which offers a wonderful panorama of the Pearl River. As a time-honored landmark with an extensive reputation, the hotel has historically attracted a great number of celebrities and dignitaries, and also witnessed many historical events in Guangzhou, and even in China.
Author: Ariel, Shi Can (intern)
Photo: Shi Can (intern)
Editor: Olivia, Monica, James
