Liwan 荔湾区
District
Shamian Subdistrict riverfront
Liwan in Guangzhou
Coordinates: 23°06′56″N 113°14′18″E / 23.11556°N 113.23833°E / 23.11556; 113.23833
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Guangdong
Sub-provincial city	Guangzhou
Area
• Total	62.4 km2 (24.1 sq mi)
Population  (2023)
• Total	1,113,000
• Density	18,000/km2 (46,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+8 (China Standard)
Postal code	510145
Area code	020
Website	Official website

Liwan District is one of 11 urban districts of the prefecture-level city of Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, China. The district is split into two parts by the Pearl River: Xiguan in the northeast and Fangcun in the southwest. The area has a prominent history, dating back to the Qin dynasty, and hosts a number of major historic sites. Liwan District spans an area of 62.4 square kilometres (24.1 sq mi), and as of the end of 2023, has a population of about 1,113,000.^[1]

Liwan District was named after "Lizhi Wan" (simplified Chinese: 荔枝湾; traditional Chinese: 荔枝灣; pinyin: Lìzhī Wān; lit. 'Lychee Bay'),^[1] which is derived from poem^{[citation needed]} of "a bay of green water and red lychees along both banks".^[1]

From the Qin dynasty through the Qing dynasty, the area of present-day Liwan District belonged to Panyu County and Nanhai County.^[1] Liwan was historically located outside the western gates of Guangzhou, in an area known as Xiguan (simplified Chinese: 西关; traditional Chinese: 西關; pinyin: Xīguān; Jyutping: sai1 gwaan1).^[1] The district was also the site of the historic area of Huadi,^[1] at the southwest of Guangzhou's downtown area and south of Pearl River.^[2]

The area of present-day Liwan,^[1] along with Guangfu (present Yuexiu),^{[citation needed]} was merged into the newly-formed city of Guangzhou upon its incorporation,^[1] on February 15,^{[citation needed]} 1921.^[1] Liwan covers an area of 16.2 square kilometres (6.3 sq mi), and has a permanent population of about 540,000 and a permanent nonnative population of over 200,000.^{[citation needed]}

In the months following the proclamation of the People's Republic of China, the area of present-day Liwan District changed administrative organization a number of times.^[1]

On October 14, 1949, the government organized the area as Fangcun District (Chinese: 芳村区; pinyin: Fāngcūn Qū).^[1] On November 15, it absorbed Chongwen District (Chinese: 崇文区; pinyin: Chóngwén Qū).^[1] In June 1954, Fangcun District was abolished, and its area was split between Henan District (Chinese: 河南区; pinyin: Hénán Qū) and Xinjiao District (Chinese: 新滘区; pinyin: Xīnjiào Qū).^[1] In April 1959, eight production brigades from Nanhai County were merged into Guangzhou City, and the area of former Fangcun District was placed under the jurisdiction of Jiao District (Chinese: 郊区; pinyin: Jiāo Qū), Guangzhou.^[1] After being briefly re-established, Fangcun District was abolished once again on May 11, 1962, and merged into Jiao District.^[1] In May 1985, the State Council officially approved the re-establishment of Fangcun District of Guangzhou.^[1] In September 2005, Fangcun District was abolished, and re-established as Liwan District.^[1][3][4]

Liwan District is positioned in the west part of Guangzhou, on along the banks of the Pearl River. It is bordered by Yuexiu District to the east, Baiyun District to the north, and Nanhai District in Foshan to the west.^[1]

The area of Liwan District is frequently affected by typhoons.^[1] In 2023, the area experienced a total annual precipitation of 1,932.2 millimetres (76.07 in), of which the cumulative precipitation during the flood season (March 27-October 31) was 1,711.7 millimetres (67.39 in), accounting for 88.6% of the annual precipitation.^[1]

As of the end of 2023, Liwan District has a permanent population of 1,113,000, and a hukou population of 804,800.^[1] Its population growth rate in 2023 was -1.98‰ (per mille).^[1]

Liwan district has a well-developed transport network connecting with the railway station and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in the north. Renmin Bridge and Zhujiang Tunnel link the banks of the Pearl River in the southern part of Liwan. Zhujiang Bridge, which connects Nanhai and Foshan, links the east and west together in Liwan's west. Guangzhou South Railway Cargo Station of Jingguang Railway and Xinfeng Terminal are in Liwan's southwest. No. 107 State Highway and Guang-Fo Highway connecting with Guang-Shen Highway are through to Hong Kong. Line 1 of Guangzhou Metro and Inner overhead road pass through the District.

