Former Site of the Swire Bank (Taiwan Bank) Ltd., Shantou Branch

Former Site of the Swire Bank (Taiwan Bank) Ltd., Shantou Branch

The Former Site of the Swire Bank (Taiwan Bank) Ltd., Shantou Branch is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Guangdong Province.

The Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall is located at No. 1 Yongping Road, Shantou City. It was originally the site of the former Shantou Branch of the Taiwan Bank Ltd., Japan, covering an area of about 600 square meters with a construction area of approximately 1,800 square meters. The building faces northeast and is situated southwest, featuring a three-and-a-half-story European-style structure that blends Chinese and Western architectural elements. The first floor is a multi-functional exhibition hall, the second floor houses a permanent cultural relics exhibition, and the third floor, known as "Qingyin Pavilion," is an exhibition space dedicated to Chaoshan music culture.

During the Third National Survey of Cultural Relics, the building at No. 1 Yongping Road was registered as a newly discovered immovable cultural heritage site. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Shantou’s port opening and to further trace the development of historical and cultural progress, the Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall was established here.

The Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall is a cultural landmark of the city, offering a condensed showcase of the city’s development since the port opened on January 1, 1860. The exhibition layout reflects the historical timeline of Shantou’s port opening, the significance of the event, and the prosperity it brought.

Architectural Layout

The Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall is situated at No. 1 Yongping Road, Jinping District, Shantou City, with a construction area of 1,800 square meters. The building faces northeast and is situated southwest, directly opposite the Customs Clock Tower — a witness to Shantou’s port opening — across the street. It neighbors the Old Post Office of Shantou and extends its influence across the entire Xiaoguang Park Historical and Cultural District.

The Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall is an independent three-and-a-half-story building designed in a European architectural style. The building, with a total of three floors, features European-style architecture and carries a profound historical legacy. It was formerly the site of the Taiwan Bank and a newspaper office during the Republican era. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it served as offices for the Shantou Western Hospital, a newspaper agency, and a court. It has witnessed the history of Shantou’s port opening. The building stands quietly in the old Shantou harbor district. Its fresh walls and muted red lattice windows do not conceal its deep historical aura.

In front of the Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall, there are three sets of bronze sculptures on the steps: a street vendor selling grass jelly, China’s first female overseas student and female Western doctor Shi Meiyu, Joseph Jardine — the owner of Jardine Matheson — and his Chinese comprador. These figures reflect a meaningful blend of Chinese and Western cultural elements in line with the overall theme of the exhibition hall.

Building History

The building of the Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall was constructed in 1907, covering an area of about 600 square meters. This European-style building with Chinese architectural elements was once the site of the Shantou Branch of the Taiwan Bank, Japan, until it was dissolved after the victory of the War of Resistance in 1945. It later served as offices for a Western hospital, a newspaper agency, a district government building, and a court.

The building of the Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall has witnessed the institutional evolution, rise and decline of the old Shantou harbor area. During the Third National Survey of Cultural Relics, this time-worn building was registered as a newly discovered immovable cultural heritage site. In May 2010, the Jinping District Committee and District Government of Shantou City decided to transform it into the Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall, which opened to the public free of charge that same year.

In 2015, it was designated as a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Guangdong Province by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units