Xiguan Folk Museum (Xiguan Folklore Museum)

Xiguan Folk Museum (Xiguan Folklore Museum)

Xiguan culture is a microcosm of Guangzhou’s culture, and the Xiguan mansion is the essence of Xiguan architectural culture. The Xiguan Folk Museum is actually a renovated version of a typical Xiguan mansion.

Walk around to the right side of the Liwan Museum, and you’ll see the grand old house quietly standing by Qingyun Lane. The walls are neatly built with uniform blue bricks, and though the structure isn’t particularly large, the tall roof ridges, walls, as well as the overall ingenious design of the stairwells, corridors, rooftop, and courtyards still give off a deep, courtyard-like feel. Stepping through the main gate — composed of a low-hanging raised door, a sliding wooden lattice door, and a solid hardwood front door — and treading on the red square bricks, an ancient charm naturally arises.

The folk museum adopts a three-bay layout. Directly facing the entrance is the main hall (ancestral hall), a place for worshipping ancestors and family gatherings. The furniture inside is symmetrically arranged, with tables and chairs all made of precious rosewood. Above the main hall, near the courtyard, there is a floral screen intricately carved with wood inlay patterns, separating the hall from the courtyard. Above the main hall, there is also a shrine platform built for ancestral worship. Behind the main hall, a screen door encloses the first room, which is where the eldest elder of the family lived. Behind the first room is the second hall, used for family meals. The folk museum displays various everyday items from the old days here, such as a teak juicer, a copper kettle, a mortar bowl, and a washboard. The most interesting item is a large mixed-fuel stove, entirely made of copper. When heated on one side with firewood, the other two sides can also be heated and kept warm through heat transfer — the ingenuity of the design is truly remarkable.

Admission Fee

Admission: 8 RMB

Location

No. 82, Fengyuan North Street, Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province