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{{Short description|Island in the Liwan district of Guangzhou, