Haikou Qilou Old Street

Haikou Qilou Old Street

Haikou Qilou Old Street is one of the most distinctive street landscapes in Haikou City. The oldest building among them, Sipailou, was constructed during the Southern Song Dynasty and has a history of over 700 years. On June 10, 2009, the first "China Historical and Cultural Famous Streets Selection and Promotion" event was announced in Beijing, and Haikou Qilou Old Street was on the list. Haikou Qilou Old Street won the title of one of the first ten "China Historical and Cultural Famous Streets" for its uniqueness and distinctiveness.

Haikou’s qilou buildings are mainly distributed in the old districts along Deshengsha Road, Zhongshan Road, Bo’ai Road, Xinhua Road, Jiefang Road, and Changdi Road. The qilou old street covers an area of approximately two square kilometers, with a total length of 4.4 kilometers, and includes nearly 600 qilou buildings, ranging from small to large, mostly three to four stories high.

Most of the qilou were built in the early 20th century by overseas Chinese who returned from Southeast Asia, drawing inspiration from the architectural styles of the region at the time. The qilou are adorned with elegant and delicate sculptures and Western-style decorations, giving them a somewhat Baroque flavor. The buildings are generally not very tall, mostly two or three stories, with some still retaining early shop signs and exquisitely carved railings, windows, and doors.

The architectural complex of Haikou’s qilou old street initially took shape between the 1920s and 1940s, with the oldest building, Sipailou, dating back over 600 years to the Southern Song Dynasty. The history of the qilou is closely tied to Haikou’s early opening to the outside world. During the late Qing Dynasty, Haikou was one of the national ports open to foreign trade and served as a window for the entire island. People who had sought livelihoods in Southeast Asia began returning to invest in their hometowns. In 1849, the earliest qilou were built in the Sipailou block near Shuixiangkou and North Bo’ai Road, and the entire qilou district gradually expanded from there, eventually forming a sizable area.

The development of Haikou’s qilou district originated from the growth of maritime trade and shipping. At the time, Haikou’s shipping routes reached Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Saigon, Haiphong, as well as Hong Kong, Xiamen, Taiwan, Guangzhou, and Beihai. As a result, merchants and laborers active in Southeast Asia and along China’s coastal regions became carriers of Nanyang culture, bringing architectural styles and designs from various places to Haikou. This contributed to the Eurasian fusion urban character of Haikou’s qilou architectural and historical district.

Location: Qilou Old Street, Longhua District, Haikou City, Hainan Province

Transportation: Take bus lines 3, 6, 14, 27, 37, 39, 43, or 56 within Haikou City to get there

Admission: Free

Best time to visit: Suitable year-round