The most beautiful corner in Guangzhou is in "Henan"

If you ask Chengcheng, "Which street in Guangzhou is your favorite?" Then I can answer you definitely——

Tongfu Road.

Tongfu Road has history and culture, rich human touch and delicious food. It also has the authentic "Guangzhou flavor" in my heart.

Some people say that this place is "as beautiful as a painting" and gives people a "sense of belonging". It is a place that is "more Xiguan than Xiguan".

Therefore, Tongfu Road is also called "the most beautiful corner in Guangzhou" .

There are quite a few A Cantonese time-honored brand that has been open for decades .

There are also many Internet celebrity owners like "Zhajiayi", it is a "secret delicacy holy place" for foodies, one of the must-visit places in Guangzhou.

Of course, there is also the most famous arcade street.

01

"Henan" among the Guangzhou population

It is a famous commercial hub

There is history, culture and architecture

"I would rather have a bed in Hebei than a house in Henan."

This proverb from Guangzhou people often causes misunderstandings among some foreign friends. In the era of the older generation, the Pearl River was still called the "Pearl River", and Guangzhou was also divided into northern and southern parts.

The "Henan" they refer to does not refer to Henan Province. Instead, it refers to places such as Haizhu District south of the Pearl River, and the place north of the Pearl River is called "Hebei".

This mantra actually talks about a period of history of the transformation of Guangzhou’s economic center.

Guangzhou's foreign exchanges have been very frequent a long time ago.

It can even be said that some cultures were gradually integrated under the influence of imported cultures.

Tongfu Road is only separated by a river from the former Shisanhang Trading Company. The older generation of Guangzhou people all know that Tongfu Road was once a famous commercial hub.

At that time, Tianhe District, now the most prosperous district in Guangzhou, was still a rural area for farming.

With business, it means there will be popularity.

During the Republic of China, Tongfu Road became the most popular commercial street in Henan.

There are many small shops on both sides of the arcade. Watch shop, barber shop, key shop, herbal tea shop... floor tiles ,Wood The cabinets, rusty sliding doors and yellowed glass windows still maintain the same appearance as they did decades ago.

Today, the arcade on Tongfu Road is one of the most complete existing arcade groups in Haizhu District.

Chengcheng is walking on Tongfu Road, and he can see arcades every few steps. Judging from the mottled walls and architectural style, it is easy to feel its history.

Compared with the "commercial" arcades on Beijing Road and Shangxiajiugeng, the arcades here are mainly in Chinese style.

The walls and pillars are decorated with flower carvings and bas-reliefs. Most of the patterns are colorful clouds, which mean good luck and blessings.

Most of them are two or three stories high, with 2 to 3 windows lined up on the wall. The windows are inlaid with colored glass. This is the Manchurian window with Chinese characteristics.

After these characteristics are integrated with Lingnan culture, they also have an extra "Lingnan characteristic".

What exactly is an "arcade"?

A house with people living upstairs and pedestrians and shops downstairs is called an arcade.

As early as the 19th century, Singapore had buildings similar to the arcade. The Singapore government at that time stipulated that there needed to be a covered corridor about five feet wide in front of all buildings.

The arcade was once a standard feature in Singapore.

The arcades were originally built out of convenience.

It can be used for both living and doing business, and passers-by can also walk downstairs, providing sun protection, sun protection, rain protection, and wind protection. The benefits brought by this kind of construction have led some cities in other Asian countries to follow suit.

Among them is Guangzhou.

This has also become one of the most influential imported cultures in Guangzhou.

The advantage of leaving eight feet in front of the arcade door in Guangzhou is that it makes the road wider. Several people walking side by side will not feel narrow.

The place where there used to be arcades was once known as the "rich area in Henan".

At that time, most of the people who could live in the arcades were businessmen from the 13th industry or returned overseas Chinese.

Feng Jingru, the chess king of South China, Li Xiongcai, the master of the Lingnan School, and Deng Shichang, the captain of the Beiyang Navy, all lived here. Even Pan Zhencheng, the former richest man in Guangzhou, and the wealthy businessman Wu Bingyong brothers also settled nearby.

At that time, Guangzhou welcomed the market-building activities. A large number of city walls and old houses needed to be demolished, and arcades were gradually built.

Many returned overseas Chinese are also keen on this kind of arcade building with many benefits when building their hometown. Therefore, from that time on, the construction of "arcade buildings" became popular in Guangzhou.

