Rise and Fall of the Qilou: Metamorphosis of Forms and Meanings in the Built Environment of Guangzhou

This article examines how narratives surrounding qilou (arcaded buildings) have changed through three very different moments over a period of almost a century in Guangzhou, China. As a result, what public discourse once perceived as a new, modern form now serves as a symbol of traditional local culture. The metamorphosis of the qilou narrative in response to different visions, social circumstances, and practices provides a good entry point for understanding the contestations and dynamics that have shaped priorities in seeing and thinking about urban space in South China. By relating subjective experiences with physical environments, the case of qilou also challenges the predominant framework of the nation-state as an anchor for understanding contemporary China, and points to the significance of regional dynamics within and beyond international borders. Qilou, roughly speaking, are arcaded concrete-frame buildings that combine Western facade elements with local forms of interior spatial arrangement, and which often combine residential and commercial uses. Many residents of Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province in South China, now proudly consider these buildings to be their city's most emblematic architectural artifacts. They also see qilou, and the neighborhoods that surround them, as representing an old Cantonese lifestyle of intimate neighborly interaction and convenient access to small stores for daily necessities. As part of Guangzhou's preparation for the 2010 Asian Games, the qilou was chosen through a government-backed survey, which enlisted the participation of citizens and the media, as one of ten cultural symbols that best represented South China. The massive destruction of qilou as part of recent urban renewal plans has likewise been denounced on the Internet and in other media by residents, who complain that their replacement with