Author: suan

Foshan Luohang Art Market

Luohang Art Market in Foshan is a 300-year-old ancient village filled with art works. Here you can enjoy free immersive exhibitions 🎨, experience over 60 art installations from around the world 🖼️, and feel the warmth and charm of an ancient village 🏡. Every snapshot turns out to be an artistic masterpiece 📸.

The Story of Luohang Art Market

Hidden in Danzao Town, Nanhai District, Foshan, this “waterside market” has a history of 300 years. It was famous for bamboo basket weaving 🧺, dating back to the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty more than 300 years ago.Thanks to convenient water transportation, it once prospered as much as Shangxiajiu in Guangzhou, and was the most vibrant market in the history of Jinsha.Luohang’s bamboo weaving was as renowned as silk reeling in Xiqiao and ceramics in Shiwan. Luohang Market was known as one of the three great markets in Guangdong.

Today, artists and villagers have revitalized the old market with bamboo-woven installations, poetic lanterns and flowing Song-style banquets, blending history and culture with trendy art.

Must-See Attractions

– Luohang Village History Museum: Learn about the 300-year history of the ancient village. Discover bamboo weaving culture through various daily bamboo articles and experience local customs and historical charm.

– Pulan Art & Culture Center: A three-story building with diverse art and cultural displays, including crafts by foreign artists such as mosaic butterflies and occasional small-scale painting exhibitions.

– Luohang Art Museum: Consists of 3 halls, displaying artworks integrated with local culture, including the large bamboo installation Towards the Sun, paintings, teacups and bowls.

– Riverbank Sunset: Dancer sculptures line the riverbank. Besides artistic vibes, you can enjoy the glittering river at sunset with gently rocking fishing boats — a peaceful and stunning rural scenery.

Performances & Experiences

– Luohang Bamboo Weaving Heritage Base:Handmade bamboo weaving workshops to experience the charm of intangible cultural heritage.

– Creative markets where you can hunt for unique handicrafts.

Instagram-Worthy Spots

– Giant Kapok: Standing on the roof of an old building. Kapok is the provincial flower of Guangdong, known as the “Hero Flower” in the Guangzhou-Foshan area.

– Giant Bamboo Basket: At the market entrance (next to the parking lot) stands a 4.3-meter-tall “world’s largest bamboo basket”, representing Luohang’s famous bamboo weaving culture.

– Urban Utopia on the Water Tower: An old water tower transformed into an art landmark, combining traditional residential textures with Foshan and Lingnan ecological images, showing cultural transformation and rebirth.

Notes

Art GalleriesLuohang Art Museum, Pulan Art & Culture Center and other indoor venues:

– Tuesday–Friday: 10:00–18:00

– Saturday–Sunday: 10:00–20:00

– Closed on Mondays

Parking and all exhibitions are free of charge.

*Performances, exhibition themes and photo installations are subject to adjustment at different times.

Amid the bustling, down-to-earth vibe of Old Xiguan lies a cultural and creative paradise converted from an old factory building — the Jingzili Cultural and Creative Community. Its mottled white walls and retro wooden roofs are mixed with vibrant illustrations and handmade crafts, with surprises waiting around every corner.Most shops operate on a self-service basis with cameras, so you can wander alone without feeling bothered — perfect for introverts. Phase Two is clearly converted from a traditional Xiguan mansion into a cultural and creative market, brimming with artistic charm.

📸 Must-Visit Photo Spots

🧩 Exclusive Date Souvenirs

Choose from a variety of scented candles, diffusers and hand creams. Every day of the 365-day year has its own unique fragrance. In other words, you can find your own exclusive scent here (also an ideal gift for friends!).

🧩 Graffiti Message Wall

A popular spot loved by fans of Ten of NCT，covered in countless messages from admirers. Feel free to bring a pen and leave your own mark. There’s also a mirror around the corner for great photos.

🧩 Pingu Polaroid Wall

A whole wall covered with Pingu penguins, full of retro vibes! Who wouldn’t want to take some beautiful polaroids here

🧩 Unattended Art Market

A dream for shy introverts! Browse creative merchandise from independent artists — all stylish and fun, with fully self-service shopping.

🧩 Budget Finds

You can find almost anything here: plush toys, stationery, accessories, and even cameras. There’s always something for you.

🚶‍♀️Walking & Dining Route + Experience

• Phase One: Small cultural and creative shops converted from former staff dormitories — a treasure trove for discovering local Guangzhou creativity.

  – The glitter polaroid shop captures moments instantly. Handmade bags and niche accessories are stylish, while journaling lovers can hunt for exclusive stationery. Retro corners make great photo backdrops with just a simple pose.

