Shamianzhou Lighthouse

Shamianzhou Lighthouse

The Shamianzhou Lighthouse is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangdong Province.

Among Guangzhou’s iconic lighthouses, the most notable are the Shamianzhou Lighthouse and the Jinshuopai Lighthouse under the Humen Bridge. The latter was built in 1906, nine years before the Shamianzhou Lighthouse, but has been decommissioned due to the construction of the Humen Bridge. For Guangzhou, the Shamianzhou Lighthouse holds such significant and special meaning. For nearly a century, the Shamianzhou Lighthouse has existed solely as a lighthouse.

The Shamianzhou Lighthouse can be described as a miniature museum of the history of modern lighthouse development. Originally equipped with an acetylene gas lamp and an acetylene fog cannon, which produced sound when the gas mixed with air in the cannon chamber and ignited, the lighthouse later had an acetylene light installed. In 1982, the Shamianzhou Lighthouse became one of the first in China to adopt a solar-powered battery supply system. It has since been equipped with updated devices such as radar, wind turbines, and electric foghorns. These allow it to warn passing vessels of dangers in all weather conditions, making it a large-scale lighthouse that integrates visual, audio, and radio navigation aids.

In 2000, the Guangzhou Maritime Buoyage Authority imported a main light worth over 300,000 US dollars from Spain. This light features a unique hexagonal shape with concentric circles on the lamp wall resembling ripples. Known as a “bull’s-eye” lens, it projects six beams of light. Though the bulb is only 60 watts, it remains clearly visible up to 18 nautical miles away on a dark night. A secondary American-made light was also installed; in case the main light fails, the auxiliary light automatically activates—ensuring an ever-burning beacon to safeguard maritime safety.

In 2015, the People's Government of Guangdong Province designated it as a cultural heritage site of Guangdong Province.

Longxue Subdistrict: Located in the southeastern part of Nansha District, Longxue Subdistrict borders the Humen Waterway to the east, the Lingdingyang Sea to the south, the Jiaomen Waterway to the west, and the Fuzhou Waterway to the north. It is the southernmost island of Guangzhou. [1]

The Longxue Subdistrict covers an area of 128.9 square kilometers, including 49.8 square kilometers of land area and 79.1 square kilometers of water area. It administers three major zones: the shipbuilding base, the port logistics base, and the Longxue community. By the end of 2013, it had a registered population of 1,454 and a migrant population of 9,127. [1]

Longxue Subdistrict has over 30,000 acres of fishponds and 29 kilometers of rivers... More detailed information about Longxue Subdistrict++

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites of Guangdong Province