SHAMIAN ISLAND IN GUANGZHOU CITY, CHINA


A colonial European building converted as Starred White Swan Hotel, in Shamian Island in Guangzhou City, China


A father teaching his son how to play Ektara. Many idols encouraging singing, dancing, music etcetera are erected in the Shamian Island in Guangzhou City, China. In Chinese cities, public places are available for the people for extra academic activities.


Pearl River (Zhu Jiang), with clean water, flows through Shamian Island in Guangzhou City, China. 



A church with a red flag in the Shamian Island in Guangzhou City, China. In China, religious prayer houses, except those of Buddhism, are found empty.

Shamian Island, in the Liwan Dist of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, is a historic sandbank island known for its colonial European architecture and tranquil atmosphere. Covering 0.3 square kilometrs, "Shamian," means "sandy surface" in Chinese, in the Pearl River. Shamian Island was a key trading port from the Song Dynasty (960–1279) through the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). In 1859, following the Second Opium War, the Qing govt ceded the island as concessions to Britain (three-fifths) and France (two-fifths), transforming it into a foreign enclave. During this period (1859–1943), Western powers, including Britain, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, and others, established consulates, banks, and trading offices. After 1949, many of the island’s mansions were repurposed as govt offices or apartments. Churches were converted into factories. Its pedestrianized areas are free of traffic jams and pollution. The island’s banyan trees, statues, and colonial buildings make it a favorite for photographers and wedding photo shooting.




 

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