april-2019

58 / TRAVEL / Guangzhou
TRAVEL / 59
My quest was to discover how visitors to Guangzhou had their first
glimpse of China, and how the trade of ideas and products shaped this
city. The first visitors were said to have been five celestial beings that rode
into Guangzhou on the backs of rams to deliver rice. In their honour, The
Five Rams Sculpture, which founded the capital of Guangdong province,
now stands in the historic Yuexiu Park as one of the city’s biggest attractions,
and it’s the ideal place for my own exploration to begin.
Isolated by mountainous topography, and situated close to the sea,
Guangzhou has, since its founding in 214 BC, been exposed to and influenced
by foreign cultures, making it one of China’s most distinct cities.
Along with Buddhism, which was imported from India, came Guangxiao
Temple, the first Buddhist temple (built in AD 233); Huaisheng Mosque,
the first mosque, which was built to honour the Prophet Mohammed,
followed in AD 627. In AD 786, the Persians would sack the city, which
would later become a major terminus of the maritime Silk Road that
stretched all the way to Africa.
Guangzhou’s long history of trade has turned the city into a modernday
shopping and dining mecca, so it’s little wonder that Chinese and
foreign tourists alike visit the city for these purposes. Yet, I would discover
that, among the malls, markets, modern business districts and towering
hotels, lay incredible remnants of how Guangzhou came to be.
“Guangzhou’s long
history of trade has
turned the city into a
modern-day shopping
and dining mecca”
WHERE TO EAT
Wisca
Included in the Michelin Guide,
Wisca is famous for healthy soups
cooked over four hours, eels and
mantis shrimps.
172 Binjiang West Road, Haizhu
Beiyuan Cuisine
Dating from the 1920s, this
dim sum restaurant encircles a
two-storey courtyard with pond,
gardens, pavilions and a bridge. Try
the Fish Head or Roasted Goose.
202 Xiaobei Road
2
WALKING THROUGH THE PAST
In a city this immense, taxis are a vital means of transport, so I take
one to my next destination, the city’s oldest private house. Having flourished
as a place of worship based on Buddhism, the home evolved into
Guangxiao Temple, one the country’s oldest and most important temples,
and one that would define Chinese architectural style. Walking around the
grounds to the sound of people chanting is both solemn and soothing.
The Mahavira Hall (the main hall) was built in AD 401 during the Eastern
Jin Dynasty (AD 317-420) and two iron pagodas – cast in AD 963 and AD
967 – are China’s oldest. In the spring, plum blossoms beautify the entire
grounds, but even out of season the buildings intertwine with the gardens.
Stunning temples don’t come with more wow factor than the Temple
of the Six Banyan Trees (from AD 537), which has been rebuilt many
times, and now stands nine-storeys high. With roofs curved upwards,
it resembles dark-red flower petals reaching out to the sky for sunshine,
giving it the nickname, “flower pagoda”. At 58-m high, this eight-sided
structure is also home to Buddha figurines that seem to watch you as you
climb.
The same day, at the most impressive museum in the city, the Museum
of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, I find out
that ancient trade stretched even farther around the world. The museum
showcases the history of kingdoms that existed thousands of years ago. For
example, it contains King Zhao Mo’s 2,000-year-old tomb, which houses
the skeletons of 15 courtiers who were buried to serve him in death, and
1,000 artefacts, including a chariot, musical instruments, swords, and the
oldest imported item ever found in China, a silver Persian box. >
1. Tea being poured at a teahouse 2. Boats on the Pearl River 3. Qingping Market
4. Scorpions for sale at Guigang Market 5. Statues on the streets of Shamian Island
6. Guanyin Buddha statue on Mt Xiqiao 7. Downtown Guangzhou
8. A traditional Chinese medicine store on Shamian Island 9. Dim sum
Tiger Prawn
Vietnam, China’s southern
neighbour, is represented in the
city through its unique cuisine, with
its namesake tiger prawns and
mango salad being the highlights.
548 Hui Fu Dong Lu, Yue Xiu
District
Orient Express
Named after the famous Paris-
Istanbul railway, this French
restaurant has two train wagons
that are used for romantic dining in
its garden.
1 North Shamian Street, Shamian
Island, Liwan District
13Factories
The Thirteen Factories is a historic
neighbourhood from the Qing
Dynasty, and was the sole legal site
of trade from China to the West.
Now it’s home to this fresh South
American eaterie, which serves
pulled pork and jambalaya.
7 Tianhe North Street, Tianhe
District
Sarah Coghill, Robert Michael Poole, Alamy, Shutterstock, Getty Images
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