With the development of transportation and trade between China and foreign countries, the footprints of Guangzhou people spread all over the world very early and settled down to become overseas Chines

With the development of transportation and trade between China and foreign countries, the footprints of Guangzhou people spread all over the world very early and settled down to become overseas Chinese. Data show that after the Tang Dynasty, more and more people from Guangzhou immigrated abroad. In the middle of Kangxi period, the maritime ban was lifted, and more people went abroad to make a living. In modern times, Guangzhou experienced an immigration boom. The vast number of overseas Chinese have a long tradition of patriotism and hometown, and have made indelible contributions to their motherland and hometown. First, they enthusiastically support and actively participate in the revolutionary movement of the motherland and all patriotic activities. Throughout the period of the old democratic revolution and the new democratic revolution, from the democratic revolutionary movement led by Sun Yat-sen to the Anti-Japanese War, the People's Liberation War and all anti-imperialist and anti-feudal patriotic democratic movements, the vast number of patriotic overseas Chinese were almost everywhere, and many of them were bankrupt, Overcoming obstacles and fighting bloody battles.

The second is to actively invest in the establishment of modern industrial enterprises, which kicked off the establishment of national capital enterprises in Guangzhou. In 1860, a Peruvian overseas Chinese named Li founded the Wanlong Bank Export Bank in Guangzhou. This was the first investment by an overseas Chinese. In 1872, Chen Qiyuan, an overseas Chinese from Nanyang, founded China's first machine reeling factory in Nanhai. Then, overseas Chinese living in the United States founded the first electric lighting company in Guangzhou. At the beginning of the 20th century, overseas Chinese from Malaysia founded China's first rubber company in Guangzhou, and overseas Chinese from the United States and Canada invested in the first bus company in Guangzhou. Third, it has widely spread Western culture and promoted the exchange of Chinese and Western cultures in Guangzhou. After the Opium War in 1840, the development of modern architecture in Guangzhou went through several stages, including the immigration of Western architecture, the revival of traditional architecture, and the introduction of modernist architecture.

There are several types of Western buildings in Guangzhou, such as religious buildings like the Sacred Heart Cathedral of Shishi; Guangzhou Postal Administration Building, Guangdong Customs Building, Municipal Government Building, Provincial Department of Finance Building, Provincial General Office Public buildings such as the Trade Union Building; residential buildings such as Jinlong Xixiguan House Community, Bamboo Houses, Dongshan Garden Houses, and Small Western-style Buildings; commemorative buildings such as Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and Seamen's Hall; and Aiqun Building, South Building, City Hall, etc. Bank Building, Provincial Bank Building, Xinya Hotel, and commercial arcade buildings throughout Guangzhou’s main commercial streets (Arcade Commercial Street). In fact, commercial arcade buildings first appeared in ancient Greece more than 2,000 years ago, then became popular in Europe, and then spread to all parts of the world in modern times.

Because the arcade part of the commercial building is built across the sidewalk in the front half of the building, they are connected to each other on the roadside to form a free walking corridor, which can be hundreds of meters or even one or two kilometers long. There is a saying in Guangzhou that when May Day comes, the faces of children will change. Therefore, arcades adapted to this climatic characteristics and became popular throughout Guangzhou, gradually forming the main pattern of Guangzhou's street scene.

Arcade buildings are concentrated in Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, Beijing Road Commercial Pedestrian Street, Shifu Road, Zhongshan Road, Jiefang Road, Renmin South Road, Yide Road and other commercial streets. The arcades around Xihaokou are the boldest: Xinya Hotel, South Mansion, Aiqun Mansion, etc. It is one of the best early arcade buildings in Guangzhou. This form has rarely been used in new businesses since the 1960s