Life of Guangzhou - Old Qilou Buildings: Historical Architecture in Guangzhou (Part 3)

Period of Development: Qilou, the Main Street Scene of Guangzhou

The Qilou building style experienced a period of prosperity in the 1920s when the city government passed legislation that slated financial investment for this unique style of architectural development.

According to Yang, the Qilou legislation was issued during the 19th century in various British colonial cities and Southeast Asian countries, mainly in areas inhabited by the Chinese. In the early Qing Dynasty, many civil engineering students who had studied abroad came back to China and devoted themselves to Guangzhou's city planning. The Qilou legislation was introduced then with the ambition of providing the city with a face-lift.

According to the 1912 legislation, citizens who lived alongside roads were obligated to construct Qilou buildings that included supporting pillars for overhangs designed to protect sidewalks. In addition, any space sheltered by Qilou was slated for public usage and could not be privately occupied.

Qilou Culture Radiates from Guangzhou

According to an old map of Guangzhou, 59 Qilou streets were distributed throughout 15-square kilometers of historic districts, with a total length of 40 or more kilometers. Most of these were built between the 1920s and 1930s.

Qilou was the primary architectural style that dominated business streets at that time. Renmin Road, Zhongshan Road, Shangxiajiu Road, Beijing Road and Wende Road were among the representative commercial thoroughfares of the day, becoming special historic city scenes in later years.

The Guangzhou Qilou style radiated to other provinces in the south China area, such as Guangxi, Fujian, Guizhou, Yunnan and Jiangxi. In Shanghai and Wuhan city, Qilou eventually became a well-known "feature" of Guangzhou.

(by Carrot Chan, Stephen Roach)

Old Qilou Buildings: Historical Architecture in Guangzhou (Part 1)

Old Qilou Buildings: Historical Architecture in Guangzhou (Part 2)