But it was the people who really introduced the arcades to Guangzhou. It was Chen Jiongming, the Guangdong warlord at that time.

As the governor of Guangdong, he ordered the city walls to be demolished and roads to be opened. It was stipulated that wherever paved houses were built on embankments and roads, eight feet of width should be left on private land to build arcades with legs.

This is the first time the word "qilou" appears in official documents.

With the strong encouragement of the government, the architectural style of arcades became popular in Guangzhou.

In just ten years, it was built It extends from Dongfeng Road in the north to Longjin Road in the west, from Henan Tongfu Road in the south to Donghua East Road in the east This arcade street is nearly 40 kilometers long.

However, the overly dense construction has attracted opposition from some citizens and industry insiders.

In the "Guangzhou City Amended and Prohibited Construction Regulations Catalog" promulgated in 1932, a "list of arcades not allowed to be built in the city" was also published.

As a result, building construction stopped.

Those short ten years became the golden age of arcades in Lao Guang’s heart.

Accompanied by big banyan trees, the old arcades of seemingly different styles hide half of Guangzhou's long history.

Chengcheng was walking on the road, drinking Yantang milk and standing on the roadside to take pictures.

A shop owner was sitting next to me reading a newspaper and asked me if my child was taking pictures. What are you filming?

Chengcheng: Has your store been open for a long time?

Boss: It has been open for almost 20 years. It was very lively at that time, with restaurants, shops and several banks.

Chengcheng: I saw that many shops are closed. Why?

Boss: My store has been open for a long time. Almost ten years ago, the focus of development moved to the other side of the river. There are fewer and fewer people here, and the business is also slow. We don’t live far away, so just try to find something to do every day.

Chengcheng: Have you ever lived in an arcade? It's upstairs, these arcades opposite.

Boss: I lived there when I was a kid. The arcades used to be very intimidating, but now few people think so. After all, people are dozens of years old and the buildings are decades old...

under the changing times.

Many people have moved out of these old arcades. Even Lao Guang, who grew up in the arcades as a child, has moved to new houses far away.

Some of the remaining shops downstairs appear randomly in the arcades along the street, and some are scattered in the short streets and narrow alleys next to it.

As for the people upstairs, some of the people still living there are either the older generation or tenants who came to Guangzhou.

Ordinary young people rarely live in arcades.

Those who have grown up think that the old arcades and the old people left behind are "difficulties". As everyone knows, perhaps this is the happiest childhood time and care in their lives.

Although it is not what it used to be.

But you can still see the old Guangzhou when you come here:

Half of them are arcades that have been preserved by history, and half of them are the tall buildings standing behind them, which combine the atmosphere of life and business in the last century.

This is the daily scene here and the breath of life.

02

Old storefronts and buildings

Hidden delicacies that Lao Guang loves deeply

And the strong sense of community and humanity here

At noon, there were more and more people on Tongfu Road, which was originally quite sparse.

Even though a large number of shops have moved away, this place is still a "secret gourmet destination" for foodies.

Fragrant desserts

Fragrant Dessert is a dessert shop opened in 1982.

It is also one of the dessert shops that must check in when coming to Tongfu Road.

As an authentic Guangzhou native, among so many dessert shops in Guangzhou, this one has won the hearts of everyone.

Snacks, desserts, meals... there are nearly 200 varieties of fragrant desserts. Even if you eat the same thing in one day, it will take you more than three months.

For just over ten yuan per person, you can get a bowl of authentic sugar water.

Peaceful stew

Across the road, there is an Anle Stew.

The signboard is not big and the shop is small. If it is not recommended by others or a regular customer, you will probably miss it.

The boss insists on making it by hand every day, and each cupstew is stewed for several hours before being sold.

Therefore, the store opening hours are later than ordinary stores, from 11 am to 11 pm.

The daily stews are hung at the door, with the effects of each stew written on them. If it's a blank sign, it's sold out.

It was getting cold, so Chengcheng ordered a coconut milk shredded bamboo chicken.

The boss said that these are made from beaten coconut meat and stewed in coconut green water.

The chicken is simmered until it melts in your mouth, and the soup has a strong aroma of coconut milk. The layer of fragrant chicken fat floating on top, the aroma of milk and fat, is really great.

Fried milk tea delicacies

Among the Internet celebrities on Tongfu Road is this fried girl.

