Liwan District

Liwan District is an administrative zone in western Guangzhou that stretches along the Pearl River in two main sections. Each section has its own mix of residential neighborhoods, commercial streets, and local markets.

The area began as a waterfront settlement known by a name referring to lychee trees and grew into a major trade center during the Qing Dynasty. This mercantile past remains visible in the layout and function of the district today.

The area shows traditional Cantonese building styles with distinctive courtyards and decorated facades that remain part of the daily streetscape. These structures continue to shape how residents and visitors experience the neighborhood's character.

The district has several major shopping streets and wholesale markets that are best explored on foot. Buses and metro lines connect different areas within the zone and to the rest of the city.

Hundreds of wholesale markets fill the district, each specializing in narrow product categories from herbal medicine to ceramics and fabrics. This dense network of specialized trading areas is unusual for a city zone of this size.