Liwan is currently service by four metro lines operated by Guangzhou Metro:

•      Line 1 - Chen Clan Academy, Changshou Lu, Huangsha ( 6 ), Fangcun, Huadiwan, Kengkou, Xilang ( Guangfo )
•      Line 5 - Jiaokou, Tanwei ( 6 ), Zhongshanba, Xichang, Xicun
•      Line 6 - Hesha, Tanwei ( 5 ), Ruyifang, Huangsha ( 1 ), Cultural Park ( 8 )
•      Line 8 - Cultural Park ( 6 )
•      Guangfo line - Longxi, Jushu, Xilang ( 1 ), Hedong, Shachong

Liwan District has many attractions and historical sites. The historically famous "Lizhi Wan" (simplified Chinese: 荔枝湾; traditional Chinese: 荔枝灣; pinyin: Lìzhī Wān; lit. 'Lychee Bay'), has a 1,000-year history.^{[citation needed]} In addition, there are historic sites where Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Zhan Tianyou, Chen Shaobai and Tang Tingguang lived or worked.^{[citation needed]} There are Guangya School setup by Zhang Zhidong, a member of the Westernization Movement in the late Qing Dynasty and relic site of Xicun Industrial Zone developed by Chen Jitang when was in power during PC period.^{[citation needed][clarification needed]}

Major historic sites within Liwan District include the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Shamian Island, Xilaichudi [zh], Renwei Temple [zh], Huaiyuanyi (Chinese: 怀远驿; pinyin: Huáiyuǎnyì), the Thirteen Factories, Haishan Xianguan [zh], the site of the Bahe Huiguan [zh], the site of the Jinlun Huiguan [zh], the Hip Tung Wo Engineering Works [zh], and the Nanfang Building.^[1] Of these, Chen Clan Ancestral Hall and Shamian Island are designated as national key protected cultural relic units. The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall was elected one of the 8 new scenic spots of Guangzhou.^{[citation needed][by whom?]} Haishan Xianguan was historically a leader of Lingnan horticulture, and contributed to the development of Lingnan culture.^{[citation needed]} The area of the Thirteen Factories was the sole legal site of foreign trade within China for nearly one hundred years.

There are several municipality-level relic spots: Hualin Temple, one of Guangzhou's Buddhist “five jungles”,^{[clarification needed]} Taoist Zhenwudi Renwei Temple, Jiang Guangding’s former residence, Li Wentian’s Taihua Building and Xiguan big house.^{[citation needed]}

In order to integrate those typical spots organically for tourists’ convenience, Liwan District Administration divides them into 4 tourist areas, Xiguan Folk Custom Area, Chen Clan Temple Cultural and Leisure Area, Shamian Continental Tourist Area, and Shisanhang Commercial and Cultural Area.^{[citation needed]} It is proposed^{[by whom?]} to build large-scale “Lingnan Custom” tourist project at Xiguan Folk Custom Area so as to provide domestic and foreign tourists with all-directional services in tour, culture, leisure, foods and accommodation.^{[citation needed]}

Liwan District is home to Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, a prominent commercial pedestrian street first opened in 1995.^[1] In 1996, it was elected one of the 10 tourist attractions of Guangzhou.^{[citation needed][by whom?]} There are many special streets such as blackwood and jade street, ceramic crafts street, and more than 100 wholesale markets engaged in traditional Chinese medicine, aquatic products, shoes, stationery, metal ware, textile (knitted), electric appliance (communications) and decoration materials, among which Qingping Traditional Chinese Herbs and Huangsha Aquatic Product Market are State-level markets; Yiyuan Stationery Market, Guangdong Electric Appliance City are province-level markets.^{[citation needed]}

Liwan District is home to a number of prominent restaurants, including that of the White Swan Hotel,^[1] Guangzhou Restaurant [zh],^[1] Shengli Hotel,^{[citation needed]} Qingping Restaurant,^{[citation needed]} Tao Tao Ju [zh],^[1] Lianxiang Lou,^[1] and Panxi Restaurant [zh].^[1] Famous local culinary specialties include Shunji coconut ice cream, Wuzhanji Jidi congee, Tingzai congee, Ouchengji dumpling and Nanxin double-condensed milk.^{[citation needed]}

MINISO has its headquarters in Liwan District.^[7]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2014)

Schools include:

• Guangzhou Xiehe High School [zh; zh-yue]
• Guangzhou True Light Middle School
• Guangzhou Peiying Middle School [zh; zh-yue] (Formerly known as Guangzhou Puiying Middle School)
• The Thirty-Fifth Middle School (广州第三十五中学).

• Liang Lizhen, table tennis player^[1]
• Liang Yiwen [zh], OB-GYN^[1]
• Zhan Tianyou, railroad engineer^[1]
• Zhang Zhujun [zh], physician and revolutionary^[1]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liwan District.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Guangzhou/Liwan.

• Official website of Liwan District Government