About Beihai - History
In 1876, Beihai was designated as a trading port according to Sino-British Yantai Treaty. It was a town under the jurisdiction of Hepu county in 1949 when the People’s Republic of China was founded. In January 1951, it became a municipality under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province . In May of the same year, it was entrusted to Guangxi Province and incorporated into Guangxi formally in March 1952. While in May 1955, Guangdong resumed its jurisdiction. It’s reduced to county level city in 1956 and further to Beihai People’s Commune (similar to a town) under Hepu county in 1958. In 1959, it is converted to county level town and its position as county level city was restored in 1964. In 1965, Beihai was put under the administration of Guangxi again. In April 1984, Beihai was approved by the State Council as one of the fourteen coastal cities further opened to outside world and in July 1987, Hepu county was put under the jurisdiction of Beihai city.
Historic Site of Beihai Custom Building
Beihai custom, called Beihai Guan, is one of the four earliest customs of Guangxi. It was also called Foreign Guan since custom authority was controlled by foreigners.
Foreign Guan building was built in 1883. From 1877 to 1936, tariff had ever reached more than 9000 thousands tael. But the tariff was turned in soon as reparations after the unfair treaty. Beihai Guan was founded by Qing government nominally but actually a tool for the United Kingdom to rule our city.
The historic site of Beihai Guan is located in the yard of custom now. It has 3 floors with a perimeter of 18 meters. Its total area is 1000 sq.meters. The site is typical evidence showing China occupied as semi-colony and losing the tariff sovereignty.
Historic Site of German Shenbao Foreign Firm Building 中文 HOME PREV NEXT END
Historic site of German Shenbao Foreign Firm Building was a trade organ established by German in Beihai. Founded in 1886, it was the biggest foreign firm among the imperialistic countries. The building was built in 1891 with 18 meters long and 13.5 meters wide. It has a total area of 563 sq.meters. The historic site of German Shenbao Foreign Firm is one of the commercial buildings in Beihai showing foreign businessmen opening trading organs at that time.
Historic site of German Lutherans Building
Lutherans, named Presbyterians, is one of the main sects of Christianism. At that time, Lutherans founded church doing missionary work in Beihai. In addition, it opened a German-China school and a printing house. A newspaper named “News from Eastern and Western Countries”is originated by Lutherans and printed in its printing house. The publication plays an important role in promoting the development of early culture education in our city.
The historic site of German Lutherans building is built in 1900. It used to be dwelling house for churchman. It has one floor with 30 meters high, 17 meters wide, total area of 506 sq.meters. Now it is used as office by local security bureau. The site is a historical evidence of German Lutherans ever doing missionary work in Beihai.
Historic Site of Twin Building
Twin building used to be annexes of British consulate. Since British consulate evacuated in 1922, the building was dwelling house for British missionaries of Anglican Church. After 1940, twin building was used early or late as five school sites. During the war of resistance against Japanese, a church school named “ SKH Trinity Church ” in Guangzhou had ever opened school in twin building. Now it’s the dorm for No.1 middle school teachers.
Twin building has two occident buildings which is 32 meters away from each other. It has an total area of 393 sq.meters. It is called twin building since the two buildings are similar in shape. It’s one of the earliest occident buildings in Beihai.
Historic Site of Official Building
During the war in 1926, Beihai did breathtaking anti-imperialism movements like other cities of our country. Ever since, Anglican Church changed its name to China SKH Church . But foreigners still control the authority of church and economic affairs. The site was built around 1905. The main building is 19.86 meters long, 10.48 meters wide. It has two floors with an total area of 206 sq.meters. It used to office building for priestess and officials. The site is historical evidence of Christianism setting up organ in Beihai.
Historic Site of Women Abbey
The women abbey which was established in Shentang village in Weizhou island was an affiliated organ of Catholicism. Its task is to training eligible nuns. In 1925, Beihai Catholicism built two new houses for women abbey. One is quadrate two-floor building with 31.45 meters long and 8.7 meters wide. The other one is a small bethel building with 12.3 meters long and 6 meters wide. The total area of two houses is 347.4 sq.meters. The main body of the building was kept well. Now it’s used by organ kindergarten. The historic site shows French Catholicism setting up women abbey in Beihai.
Historic Site of Bishop Building 中文 HOME PREV NEXT END
Beihai diocese, one of the seven Catholicism dioceses of Guangdong province, was founded in 1920. It was in charge of Catholicism affairs of 12 counties and cites like Qingzhou, Fangcheng, Lianzhou etc. The Bishop building was office of Beihai diocese. Episcopate is priestess of Catholicism having the authority to appoint and remove Father.
Bishop building was built between 1934 and 1935. It has two floors with 42 meters long, 17.84 meters wide and a total area of 750 sq.meters. People in Beihai all call it “ Red Building ” since it’s beautiful and environment is really nice. It’s one of the famous foreign buildings in Beihai.
