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Xiguan
Xiguan, or Sai Kwan (西關; lit. Western Gate), is an ancient town and an area in the Liwan district of Guangzhou, China, which was located west of the old walled city. The Thirteen Factories trading enclave was located on its southern shore and the Shamian enclave was constructed beside it. Linguistically, the district is the origin of Sai Kwan dialect, the prestige dialect of Cantonese.
It now forms most of Liwan District.
Before the 20th century, Guangzhou was a walled city with many gates. Its western gates included the Taiping Gate (Chinese: 太平門; Jyutping: taai3 ping4 mun4; lit. 'Gate of Great Peace') and the West Gate (Chinese: 正西門; pinyin: Zhengximén; Jyutping: zing3 sai1 mun4; lit. 'Straight Western Gate'). "Saikwan" or "Sai Kwan" is a romanization of the local Cantonese pronunciation of the same Chinese characters. It was formerly the area's more common English name, although Mandarin pinyin is now the official form within China. It was also sometimes simply translated as "Westgate" or the "western suburbs" of Guangzhou (formerly known as "Canton").
"Xiguan" or "New Xiguan" (新西關) is also an informal name for Guangzhou's Liwan District.
Old Xiguan covered most of the present Liwan District, excluding Xicun (sai1 cyun1; 'West Village') Lychee Bay, and the old Fangcun District. It ran along the Pearl River from the 1st Quay (第一津) in the northwest to the outlet of the western moat (西濠) in the southeast. This "creek" formed the eastern boundary of the Thirteen Factories and separated Xiguan from Nanguan, the old city's southern suburb and Chinese dockyards. The foreign enclave on Shamian Island was usually excluded from Xiguan but Huangsha (黃沙; wong4 saa1; 'Yellow Sands') was usually included.
The northeastern area from the 1st Wharf to Taiping Gate was called Upper Xiguan (上西關; Shàng Xīguān; soeng6 sai1 gwaan1) and the southwestern area stretching to Huangsha was known as Lower Xiguan (下西關; Xià Xīguān; haa6 sai1 gwaan1)
In modern Guangzhou, the preservation district of Xiguan is formally defined as follows:
The northern boundary of Xiguan is the #7 and #8 Zhongshan Roads (中山七路, Zhōngshān Qī Lù, and 中山八路, Zhōngshān Bā Lù) and its eastern boundary is Middle and South Renmin Roads (人民中路, Rénmín Zhōng Lù, and 人民南路, Rénmín Nán Lù). Its south and west reach the Pearl River.
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Xiguan
Xiguan, or Sai Kwan (西關; lit. Western Gate), is an ancient town and an area in the Liwan district of Guangzhou, China, which was located west of the old walled city. The Thirteen Factories trading enclave was located on its southern shore and the Shamian enclave was constructed beside it. Linguistically, the district is the origin of Sai Kwan dialect, the prestige dialect of Cantonese.
It now forms most of Liwan District.
Before the 20th century, Guangzhou was a walled city with many gates. Its western gates included the Taiping Gate (Chinese: 太平門; Jyutping: taai3 ping4 mun4; lit. 'Gate of Great Peace') and the West Gate (Chinese: 正西門; pinyin: Zhengximén; Jyutping: zing3 sai1 mun4; lit. 'Straight Western Gate'). "Saikwan" or "Sai Kwan" is a romanization of the local Cantonese pronunciation of the same Chinese characters. It was formerly the area's more common English name, although Mandarin pinyin is now the official form within China. It was also sometimes simply translated as "Westgate" or the "western suburbs" of Guangzhou (formerly known as "Canton").
"Xiguan" or "New Xiguan" (新西關) is also an informal name for Guangzhou's Liwan District.
Old Xiguan covered most of the present Liwan District, excluding Xicun (sai1 cyun1; 'West Village') Lychee Bay, and the old Fangcun District. It ran along the Pearl River from the 1st Quay (第一津) in the northwest to the outlet of the western moat (西濠) in the southeast. This "creek" formed the eastern boundary of the Thirteen Factories and separated Xiguan from Nanguan, the old city's southern suburb and Chinese dockyards. The foreign enclave on Shamian Island was usually excluded from Xiguan but Huangsha (黃沙; wong4 saa1; 'Yellow Sands') was usually included.
The northeastern area from the 1st Wharf to Taiping Gate was called Upper Xiguan (上西關; Shàng Xīguān; soeng6 sai1 gwaan1) and the southwestern area stretching to Huangsha was known as Lower Xiguan (下西關; Xià Xīguān; haa6 sai1 gwaan1)
In modern Guangzhou, the preservation district of Xiguan is formally defined as follows:
The northern boundary of Xiguan is the #7 and #8 Zhongshan Roads (中山七路, Zhōngshān Qī Lù, and 中山八路, Zhōngshān Bā Lù) and its eastern boundary is Middle and South Renmin Roads (人民中路, Rénmín Zhōng Lù, and 人民南路, Rénmín Nán Lù). Its south and west reach the Pearl River.