Phase Two: A four-and-a-half-storey factory transformed into a market, shops, studios and art exhibition area.

– Ground floor: Custom perfume blending and a fragrance lab; vintage stores with one-of-a-kind pieces. – Second floor: Polaroid printing and DIY craft workshops (book in advance). – Third floor: Artist booths and occasional niche special exhibitions (some ticketed), with new surprises every visit.

💡 Practical Tips

🕒 Opening Hours: 10:00–20:00 (market only open on weekends)

🎨 Photo Tip: Wear light-coloured clothing for better shots against the colourful illustration walls.

🕰 Zoned Opening: Spaces open differently on weekdays and weekends.Weekdays: Public exhibition areas & retail shops; the second floor is closed on weekdays — this secret spot is only accessible at specific times.

📍 Nearby Highlights

Xihua Road Food Street: Zhenzhen Snacks, Liyuan Restaurant, Diyin Rice Noodle Rolls and authentic Cantonese street food — fill up for just ¥20 per person!

Huiji West: A quiet area full of old Guangzhou charm, with red-brick walls, historic Western-style buildings and cafes, where you can experience the blend of old and new culture on a city walk.

Chen Clan Ancestral Hall: Also known as the Chen Clan Academy, built during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty. A historic architectural complex showcasing a variety of intangible cultural heritage crafts.

Guangxiao Temple: The oldest existing Buddhist temple in Guangzhou and one of the most spiritually revered thousand-year-old monasteries.

Liurong Temple: A treasure of Lingnan’s thousand-year-old Zen forest with a history of over 1,500 years. Together with Guangxiao, Hualin and Haizhuang Temples, it is known as one of Guangzhou’s Four Great Buddhist Temples.

Formerly the state-owned Zini Sugar Mill, which was built in 1953, Zini Tang Creative Park preserves a host of historical structures, including Soviet-style office buildings and refining workshops. As the first large-scale cane sugar factory independently designed and constructed in China during the First Five-Year Plan period of the People’s Republic of China, it has now been transformed from an industrial heritage site into a hub of art installations in line with the principle of “restoring old buildings as they were”. Boasting diverse business formats such as cultural creativity and film & television shooting, the park allows visitors to feel the Soviet influence on China and witness the historical transition of China from a planned economy to a market economy.

📸 Must-Visit Photo Spots

1️⃣ Soviet-style Buildings

The weathered brick walls of the red-brick factory buildings paired with giant gear installations exude a full retro industrial vibe, making every snapshot a cinematic masterpiece. The iconic office building designed by Soviet experts forms a cluster of structures painted in the classic Soviet yellow. When sunlight filters through the trees onto the mottled bright yellow arches, the dappled shadows create a filter-like cinematic effect. Dressing in retro dresses or coffee-toned outfits will instantly turn you into the protagonist of Youth 💃.

Special Reminder: In spring, there is a limited bougainvillea flower wall at Building 68, Zitang. The climbing bougainvillea covering the entrance against the bright yellow wall makes for incredibly photogenic shots!

2️⃣ 10,000-Ton Warehouse Riverside Wharf

Facing Shunde across the river, the spot offers a 100% photogenic rate at sunset when the river surface sparkles. The orange-hued sea at dusk is perfect for backlit silhouette shots 🌊, and the cluster of concrete pillars replicates the iconic scenes from YoYo. The gentle river breeze adds to the pleasant experience.

3️⃣ Graffiti Art Zone

Vibrant graffiti adorns the walls of the old factory buildings, creating a striking clash of trendy and nostalgic styles for stunning photos.

4️⃣ Giant Chimney & Abandoned Factory Buildings

🏭The three-story-tall chimney is a spectacular sight, while rusted gears and pipelines amplify the retro industrial atmosphere to the fullest.

5️⃣ No.3 Sugar Storage Tank Observation Deck

Featuring a full glass dome, the deck offers a bird’s-eye view of sawtooth-shaped factory buildings 🏭 and the stunning river view 🌅. Wide-angle shots deliver an exceptionally breathtaking visual impact 🤩.

💡 Travel Tips

📍Address: No. 7 Xi’an Road, Shawan Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou

🎫Admission: Free

⏰Opening Hours: Open 24 hours a day for free

⏰Recommended Visit Duration: 3–4 hours

⏰Best Time to Visit: Arrive after 3 PM to avoid the scorching sun. The soft evening light is ideal for portrait photography, and the riverside offers the prime spot to watch the most beautiful sunsets. The park is spacious and perfect for cycling.

