A Mysterious Central Axis

Text by Yang Huahui Translation by Madeline Weng

Illustration by Hao Lun Photos by Zhang Yonglin, Li Yuheng, VCG

A Mysterious Central Axis

Text by Yang Huahui Translation by Madeline Weng

Illustration by Hao Lun Photos by Zhang Yonglin, Li Yuheng, VCG

The central axis of Guangzhou extends all the way from the Yuexiu Mountain to the Pearl River.According to the Chinese Fengshui, this axis strictly abides by the rules of nature. This intangible axis exists without most people's knowing of it, yet it stands for thousands of years of civilization of Nan Yue (Southern Canton). That is why, however the dynasties change, the city always sticks to the same central axis.

The old Guangzhou is a scenic city with plentiful water and mountains. In the ancient times, before the Pearl River came into being, Guangzhou was the area on the north part of the South China Sea,where there was a plain with a hill at its far north,i.e. the Yuexiu Mountain now. There were two plains at the mountain foot, one of which was the Poshan Peninsula (the current location of the fi ve immortal Taoist Temple on Huifu Road); the other one was the Panyu Peninsula (where the Wende Road is now). There was a gulf between these two peninsulas, which gradually became a low-lying land that merged the two peninsulas into two lakes:the north of the water became Ju Lake (where the memorial hall is), while the south side became the West Lake (where the West Lake Road is).

The north-south gulf that used to separate the two peninsulas marks the central axis of Guangzhou.Along this axis lies the most important area of the city.

Since the establishment of Renxiao City in Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), the area around the current Town God's Temple has been expanding further. In North Song Dynasty (960-1127), the rampart stretched all the way to Renmin Road, while the outer city was split into three smaller towns. The three towns built in Song Dynasty were pulled down by Yongjia marquis Hou Zhuliang, who then built Zhenhai Tower and new ramparts around Yuexiu Mountain.

By then, the important position of the city's central axis has been established. In Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), it was further strengthened. All dynasties of important administrative organizations have been laid along the central axis.

The Republican period was the time when the central axis offi cially appeared. All kinds of important architectures were built, including Sun Yat-sen Monument, Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall, Central Park,fi nance department, Weixin Road, Yonghan Road,Haizhu Bridge, Tianzi Wharf and more. So far,Guangzhou city has expanded many times, but the central asix remains unmoved, and will continue to carry the city's profound culture and long history.

2000 years have passed by since Guangzhou was established. However,whichever way the city expands its territory, either to the east or to the west,the centre of it remains unmoved. It is quite remarkable and it is said there are only three cities in the world that have managed to achieve that: Rome,Alexandria, and Guangzhou. The secret of Guangzhou lies in the “Fengshui”,or geomancy, of its central axis.

神秘中軸線

廣州建城至今已經兩千多年，自古至今，雖向東西擴張，但中心從未移動過。如此神奇之城市，全世界據說只有三座，那就是羅馬、亞歷山大和廣州。廣州之所以能擁有這般奇跡，原因在于擁有一條“神秘風水中軸”。

廣州的傳統中軸線從今越秀山延伸至珠江，這使得廣州在各朝代不斷發展之時，都遵循著“天地自然”之道，以此線為中心，向兩邊擴張。它一直存在，卻幽隱無聞，千年南粵文化悠然沉淀其上。

古老的廣州是一座山水之城，水繞山環孕育而來。古時，珠江還沒形成，廣州這一帶是南海的北岸。北岸有一片平原地，平原地的最北有丘陵，就是今日的越秀山了。越秀山下是平原，平原有兩脈，一脈是坡山半島（今惠福路五仙觀后），另一脈是番禺半島（番山與禺山，今文德路一帶）。兩個半島之間有個海灣，后來海灣漸漸干成洼地，兩個半島連成一片，北面的余波成為菊湖（今紀念堂位置），南面成為西湖（今西湖路）。

