For a long time, Beijing has served not only as the capital, but also the political, economic and cultural center of China. Other cities have their own roles in the nation: Tianjin is a shelter guarding the capital; Wuhan is a town of great strategic importance; and Shanghai is a trade port. The city of Guangzhou, in southern China’s Guangdong Province, is a complex commercial hub heavily influenced by Hong Kong. Its unique culture can perhaps best be analyzed by studying one of its most significant streets: Yide Road.  

Past Ups and Downs

Yide Road runs westwards through the heart of Guangzhou, and its recent history stretches back to the time of the Shisanhang, literally “Thirteen Companies,” during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

During the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties, Guangzhou became an important port open to foreign merchants. But foreign businessmen were not allowed to conduct trade with anyone other than the special government-backed brokerage companies, collectively known as the “Shisanhang.”

Shisanhang were officially established in the Xiguan district in 1686, an area which is now home to Guangzhou Culture Park and Haizhu South Road. The trading companies reached their zenith during the reigns of Emperors Qianlong and Jiaqing, increasing in number to become a conglomerate of dozens of companies. The most famous firms were Tongwenhang, Guanglihang, Yihehang, and Yichenghang, which were founded by Guangzhou’s four wealthiest merchants – Pan Qiguan, Lu Guanheng, Wu Bingjian, and Ye Shanglin. The Xiguan area, where the Shisanhang were located, bustled with trading ships, shoppers, and piles of silk, tea and porcelain ready for export. Merchants from dozens of countries including Britain, France, Holland, and various South Asian nations came to do business, from which the Shisanhang earned an incredible amount of wealth. The Xiguan area thus became the most important foreign trade hub of the Qing Dynasty.