dongshan garden western-style buildings

   we have introduced you lingnan-style architectures such as the garden architecture, terrace architecture, xiguan residence, tube-shaped house, etc. in order to show you the diversity and compatibility of lingnan culture on lingnan architecture and decorative arts, we’ll introduce the unique guangzhou western-style garden buildings to you.

after opium war in 1840, with the influence of capitalism, western style appeared in guangzhou’s residential architecture. under the influence of westernization, with the combination of the traditional ethical style of xiguan residence and tube-shape house with occidental classical architecture, the western-style garden building came into being.

the places around dongshan were suburban wastelands at the beginning of 20th century. since 1915, some overseas chinese with native place of guangdong began to build residential houses here. during the republic of china, some military officers and government officials also began to build villas and mansions here. so, many fashionable and luxury garden-style residential houses and western-style buildings came into being in dongshan district, especially in xinhepu district. later, many new-style residential buildings, which absorbed the features of western-style villas and guangzhou traditional architectures, i.e., garden western-style buildings, were built along longlingshang road, longlingxia road and meihua village.

dongshan garden western-style buildings, differing from “green bricks and stone foundation” xiguan residence and “narrow width and wide length” tube-shaped house, has the following features: classic colonnade mostly and chinese traditional style partially; wide building area; irregular plane and flexible layout with two or three floors and front & back yard; colonnade or rainproof triangle roof similar to europeanize villas; indoor elaborate fitment with high-quality cement encaustic tile as flooring.

in general, dongshan garden western-style buildings has the following two types: one is the garden villa with front and back yard. the outer wall is built with red bricks. the main building has two or three floors with reinforced concrete structure. imitating roman and greek style, the entrance of porch is built in shape of arch. the side buildings are horizontal roof mostly. the outer wall is also built with red bricks but the decoration is in the shade. the other has simple architecture line and decoration. the outer wall is also built with red bricks. the balcony or front porch is built on upstairs. the indoor room is bright and spacious with cement encaustic tile as flooring. the door and windows are built with teaks. small yard is built in front of main building. chunyuan villas, jianyuan villas, kuiyuan villas and mingyuan villas on xinhepu road of dongshan district are the representatives of the garden western-style buildings.

[chunyuan villas]

chunyuan villas is located at #22-26 on xinhepu road of dongshan district. it is situated at north and faces to south with a stream flowing in front of the building.  chunyuan villas are the three buildings with three floors and the same style side by side. it is 13.5m in height, 19.1m in depth and 9.8m in width. an eight-square pavilion with concrete structure is built on the terrace of #24 bldg. there are bounding walls around with 2m in height. the entrance of the bounding wall, facing to south, is installed with two iron gates with a stone lion on each gatepost. it says “chunyuan villas” on the lintel. there is a well in the yard.

chunyuan villas was ever the residence for the representatives of “the 3rd national congress of the communist party of china (cpc)”. before the opening of “the 3rd national congress of the cpc” in june 1923, the central committee of the cpc moved to guangzhou, chunyuan villas became the site for the central committee of the cpc. during “the 3rd national congress of the cpc”, ma lin, who was the representative of communist international, together with the leaders of the cpc, including chen duxiu, li dazhao, mao zedong, qu qiubai, zhang tailei, etc, resided at 2nd floor of #24 bldg. they discussed about the amendment of party program and party constitution of the cpc, pronouncement and draft of decisions in the reception room. the newly elected members and alternate members of the central committee ever held the meeting to discuss about the division of work. in 1993, chunyuan villas was ranked as guangzhou historical monuments & cultural relics.