A one-day tour guide to Guangzhou local entertainment: from Xiguan to Dongshan, visit the last dignity of old Guangzhou
Preface
Exit Changshou Road subway station, cross the bustling streets and enter Baoyuan Road, and you'll find yourself in the authentic old city of Guangzhou. Narrow bamboo houses lining the alleys, intricate wood carvings on swing doors, and clothes drying on Western-style balconies—this is what it looked like a century ago. Today, Ouji, Shirley, and I are exploring Guangzhou's two main historic districts on foot: Xiguan and Dongshan. These old buildings reveal the vicissitudes of nearly a century of old Guangzhou's history, revealing its former dignity and prestige.
Xiguan. Baoyuan Road
Several ancient bamboo tube houses still remain along Baoyuan Road, some of which are still inhabited. These two- or three-story buildings have a single bay, a narrow street-facing entrance, and a large depth, typically with two or three entrances. Because the rooms are arranged from front to back, resembling a bamboo tube, they are called bamboo tube houses.
The entrance to a bamboo house is a sliding door, intricately carved with patterns and ornaments, a symbol of status in the old days. The outermost layer is a person-high fence, just enough to block the view of outsiders; the middle layer is for burglar prevention, and the number of wooden strips must be odd; and the innermost layer is the thick wooden door.
We then walked to the former residence of Hong Kong tycoon Chen Zeqiu. Chen Zeqiu was usually modest and frugal, but his home's exquisite sliding doors and ironwork window grilles gave it a subtle air of grandeur. The only time in his life he publicly displayed his wealth was at his daughter's wedding. Before the fall of Guangzhou in 1937, the wedding's hostess, Miss Chen, brought a dowry so long it "walked half a mile." Such grandeur was intended to ensure his beloved daughter would be treated well after her wedding.
At the T-junction of Baoyuan Road and Pantang Road stood Changxing Pawnshop, one of the six largest pawnshops of the early Republican era. This was once Guangzhou's commanding heights, with merchants rushing in and out, handing their gold and silver jewelry to the pawn counter. The pawnshop staff, condescending and low-balling, held the place like a fortress, its massive, round Manchurian windows reflecting its former grandeur.
Xiguan Mansion
Walk north along Pantang Road for a while, then turn left to find Xiguan Mansion. This is the former residence of Chen Lianzhong. We entered through the small alley to the side of the mansion, the path once used by young ladies from Xiguan. Built by wealthy merchants, even the sewers are shaped like copper coins, and the interior is even more magnificent and orderly. The main hall is a scaled-down version of a three-story building. In front of the main hall, near the courtyard, a flower canopy carved from wood blocks separates the main hall from the courtyard. Above the main hall, a shrine is built for ancestral worship. Behind the main hall, a screen door separates the first room, where the oldest members of the family live.
Xiguan Mansion Gate
We walked past the Four-Faced Shrine and headed south along Litchi Bay, passing a park, a large theater, a small painted boat studio, and finally stopped at the gate of the Xiguan Mansion. It was a magnificent gate, with two huge red lanterns hanging at the entrance, an extremely luxurious scene.
This was Deng Huaxi's residence. He twice recommended Zheng Guanying's "Warnings in Times of Prosperity" to Emperor Guangxu. In 1894, the five-volume, 300,000-word work was published. It not only advocated for reform and the development of capitalism, but also advocated for a constitution, a parliament, and a "monarchy of the people" based on Western political systems. It also acknowledged that China lagged behind the West in many aspects of social life. The title of the book reads: "First to Drum and Call for Commercial Warfare." After Sun Yat-sen established the Republic of China, one of the first people he visited was Deng Huaxi.
Enning Road
Going further south, you'll find the famous Enning Road. In the past, Enzhou Village stood at one end of Enning Road, and Ningxi Village at the other. Construction of the road required it to pass through these two villages. After mutual agreement, the name "Enning" was finally adopted. Known as "Guangzhou's most beautiful old street," it boasts arcades stretching all the way to the end, with Western-style doors and windows lining both sides creating a unique charm. Several century-old shops remain open.
Yongqingfang
Walking along Enning Road, past Peizheng Primary School, the area became increasingly crowded with tourists. They flocked to visit a small alleyway: Yongqingfang. This street is home to time-honored shops, and at its end is the Cantonese Opera Museum and Bruce Lee's ancestral home. President Xi Jinping visited here a few months ago.
Cantonese Opera Art Museum
At the end of Yongqingfang, we entered the Cantonese Opera Art Museum. Entry is permitted with an ID card. Inside, gray tiles, blue bricks, and black columns and beams create a complex of antique buildings in the style of Lingnan gardens. The museum's main building was designed by the Architectural Design Institute of South China University of Technology. We learned that Cantonese opera is the only form of opera that uses real weapons and has an opening fight scene.
Dongshan
Around noon, we took the subway to Dongshankou, had snake soup for lunch, and continued exploring Dongshan District. While Xiguan symbolizes the grandeur of merchants, Dongshan symbolizes the majesty of the powerful. Dongshan was originally a wasteland called Dongshangang. Legend has it that it was named after a temple built by Wei Juan, a powerful eunuch during the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty. The temple was originally called Yongtai Temple and later became known as Dongshan Temple.
The roads here are crooked and confusingly named. There are Peizheng 1st and 2nd Cross Roads, but no 3rd or 4th Cross Roads. Instead, there are Peizheng East Road and Peizheng New Cross Road. This is because road construction at the time lacked a unified government plan. Individuals purchased land and took charge of it, with residents bearing the cost of road construction. Because of this, the planning of the Dongshan route sometimes required numerous compromises. Later, once the road was complete, changes were difficult. This area is home to the site of the Third National Congress of the Communist Party of China, where leaders established the three major policies of alliance with the Soviet Union, co-operation with the Communist Party, and support for farmers and workers, formalizing the KMT-CPC cooperation. The adjacent Chunyuan was once home to representatives of the Third National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
A street here, hailed as "China's most beautiful street," has become a popular photo spot, with many micro-businesses taking photos of their products.
Walking straight along the street, you will reach Peizheng Primary School and Peizheng Middle School. The decoration and color scheme of Peizheng Middle School and Peizheng Primary School are similar. The only slight difference is the font of the word "Peizheng" on the green tiles. The font of the primary school is more childish.
We then passed through Sibei Tongjin and ended the day with a meal of double-skin milk and ginger milk in Renxin. The double-skin milk was icy and smooth, and the red beans were soft, sweet, and I couldn't resist having another bowl.
Conclusion
Our journey through Xiguan and Dongshan ends here. Behind each house lies a story and legend, a phrase that might not fully capture it: "Miss Xiguan, Master Dongshan." Modern Chinese history has seen countless upheavals and pivotal moments, yet only houses and lanes remain, offering passersby a moment of reflection and reflection.
This is the city center of old Guangzhou, where powerful businessmen gathered and where the last decency and dignity of old Guangzhou are preserved.
