Yongqing Fang / Xiguan
永庆坊
A creative district transformed from old Xiguan streets, where arcade buildings, flagstone lanes, Bruce Lee's ancestral home and the Cantonese Opera Museum coexist. It is the top choice for experiencing old Guangzhou.
Yongqing Fang lies on Enning Road in Liwan District. It was Guangzhou's first historic district renewed through “micro-renovation.” It preserves Xiguan mansions, tangpeng sliding-gate doors, flagstone lanes and arcade façades, while adding cafés, intangible cultural heritage studios, bookshops and souvenir shops.
Highlights include Bruce Lee's ancestral home, the former residence of his father Lee Hoi-chuen (free admission); the Cantonese Opera Art Museum, a Lingnan garden-style building (free, with occasional Cantonese opera performances); the former Jinsheng Cinema; and the arcaded Enning Road. Nearby, Xiguan Yongqing Fang Phase II and Lizhiwan Creek offer boat rides past the riverside arcades for about RMB 40. The whole district is open free of charge, and most shops operate from 10:00 to 22:00.
Suggested route: start from Changshou Road Station on Metro Line 1 and walk the arcades of Enning Road to Yongqing Fang. Then head north to Liwan Lake Park and Pantang Five Covenants, and connect to Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street. Along the way you can sample Canton enamel, visit Copper-beating Street, and try old-brand snacks such as Yinji Rice Rolls, Chen Tianji Fish Skin and Nanxin Double-Skin Milk. Allow about 2 hours. Evenings are busy, but the arcades look best under the lights. Walking time from Changshou Road Station on Line 1 or Huangsha Station on Line 6 is about 10 minutes.
Note: some shops close early in the evening, and the Cantonese Opera Museum is closed on Mondays.
Opening hours
Open all day (shops about 10:00–22:00)
Nearby sights
- Cantonese Opera Art Museum
- Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street
- Shamian Island
- Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
- Sacred Heart Cathedral (Shishi)
- Huaisheng Mosque (Guangta)
- Guangxiao Temple
- Haichuang Temple