Shantou Little Park

Shantou Little Park

Shantou Little Park is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangdong Province.

Shantou Little Park, the commercial and cultural center of Shantou’s old urban district, is a core landmark and cultural symbol of the city’s historic center.

In the narrow sense, Little Park refers to the Zhongshan Memorial Pavilion at the heart of the Little Park area. In the broader sense, it encompasses the surrounding streets—including Anping Road, Shengping Road, and Guoping Road—collectively known as the Little Park Historical and Cultural District.

The arcade buildings and streets in the Little Park area are laid out in a fan-shaped, radial pattern. Together with the adjacent historic neighborhoods “Four Yong and One Shengping,” the former “Yanyantou” in the east, the Red Pavilion in the north, and “Shantou Port” in the south, they form a bustling commercial and residential district featuring 1930s architectural styles. The seven-story department store in the area was originally the “Nansheng Company,” established in 1932 by overseas Chinese investors. Before the liberation, it was the second tallest building in Shantou and remains an iconic structure of old Shantou and one of the symbols of Little Park.

Shantou Little Park was built in the early 1930s and featured rockeries, fountains, and a sign reading “Tribute from All Nations.” In April 1934, an octagonal pavilion was added, with red pillars and green tiles, surrounded by stone benches. It was named the “Zhongshan Memorial Pavilion,” commonly referred to as Little Park. During the Cultural Revolution in 1969, the pavilion was demolished. In 1985, the municipal gardening department rebuilt the rockery and fountains at the original site, planting coconut trees, fishtail palms, and other trees and shrubs to create a central green island. In 1997, the Tuo’ao Construction Company of Shengping District rebuilt the “Zhongshan Memorial Pavilion,” which was later reconstructed again in late 2016. The Little Park has since gained enhanced elegance and a unique charm.

Little Park is a historic gem of Shantou’s old urban district, a testament to the city’s once-thriving commerce, and a beloved spot for overseas Teochew people and friends to reminisce and feel nostalgic.

The Zhongshan Memorial Pavilion in Little Park, completed in December 1934, was destroyed during the turbulent years of the “Smash the Four Olds” campaign in 1969, reduced to rubble. With the dawn of a new era and the revitalization of the city, the pavilion was rebuilt. This seemingly ordinary little pavilion has always been closely tied to the pulse of Shantou and has even become a symbolic “umbilical cord” connecting the city with the world.

Since the reconstruction of the Zhongshan Memorial Pavilion in Little Park, it has become common to see scenes where calm streets suddenly come alive as tour buses pull up, mostly carrying overseas Teochew visitors. The city center briefly buzzes with energy again. For overseas Chinese returning home for sightseeing or family visits, the pavilion is as unforgettable as the lintel of their childhood home and as endearing as their grandmother’s smile, always evoking deep nostalgia. Even for some travelers visiting for the first time, whose impressions of their hometown are only fragmented stories passed down by elders, the sights before them instantly make them feel a deep connection to their roots.

Laomagong, also known as Tin Hau Temple, is a historical museum located at the head of Waibian Road in Shantou, Guangdong Province. Alongside the adjacent Guan Di Temple, it is among the earliest structures built before Shantou became a treaty port. Originally constructed during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was renovated and reopened in 1992.

The Shantou Port Opening Culture Exhibition Hall is a cultural emblem of the city, offering a condensed showcase of Shantou’s development since the port opened on January 1, 1860. Its displays reflect the historical timeline of the port’s opening, its significance, and the prosperity it brought.

The Shantou General Post Office Building faces southwest and is situated northeast, a two-story structure built with a composite of stone, steel, and cement. It is one of the two most well-preserved postal buildings in Guangdong that feature European architectural styles, and it was the first self-built post office in Shantou since the port opened. It bears witness to the history of postal and communication development in Shantou, Guangdong, and even China. Covering a land area of 1,449 square meters and a floor space of 1,042.8 square meters, the entire building remains well-preserved and is a popular destination for visitors. In 2005, it was designated as part of the third batch of municipal-level cultural heritage sites in Shantou by the Shantou Municipal People’s Government.