🚲 In-Depth Experience

Take a cycling tour around the island, with a total route of about 11 km that takes roughly over an hour to complete (excluding photo stops).

Recommended Cycling Route:Baomo Garden ➡️ Nanhuo Garden ➡️ Zini Tang Creative Park ➡️ Riverside Greenway ➡️ Baomo Garden

Along the way, you can admire Lingnan-style gardens, artistic factory buildings and expansive river views, experience authentic old Guangzhou life, and immerse yourself in a fully atmospheric journey.

Guangzhou Sacred Heart Cathedral is also known as the Stone Chamber because granite is its primary building material. Constructed by Chinese craftsmen starting in the late Qing Dynasty, it was completed in 1888 after 25 years of construction. It is one of the world’s four all-stone Gothic cathedrals; the other three are Notre-Dame de Paris, Cologne Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey.

The cathedral was initiated by Bishop Philippe François Zéphyrin Guillemin, a French missionary in the Qing Dynasty, who secured a 500,000-franc donation from Napoleon III for its construction. Having survived the Second Sino-Japanese War, it stands as a historical witness to the spread and integration of foreign religious culture in China.

🏛️ Architectural Features

The main structure is built entirely of granite, laid out in a Latin cross floor plan. The main facade faces south, flanked by a pair of 58.5-meter-tall stone spires, each designed as a hollow octagonal pyramid.

• The west tower features large clock faces on its south, west, and north exterior walls.

• The east tower houses four large bronze bells.

The church roof is supported by 24 flying buttresses, and the gargoyle drainage spouts are carved in the shape of traditional Chinese stone lions. The entrance has three pointed-arch portal doors with layered recessed moldings. On the lower walls of the east and west sides are inscribed “JERUSALEM 1863” and “ROMA 1863” respectively, symbolizing that during the foundation-laying ceremony, a stone from Jerusalem and a kilogram of soil from Rome were buried beneath the cornerstone.Inside, the cathedral features ribbed vaults. Its massive stone pillars are cluster columns composed of eight smaller shafts. On the south, east, and west walls are three giant rose windows nearly 7 meters in diameter. Numerous stained-glass windows throughout the interior depict various biblical stories.

🎧 Experience

✅ Join the daily Mass

– Mass Schedule:Mon–Fri: 6:45 Cantonese MassSat: 6:45 Cantonese Mass, 15:30 Korean Mass, 19:30 Mandarin MassSun: 6:45 / 8:30 Cantonese Mass, 10:30 Mandarin Mass, 15:30 English Mass, 19:30 Mandarin Mass

*Some areas are closed to visitors during Mass.

✅ Biblical stories are depicted on the stained‑glass windows inside the cathedral. Scan the QR code for audio explanations.

📸 Photo Tips

1️⃣ Full view from the main entrance: Step back to the stone piers in the square and shoot from a low angle to avoid crowds; use a wide‑angle lens in the front square for a symmetrical full view.

2️⃣ Rose window at the side entrance: Stunning light and shadows when sunlight shines through after 3 PM; steps at the side gate with solid‑color outfits make great photos.

3️⃣ Rooftop of Mottle Café in the back alley (minimum spend ¥35): Overhead shot of the cathedral with arcade buildings in the same frame.

4️⃣ Yide Road arcade street: Use a telephoto lens to capture the cathedral spires alongside lively local street scenes.

🗺️ Nearby Attractions (within walking or cycling distance)

1. Shamian Island (15-minute walk): European-style buildings, cafes, ancient trees, artistic vintage vibe, perfect for photos and leisurely walks.

2. Yanjiang West Road (approx. 5-minute walk): Former Canton Customs House, Post Museum, retro architecture, ideal for night and river views.

3. Yide Road (approx. 3-minute walk): Dried seafood, toy wholesale markets, traditional arcade streets, experience authentic local Cantonese life.

4. Yongqing Fang (15-minute bike ride): Xiguan-style charm, creative shops, intangible cultural heritage experiences, popular among art and culture lovers.

5. Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street (10-minute bike ride): Concentrated historic food shops, including Nanxin Double Skin Milk, Baohua Noodle Shop Wonton Noodles, etc.

💡 Notes

• Opening Hours:

① Tue–Fri: 9:00–11:00, 15:00–17:00; Sat: 9:00–14:30; Sun: 13:00–14:30

② Closed on Mondays; the main sanctuary is closed on the third Sunday of each month.

• Admission & Reservation

Free entry with no reservation needed. Free shawls are available at the entrance (visitors must dress appropriately).

• Photography Rules

No flash photography. Photography inside is prohibited during Mass; please keep quiet.