I live in an area of Zhanjiang that I call the “French Quarter”. For fewer than 50 years this city was part of
the French colonial empire. It had been
deeded to the French in 1898 for 100 years and they hoped to get good use of its
excellent natural port. The Wikipediaversion of this story is here. It was a fishing village called Guangzhouwan.
The problem as I see it was
that there was not a lot of resources to exploit. The area has excellent farm land and growing
conditions and the fishery at the time was outstanding. About all they managed to do was to scrape
out some coal, and build a railroad.
They also supported missionaries and built a church which stands today.
At one point there were some 250 French folks living here, but I imagine that
it was not the most exciting place to spend your life, unless you enjoyed
swatting mosquitoes.
There is some interesting
architecture left over here that hasn’t met the wrecking ball. Some government buildings and the church are
still in use, and a lighthouse is a feature in a park. Most are kind of derelict dwellings with
cobbled walls filling in what were once arched, open verandas and it makes for
some interesting sightseeing.
I have found a lot of old
images of the area in the form of postcards being sold online. Here they some of the good ones along with
some of what’s left today.
Click the pix for a larger view.
Click the pix for a larger view.
This is the Catholic church just down the street. Here is the church today. There is mass every Sunday. |
The church is in the background. This was taken fairly close to where our apartment building is now. |
Although it has fallen into disrepair, this building holds offices for the police.
Besides the church, this government building is the best preserved of the old French buildings
These are some buildings around the neighborhood. There are even some cobblestone streets. |
A couple of French kids with their local counterparts. |
very interesting with the link to Wikipedia, we have then a true overview of the French territory, with good sources
ReplyDeleteWill be visiting Zhanjiang, would be grateful if you could advise the details of the Church (preferably with the Chinese name, so I could go with the same, to ask for directions) and the timings of the Holy Mass.
ReplyDeleteThanking you in advance for your assistance!
binmath88@yahoo.com
I was born and grow up in Zhanjiang, now in Canada. Thank you for sharing the amazing images.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Zhanjiang from 1984 to 1986
ReplyDeleteLong time ago. Things have changed
I found this on internet and it is really very nice.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent blog.
Great work!
But it still was a precarious existence as hurricanes eventually wiped out the pecan trees and the brick business became uncompetitive. Isle of Palms County Park
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ReplyDeleteKwongchauwan 广州湾 is now known as Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China was a French enclave from 1898-1946 and in 1949 when China became a Communist republic, the Guangzhouwan Buildings are abandoned. It is Now Extinct after the Founding of the New China in 1949 and it is already a ghost colony after China's founding in 1949.
ReplyDeleteI married a local girl now in Australia with a beautiful daughter 11. Thanks 2023..
ReplyDelete