Three Buildings with Distinct Architecture at the Liwan Museum in Guangzhou

To enter the Liwan Museum, you must do a pre-booking. You may do so with your WeChat account on the spot and registration was relatively easy. There is no fee for touring the museum.

The Liwan Museum consists of a cluster of three beautiful buildings, each in its own architectural style.

The Former Residence of Jiangguangnai

Jiang Guangnai was a key Republican (Kuomintang) general during the Second Sino-Japanese War. He was a faithful follower of Dr. Sun Yatsen’s cause. In 1931, the September 18 incident resulted in Japan occupying the northeastern parts of China. In 1932, Japan also raised an offensive in Shanghai, and Jiang Guangnai led his troops to resist the Japanese.

The Former Residence of Jiang Guangnai is a brick and wood building that combines both the styles of the Xiguan Old House and western architecture. There are three stories on the building, and each floor is open for visitation. It was built during the late Qing, early Republican period. The site is now well-restored and it is a very pleasant walk in the structure.

Xiguan Old Mansion

The proper name of the Xiguang Old Mansion within the Liwan Museum is Xiguan Folk Customs Museum. Of the three buildings in the Liwan Museum, I enjoyed the touring of the Xiguan Old Mansion the most. This rebuilt structure showcases the typical Xiguan Old Mansion with antique wooden furniture. The introduction on site was short, easy and amply served the purpose of unveiling the life of Old Xiguan.

The Former Residence of Chen Lianbo

Chen Lianbo was a banker and the grand building really reflects his wealth. His residence was built during the early Republican Period. He was once the comprador for HSBC (Europe). This house was once the meeting venue for Liwan Club, where foreign affairs officials, and highly important people from commerce and industries gathered.

Finally, there was a display of an interesting miniature-landscape phenomenon inside the museum compound. The Flying Banyan on the Rockery shows an old banyan tree sinking its roots over the original stone landscape sculpture.

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