Aiqun Hotel – Witness to Guangzhou's Changing History

 

 

 

Enjoying the music tea party and the landscape [Guangzhou Daily]

 

 

Black-and-white tiles have a nostalgic feel. [Guangzhou Daily]

 

 

Aiqun Mansion's former appearance. [Guangzhou Daily]

 

Guangzhou's old people all know Aiqun Mansion - a spectacular building that set standards in its youth. Built in 1937, Aiqun Mansion will celebrate its 70th birthday. Once the highest building in South China, it had the first rotating restaurant in Guangzhou. It hosted opening and closing receptions for the Canton Fair 10 times running since its inception in 1957. For more than half a century, Aiqun Mansion was a big part of Guangzhou's history.

Designed by architects Li Bingyuan and Chen Rongzhi, it is located in a triangular area between the old bank (Changdi Lu) and the new bank (Yanjiang Xi Lu) along the Pearl River. The 64 metre, 15-floor Aiqun has a floor space of 800㎡and a shape  imitating U.S. skyscrapers, retaining an air of elegance, simplicity and harmony.

In its hey-day, Aiqun Mansion won the prestigious Champion Hotel of South China title. Celebrities poured in to cheer the celebration of its birth.

Aiqun enjoyed fame during 1946-1947, when many Overseas Chinese returned to China to visit relatives. Some stayed, and Aiqun was where they settled down.

 

 

The 14th floor restaurant [www.aiqunhotel.com]

At the time, Aiqun was a place of conspicuous consumption where guests were expected to pay at least 5 HK dollars as tips, the value of a month's food for the poor.

In the early stages of "New China," the most attractive part of Aiqun Mansion was the huge portrait of Chairman Mao and the slogan "Chinese people have come to stand up". Aiqun Mansion has indeed seen China stand up, especially the great change and prosperity in Guangzhou. Aiqun was originally a state-owned enterprise, known as Aiqun Great Hotel, changing to Aiqun Mansion in 1952. During the 1950s and 1960s, Aiqun Mansion was Guangzhou's most important location for activities involving foreigners and one of Guangzhou's best-known landmarks.

Mr.Ye Jianying, Guangzhou's first mayor, received many foreign guests and celebrities from Hong Kong and Macau at the hotel; which also hosted artistic and sporting groups from eastern Europe as well as envoys from many countries.

After the Reform and Opening Up of China which commenced in 1978, a new management attitude saw Aiqun opened up to common people and, in order to boost business, it had a "face-lift" in August 1981. 3 years later, Aiqun took advantage of its geographical location to build the first revolving restaurant in Guangzhou, elegantly dubbed "Castles in the Air." On Nov. 5th, 1988, Aiqun Mansion changed its name back to Aiqun Hotel.

 

 

The revolving restaurant [www.aiqunhotel.com]

Guangzhou's oldies all have a soft spot for Aiqun, no matter where they are. Their love for the old mansion gets handed down to younger generations, with many an exhortation to children born and raised in other counties, to "pay a visit to Aiqun" when they go back to the motherland.

There is one story about a Mr. Zhang, who came from Taiwan on business. He made Aiqun his first stop on arrival, and took many pictures of the building. Mr. Zhang said his 90-year-old grandfather had lived near the Pearl River and, at the time he had stared admiringly at the Aiqun Hotel from far away every day. An ordinary citizen, without a high-ranking position or very much money, Aiqun was just a dream to him. The old man promised himself he would spend one night in Aiqun during his life time. He never did, and that was why Mr. Zhang came to fulfill his grandpa's dream, commenting that he could understand why his grandpa had wanted to stay in Aiqun with its glorious history and backdrop of the Pearl River.

Another story concerned a professor from Taiwan who came to Guangzhou in 2003, to attend a seminar. Forgoing the luxurious accommodation arranged by the sponsor, he chose to stay at Aiqun. His parents' wedding ceremony had been held there and he had been asked to bring back some photos for them. For old times' sake.

Musical tea parties were a tradition of Aiqun, held in the afternoons or evenings every day for more than 20 years. Cantonese opera was the necessary ingredient, attracting many senior enthusiasts from around the Pearl River Delta. Assistant General Manager Xie Changtian says the hotel was Guangzhou's focal point for musical tea parties.

From being the dream of Guangzhou citizens, Aiqun's arms are open to all people; a symbol of ever-changing Guangzhou.

(Translated by Emma Chan and Carrot Chan, proofread by David Kellaway)

Source: Lifeofguangzhou.com

Editor: Carrot Chan