shamian

Shamian Island, previous known as Zhongliusha or Shicuizhou, is an elliptic sandbar in the Liwan District of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. The island’s name literally means “sandy surface” in Chinese. Surrounded by water, it is just like a giant ship mooring alongside the wharf. Get further and one will find that the island is carefully planned. Three east-west avenues, Shamian Avenue, Shamian North Avenue and the South Avenue, and five north-south streets, Shamian Street 1 to the Street 5 divide the whole area into 12 parts, with various buildings, namely White Swan Hotel, Shamian Hotel, and Poland Consulate in Guangzhou, scattered around.

 

Shamian Island has great historic significance. From the Song and the Qing Dynasty, it served as an important port for Guangzhou’s foreign trade. The it became a strategic point for city defense during the second Opium Wars (1856-1860). In 1859, the territory was divided into two concessions, given to France and United Kingdom (of which 4/5 went to the British and 1/5 to the French). It was then embanked and provided with streets, drainage, and imposing buildings and became home to a prosperous foreign enclave. From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, most of the public facilities were finished, including political buildings like consulates, cultural buildings like churches and schools, as well as commercial buildings like banks and firms. After 1949, the mansions there became government offices or apartment houses and the churches were turned into factories. But later they were restored, in many cases to their former splendor. Each building has a label telling its former purpose. One may start to imagine what stories these building held while viewing the plaque writing about its previous function. One example is “No.7 North Shamian Avenue” which was built during the Republican period and was formerly the Administration Bureau of Broadcasting of the Nationalist Government. The mansions there form the best preserved Western Europe style building complex in China. Forty-two out of 150 buildings are counted as the most exotic ones, Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical, in Guangzhou.

 

Transportation:
By Bus:
1. take bus no. 1, 9, 25, 57, 64, 75, 81, 105, 123, 181, 208, 209, 217, 219, 251, 270, 281, 297, 530, 538, 552 or 556 to Liuersan Road, cross the overbridge to find England Bridge and the cross the bridge to reach the island.
2. take bus no. 1, 9, 25, 57, 64, 75, 81, 105, 123, 181, 208, 209, 217, 219, 270, 281, 538, 552 or 552 to Huangsha Wharf Station. Then walk to the island in the south.

By subway:
Take Subway Line 1 to Huangsha station. Get out from Exit F and walk through an overpass to the bridge to reach the Island.

By taxi:
Take taxi from the Railway Station to reach directly. Estimated fare: CNY 26 (excludes bridge toll).

 

So far we have been acted as tour guides,interpreter/translators business assistant and sourcing agent and helped many clients from different countries with business or travel purpose successfully.

Most of our customers speak highly of our service and become our lifetime friends and business partners.

 

With our service,it will help make your trip very profitable,enjoyable and comfortable.Moreover,you could overcome the language barrier and bridge the cultural gap easily with our assistance which will save your valuable time

 

We will be your SMART EYES and BEST PARTNER in China to help you grow and expand business together.

 

So if you are looking for a reliable Interpreter, Business Assistant, Tour Guide, Sourcing Agent or Chinese partner for your business, then you have been to the right place.

 

 

Liked this article?

Join hundreds of small business owners and entrepreneurs who are making the most of their business with Chinese suppliers.



Share

LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

You May Also Like

3 thoughts on “Shamian Island, Guangzhou City”

  1. ShaMian is the French and British concession 100 years ago in Guangzhou, and the environment is very international

    Reply

Leave a Comment


Visit China?
Book a Pro interpreter for successful business meetings.

Before you go...

Please let us know how we can help you and we'll provide you with a solution.



Have a complex plan? Email us and we’ll provide a solution.