What stories could these granite streets tell? We are standing in Xiagang. It is an ancient town in Guangzhou. Xiagang was once located west of the old walled city.
Before the 20th century Guangzhou was a walled city. It had many gates. The western gates included the Taiping Gate and the West Gate. “Saikwan” or “Sai Kwan” is a romanization of the local Cantonese pronunciation. It was the area’s more common English name. Mandarin pinyin is now the official form within China. It was sometimes translated as “Westgate”. It could also be called the “western suburbs” of Guangzhou. This was formerly known as “Canton”.
“Xiguan” is also an informal name for Guangzhou’s Liwan District. Old Xiguan covered most of the present Liwan District. This excluded Xicun and Lychee Bay. It also excluded the old Fangcun District. It ran along the Pearl River. It went from the 1st Quay to the outlet of the western moat. This “creek” formed the eastern boundary of the Thirteen Factories. It separated Xiguan from Nanguan. Nanguan was the old city’s southern suburb.
The foreign enclave on Shamian Island was usually excluded from Xiguan. Huangsha was usually included. The northeastern area from the 1st Wharf to Taiping Gate was called Upper Xiguan. The southwestern area stretching to Huangsha was known as Lower Xiguan.
In modern Guangzhou the preservation district of Xiguan is formally defined. The northern boundary is the #7 and #8 Zhongshan Roads. Its eastern boundary is Middle and South Renmin Roads. Its south and west reach the Pearl River. This covers an area of 536 hectares. It includes the area of former Shamian. This is united with the mainland through land reclamation.
The suburbs outside Guangzhou’s Taiping Gate came to be called “Xiguan” during the Ming dynasty. Over time they expanded. They filled the fields between the walled city and the Pearl River. The area was administered as part of Nanhai County. It was known for its loveliness. On February 15 1921 Xiguan was removed from Nanhai County. It united with Guangfu to form an enlarged Guangzhou. On October 27 2006 the Liwan District Government approved a preservation plan. This plan was for Xiguan’s traditional architecture and culture.
Apart from its connection to Guangdong’s Lingnan and Cantonese culture Xiguan is famed within China. It is the site of “Western Learning Spreading East”. There are varieties of customs in Xiguan. They are comparatively well conserved. Customs during the Chinese New Year are still honored. Also remembered are Tomb Sweeping Day and Chinese Valentine’s Day. The Mid-Autumn Festival and Winter Solstice are celebrated too. They are more or less the same as those in other places in Guangzhou. During the Dragon Boat Festival some male residents row dragon boats.
The area’s culture is celebrated in Dongshan Shaoye’s song “Miss Xiguan”. It also lives in Liao Weili’s album Xiguan. Xiguan is the setting of the mainland Chinese dramas Kang’s Family. It is also the setting for Turbulent Xiguan.
Xiguan Residences used to be the homes of wealthy businessmen. They are typical examples of vernacular dwellings in Xiguan. Zhutong Houses are traditional houses. They are rich in characteristics of Lingnan. They are relatively narrower than a Xi guan house. The width of this type of house is short. The depth is long. The rooms are arranged from front to back. Skylights serve as intervals. Ventilation drainage and traffic are mainly dependent on the skylights. Stones construct the base of a wall. Bricks are used as the body of each wall. They always have a gable a wooden frame and a tiled roof.
Arcades in Xiguan correlate closely to the residences of ancient people living in Nanyue. They are considered the trace of Baiyue stilt houses. On the other hand some people insist that arcades were built in 1925. Streets were extended and roads were constructed on a large scale in Guangzhou then. Their design is deemed to have derived from ancient Greece. Arcades connect houses. They make a long path for pedestrians. This helps them keep out wind rain and sunshine.
Buildings on Shamian can be divided into four categories. These are New Baroque Neoclassical Veranda and Pseudo-Gothic. During the end of the nineteenth century large office and commercial buildings were constructed. They reflected the popular new classical architectural style of the Nineteenth Century Western Countries. They have also retained architectural features of the Grecian and Roman times. So, as we explore Xiagang, remember its blend of culture commerce and resilience.