兩個半島中間曾經的海灣，貫穿南北，便是城市中軸的位置，也是廣州城真正的天然“風水線”。

秦代任囂城建成以來，從今日中山四路城隍廟一帶不斷擴城，北宋時期已經把城墻建到現在人民路位置，但外城分別套著三座小城。明代永嘉侯朱亮祖下令拆“宋三城”，并在越秀山加筑新城墻，并興建鎮海樓。此刻，這條隱藏的廣州風水中軸，初露鋒芒，到了清代基本定調。可以看到，各朝代重要的行政機關都層疊在這條中軸之上。

到了民國時期，中山紀念碑、中山紀念堂、市府合署樓、中央公園、財政廳、維新路、永漢路、海珠橋、天字碼頭……各類重要建筑興起。可以說，民國時期讓這條大隱于城的中軸線現形。直到今天，廣州城盡管擴大了幾倍，但不變的中軸線，始終展現著這里千年厚重的文化并承載著古老城市的靈魂。

Haizhu Bridge

Haizhu Bridge was built in 1933. It is the fi rst steel bridge in China,and the fi rst river-crossing bridge in Guangzhou. This bridge connects the south and north of Guangzhou, thereby enabling the axle wire to elongate towards the south of Pearl River.

Address: South of Haizhu Square

海珠橋

建于1933年，是中國第一座鋼橋和廣州市第一座跨江橋梁，也是跨越江水，延續至珠江南岸的重要橋梁。

地址：海珠廣場南面

People's Park

People's park is the oldest comprehensive park in Guangzhou,and is regarded as the “No.1 Park in Guangzhou”, and the “Central Park of Guangzhou”. The central point of Guangzhou sits right at the south plaza of People's Park.

Address: 5thZhongshan Road

人民公園

廣州最早建立的綜合性公園,被譽為“廣州市第一公園”，也被稱為中央公園。廣州城市的坐標原點，就坐落在人民公園南廣場。

地址：中山五路

Millenium Arcient Path and Gongbei Tower Ruins Beneath the Millennium Ancient path on Beijing Road, there are 11 layers of road pavements, from Tang Dynasty (168-907) to the Republican period (1912-1949).

Gongbei Tower used to be a navy building constructed in Tang Dynasty,which developed into a business street in Song Dynasty, when it was renamed “Double Gate”. After the reconstruction in Ming Dynasty, a copper clepsydra casted in Song Dynasty has been placed there to show time. Beijing Road remains a prosperous commercial street ever since.

Address: Beijing Road, in front of Guangzhou Shopping Tower

千年古道及拱北樓遺址

北京路千年古道上疊壓了由唐代至民國七個時期共11層路面。拱北樓是唐代廣州城南建清海軍樓，宋代改名為雙門，并形成繁華的商業文化街。明代重建后，樓上擺放了元代鑄造的銅壺滴漏，標識時間。此后，這里一直是繁華的商業文化街。

地址：北京路步行街廣州百貨大廈前

Zhenhai Tower

The tower is also called “fi ve-layer mansion”. Built in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644),Zhenhai Tower sits at Xiao panlong Ridge, the peak of Yuexiu Mountain. It is one of the most iconic buildings in Guangzhou, and it is also where the Guangzhou Museum is located.

Address: Inside Yuexiu Park, No.988 Jiefang North Road

鎮海樓

又稱為“五層樓”，明朝建于越秀山最高處小蟠龍岡上，為廣州標志性建筑之一，如今是廣州市博物館所在地。

地址：解放北路988號越秀公園內

Tianzi Wharf

Tianzi Wharf is the oldest wharf in Guangzhou,and is also the oldest ferry terminal in use for Pearl River. It was originally constructed in the fi rst year of the reign of Qing Emperor Yongzheng (1723). In 1729, “Jie Guan Ting”, an additional pavilion was built next to the wharf for the purpose of picking up government offi cials. However, the pavilion no longer exists.

Address: No. 200 Middle Yanjiang Road

天字碼頭

廣州最早的碼頭，也是使用時間最長的珠江輪渡碼頭。原建于雍正初年，1729年增建接官亭，作迎接官員之用，故稱天字碼頭。接官亭今只留地名。

地址：沿江中路200號