Who among the locals who grew up nearby would not know Aunt Zhajia?

Her snack bar has a history of 21 years.

It is always crowded every day when it opens, and nearby students always come to help as soon as get out of class is over.

When you walk to the store, you will smell a very fragrant smell!

The store is not big and there are not many seats, but it is covered with menu boards from inside to outside.

Why is it called Zhajiayi?

It's because the main delicacy of this restaurant is homemade fried food.

Zhajiayi has been frying it for more than 20 years. Whether it is meat or vegetable, it can turn into a surprise in her hands.

Most of the friends queuing up live nearby, ranging from snacks to adults.

When you go here, you must eat eggplant and squid.

This is the most popular item in the store. It is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It melts in your mouth as soon as you bite it. Many people will order more after eating it for the first time.

There are also spring fish, cabbage, private milk tea, and bowl of fins, which are all worth trying.

Lin's herbal tea

On one side of Shuzhu Bridge on Tongfu Road, there is a herbal tea shop. It is difficult for ordinary people to notice it.

Drink herbal tea?

It's normal in Guangdong, but her herbal tea...

The lady boss will first ask you if you feel uncomfortable or have a cough, and make you "herbal tea" based on your usual habits. Yes, it is served with herbal tea.

She has many types of herbal teas, but she will "specially" prepare a cup of herbal tea that suits you.

Next to the herbal tea shop, there is a very popular market.

It's a bit like a temporary storefront on the street. Each stall owner has put out his or her goods. Now that the New Year is approaching, walking in it even has an atmosphere of celebrating the New Year.

Couplets to be posted during the Chinese New Year, door gods, parents forcing you to wear thick home clothes... Barber shops, watch repair shops, old-fashioned hand-made gold shops that have been opened for more than ten years...

There is everything you need here, there is a lot of people, and the flow is endless. You can even get a glimpse of the bustling scene of the past.

In the distance are the lazy and long sounds of hawking, the chatter of a few grandmothers and uncles, and next to it are the alleys with nooks and crannies.

Behind the market is the Longxi Shouyu Community.

In the long and narrow aisles, there are occasionally several gourmet restaurants queuing up.

You can also see the "little cleverness" of some bosses in the market:

part time.

When you have free time on weekdays, you can make some money by doing business.

The most common one is an intermediary. Save time, the property is nearby, and it’s easy to do.

"Brand new house, one bedroom and one living room, 30 square meters, air-conditioned, rent 1,500/month."

"It has air conditioning, bed, balcony, one bedroom and one living room, 45 square meters, good balcony, good ventilation, rent is 1,300/month."

There is even "single room with bed, 400/month."

Many friends who have just arrived in Guangzhou will choose to live in Haizhu District.

Because the rent here is really low.

Whether you want to have an independent space or are looking for a temporary place to stay.

Here will be your good choice.

Not far away is Nanhua West Street.

In the Tongfuxi area, it is a community with a relatively large area and degree of reform. But most of them are renovated from old houses.

Walking inside, you will find a "very Guangzhou" side:

Hang clothes by the door.

Who hasn’t been hit by water droplets dripping from the door when they were young?

One drop of this water lasts for many, many years. Today, there are still many families who do not buy dryers but continue to use this method to dry clothes.

in the hearts of the older generation.

The clothes will be comfortable and clean only after they have been exposed to the sun and blown by the wind.

Neighbors who have just finished eating have already begun to rub moss in front of their homes.

When I saw Chengcheng walking by, I asked if I wanted to give him a couple of rubs.

Here, you can still see the old-fashioned sliding door, which is actually very rare in Guangzhou, and there are not many houses in use in the Xiguan area.

Although most of the houses here are new on the outside, they are still old on the inside, such as old windows, old doors, old balconies...

This may be the last stubbornness of the older generation.

It is also their “belief” that they firmly believe in.

Next to these houses, Chengcheng also saw a lot of "empty buildings".

The house is still there, but people no longer live here.

Some even have their doors sealed, and dusty memories will no longer be opened.

While walking around, Chengcheng saw a very secretive community - QiZha Street.

Here’s something different:

Separated by a wall is a noisy road. The roads in the community are straight, spacious, and very quiet.

There is also a music room.

Standing at the intersection, it was so quiet that you could hear the music and conversations in the classroom.

"Teacher, please leave me a favor during the winter vacation. I will send him here every day."

