Shamian, Guangzhou

Shamian, once known as Shicuizhou, is a sandbank formed by the siltation of the Pearl River, hence the name Shamian, with an area of 0.3 square kilometers. Shamian was a key trading port and tourist destination for both domestic and international commerce during the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. After the Opium Wars, it fell into the hands of the British and French as a concession from the eleventh year of Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty (1861). Shamian was an important commercial port in Guangzhou, and over a century, more than ten countries established consulates there. Nine foreign banks and over forty foreign firms operated on Shamian, and institutions like the Canton Customs House and the Guangzhou Club were established there. Shamian has witnessed the changes in Guangzhou's modern history, preserving the footprints of great figures such as Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Premier Zhou Enlai. It has become a microcosm of China's modern history and the history of the concessions. The European-style architecture on Shamian Island has formed a unique open-air architectural 'museum'.