In a series of articles and photographic series, we're taking a look at how Guangzhou has evolved in the past century. This section displays past and present images side by side to illustrate just how drastically the landscape has changed.
As China's primary harbor, Guangzhou served as the nation's sole window to the outside world for centuries. The sharp contrast between the city's long history and thriving modernity is nowhere clearer than in collections of unique photographs. Some views are barely recognizable – Guangzhou’s skyline is nothing like Canton’s – but others have barely changed. Though many historic images were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, some of the city’s past has now been rediscovered in the archives of Western businessmen and missionaries. Scroll down to see some examples.
The English bridge, crossing the narrow canal that connects Shamian to the mainland, before it became overshadowed by the dual-carriageway that is one of the city’s many arteries. (Photo courtesy of Presbyterian Research Centre)
The shady canopy that let people linger comfortably above the water has disappeared, along with the clutter of boats. (Photo by Ryan Wagstaff)
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The substantial red brick buildings of Sun Yatsen University were built later in 1904 and spread across 30 acres. (Modern photo by Ian Sharpe; original from Red Buildings on Honglok Campus by Professor Yu Zhi, photographer unknown)
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The Hualin monastery, also known as the Temple of 500 Gods, was founded in AD 527, but suffered badly during the Cultural Revolution. British photographer John Thomson visited the temple at least twice in the 1860s, and photographed the interior and the monks. (Photo from the Wellcome Collection)
The temple was restored in the 1990s and the 500 golden statues were replaced, though the monks continue to convene as usual. (Photo by Amy Binns)
When this picture was taken in 1906 from the roof of the Sun Hotel, the Catholic Cathedral, also known as the Stone Church, dominated the city all the way to Baiyun Mountain in the background. (Photo courtesy of Presbyterian Research Centre)
Today’s picture was taken from the top of a 23-story tower selling IT equipment. The cathedral is just visible behind the orange tower blocks, but the mountain is lost in a haze of pollution. (Photo by Amy Binns)
Sun Yat-sen University was partly based around Canton Christian College, founded by the missionary American Presbyterian Church in 1888 with just 30 students. (Photo from Red Buildings on Honglok Campus, by Professor Yu Zhi)
The historic buildings, now softened by trees, are still in use at the heart of the Lingnan campus. (Photo by Sam Jackson)
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In the archive picture, an American missionary child has joined the group, while these days Chinese schoolchildren now commonly wear practical tracksuits. (Modern photo by Ryan Wagstaff; original from the Billie Love Historical Collection)
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The Flowery Pagoda, part of the Liurong Temple, or Temple of Six Banyan Trees, was first built in 537 AD. From the outside, it appears to be nine stories, but inside it is 17 stories. It has been rebuilt and renamed several times, and was most recently restored in 1900. (Modern photo by Sam Jackson; original by Sylvester Dutton in 1863, part of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service Collection)
// The photo project featured here, spearheaded by University of Central Lancashire lecturer Amy Binns, was joined by students from UCLan and the Guangzhou Institute of Foreign Studies, who worked together to track down the locations of these century-old images.
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