Puren Hospital
Puren Hospital , also named British Hospital is located in Beihai People Hospital . It was established by doctor Ke Da in 1886, who was a churchman of British Anglican Church. It’s the first western medical hospital in Beihai and also the first state grade earliest western medical hospital all over the county. In 1952, Puren Hospital changed its name to Beihai People Hospital . But only Eight-square Building and Doctor Building are kept till now. Doctor Building is a two-floor occident building with 26 meters long, 12.9 meters wide and a total area of 671 sq.meters. Now it’s used as storeroom of Beihai People Hospital . Puren Hospital is historic evidence showing western medical culture introduced in Beihai. And it is also a historic relic of the earliest western hospital founded by British Anglican Church at the end of last century. So it has great historical value.
Historic Site of Joan of Arc Girls School
Joan of Arc Girls School was British Girls School founded by British Christianism SKH Church . Beginning in 1890, the school opened girl classes with some subjects like lection, geography, letters etc. It was named normally Joan of Arc Girls School in 1924. It was also the earliest primary school of Beihai .
The historic site built around 1905 is located in Beihai People Hospital now. With 16.3 meters long, 8.65 meters wide, it has an total area of 280 sq.meters. It is used as library of People Hospital .
In modern history, many countries like England , France , Germany , America set up church schools in Beihai, but only Joan of Arc kept well till now. It is historic evidence showing western church establishing church schools in Beihai.
Catholicism Church of Weizhou Island 中文 HOME PREV NEXT END
Catholicism Church of Weizhou, standing at Shentang village on Weizhou Island , was the most grandiose church at the end of Qing dynasty. From 1869, French Catholicism spent 10 years using a special coral stones building the church. It is a Gothic Church with an total area of 1000 sq.meters.
The main body of the church is 51.6 meters long, 12.2 meters wide and 15 meters high. The bell tower is 21 meters high. Women Abbey, Father’s Building are attached to the church. Catholicism Church of Weizhou Island is historic evidence showing French Catholicism introduced to Beihai in modern history. Now it is administrated by Patriot Association of Weizhou Island.
City Church of Weizhou Island
City Church of Weizhou island, built around 1880, named Goddess Church , was established by Abba Li of French Catholicism. A three-floor bell tower with 4.5 meters wide, 14 meters high stands in front of the church. The Word “ Goddess Church ” is carved on the front of the bell tower. At the back of church is a 265 sq.meters quadrate church. City Church of Weizhou Island is a typical gothic church. It’s an only Goddess Church in Beihai showing French Catholicism introduced to Weizhou Island in modern history. Now the church is administrated by Catholicism Patriot Association of Weizhou Island
Historic Site of French Consulate
French consulate, from 1887 to 1950, has the longest history in Beihai. At that time, French consulate also surrogated affairs of Portugal and border business between China and Vietnam . The historic site is located in Beihai Guest Hotel. With 34.5 meters long, 20.7 meters wide, it has a total area of 636 sq.meters. The main building of the French consulate is concave with old trees and blooming flowers surrounded. It’s the special building for honored guests. Many state leaders like Hu Yaobang, Jiang Zheming, Qiao Shi, Li Peng had ever stayed in it.
high standard required by a modern city plan, and completed an area of over 30 square kilometers. Look around the city proper, and you will find that the road is broad and straight, the roadside trees flourishing, always smelling sweet. What a pleasant gift from the nature! The sea is deep blue, sunshine bright, sea beach with fine sand and clear water, harmonious mixture of buildings with western and Chinese style, residential zones with fine surroundings, green plazas with distinctive features, all contrasting finely with each other, leaving you so many beautiful things that you simply can not take them all in. What a picture of distinctively local custom, the Pearl Home culture, the Hakka’s culture, and the Danjia culture, with the local residents so kind and simple!
Beihai is located on the Beibu Gulf in the southern part of Guangxi province, on the southwestern coast of China. It faces Southeast Asia across the sea, with southwest China immediately behind. It borders Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong, Macao and Vietnam by land and sea.
The city covers 3,337 square kilometers, and its population totals 1.35 million, including 480,000 in surrounding urban areas. Beihai and surrounding areas are home to high-quality and attractive buildings and infrastructure representative of any modern city plan.
Look around the city proper, and you will find broad, straight roads beautified by trees perfuming the air ... a pleasant gift from nature! Architecture is a harmonious mixture of western and Chinese styles; residential zones are surrounded by green plazas with distinctive features, and offer many beautiful sights to enjoy. The bordering sea is clear and deep blue, sunshine bright, and washes upon beaches of fine sand.
The city has an especially advantageous location in the economic region of Southwest China and Asia’s Pacific Rim. In 1984 Beihai was designated as one of the fourteen Chinese coastal cities to be further opened to the outside world. Since the beginning of the reform, the city has worked to achieve rapid development and thus become an affluent, beautiful, civilized and garden-like modern city.
Beihai abounds in tourism resources for visitors interested in a marine environment. We have the sea, sand beaches, islands, seafood, marine treasures, mangrove, coral, maritime culture, and marine sports, etc., all of which combine for a complete marine experience.
Beihai has witnessed a rapid development in its tourist industry ever since 1984. It was designated as one of China’s important tourism cities in 1988, and has now become a major tourist destination for the coastal south of China