"There are not many people signing up now, so coming early can save you some trouble teaching him."

When you reach the intersection, there is a building on the left that is different from other short and ordinary houses. It is very eye-catching.

On the mottled wall, there is a nameplate:

A historical building in Guangzhou, a residential building at No. 6, Qizha South Street.

There is also a residential building opposite, with a sign hanging on the wall:

Guangzhou English Training Center for Disabled Persons, No. 18, Jingheli, Nanhua West Road.

Deep in the alley, there is a house with a very different style.

It is a dance training room and plays European and American music. He seemed out of place in this community, but he couldn't explain why.

In the habitat Grid There are many stray cats in the street community, such as this big orange and little white one.

The old man who lived next door said that Da Ju was domesticated and Xiao Bai was a stray cat, but they never fought and Xiao Bai came to play with Da Ju every day.

I wish Daju’s family could also adopt Xiaobai.

03

surrounding

It’s good if it’s the one the neighbors are most familiar with.

Fu'an Community.

It is a townhouse, with many families living in it.

A father drove his daughter down the aisle. The bell on the front of the car jingled and the street lights turned on.

Passing by Chengcheng, I saw a handful of freshly bought cabbage sum placed in the basket on the front of the car.

Well, at first glance, he is a local.

The houses here are a bit old and a bit small.

Many old people live here, hanging their coats on the rafters, and a narrow, retractable staircase stretches out from the corner of the house.

There are also some elderly people sitting on the sofa with their eyes closed to relax; some families sit in the small living room to eat , watch the news on laptops ; some are at the door Sit and wait for your family to come back...

This is a very trivial and ordinary life.

The imprint of life growing up in the community as a child slowly emerged in front of my eyes.

These neighbors living in the old city may not be as glamorous as those living in high-rise buildings, and they have never seen a life of luxury and luxury.

In the small house in the old city, I savor the dull and sweet memories day after day.

When we walked out of Fu'an Community, it was already a brightly lit dusk night.

Looking at the arcade and the new buildings behind it, I feel like living on the same land but with different feelings.

There was an aunt who trotted through the arcade pulling a "very local" basket cart.

Chengcheng thought it was very interesting and wanted to take a picture. Unexpectedly, she walked faster than Chengcheng. He ran for a short distance before catching up with her.

People go out early and come back late.

The day is for life, the night is for family.

It's getting darker and darker, and those walks home seem a bit rushed.

Those who open shops along the street, after finishing their meal, will gather a few old friends and come to the door of the shop to play cards for fun.

He kept mumbling, "I'll show you this one, and I'll see if you can teach me how to play cards."

The store has been open for decades, and many old neighbors have moved away. Some live far away, and some live close by, but the relationship has not been interrupted. Uncle Zhong said while playing cards, "It's the weekend, so we made an appointment in the group to come back and play cards."

"It doesn't matter if you live far away. It's only half an hour's bus ride away. It's not far."

Uncle Mai, who was resting aside, said, "This store has been open for decades, and I don't want to close it if there is no business. It is important to be leisurely and comfortable, but the most important thing is the neighborhood feeling."

Year after year, the neighbors and the old arcade have spent countless 365 days guarding each other.

Why choose to "stay behind"?

The arcade is like their home. If "home" is gone, then there is nothing.

Walking on the winding stone road, tracing the marks left by history, harvesting the enthusiasm of the neighbors, the most important thing is one word:

slow.

certainly. If you follow the same rhythm as Fuxi, you will find that the market atmosphere here is still strong, the time-honored brands are still there, and the neighborhood friendship is still close.

On the way home, I kept thinking about what the aunt said to Chengcheng:

"What people say is old is actually old. So many new shops have opened, and no one remembers some old shops at all. The shops are not big, not clean, and sometimes there is no place to sit. Isn't it just to ask for a seat? Peace of mind and comfort. ”

"We are old and can't keep up with young people and trends. We also need to find a place in this world that matches our own rhythm. As long as the people, things and things are the ones we are most familiar with."

"I grew up on Tongfu Road and grew old on Tongfu Road."

Chengcheng would like to ask,How many people remember Tongfu Road, its food, history and neighbors?

Finally, one more thing.

Today, our "Rampage City Series" officially begins.

This article about Guangzhou and Fuxi is the first one, which is 001.

Next 002, 003, which street in which city do you want to see us explore?

Welcome to leave a message to tell us.

See you around the corner.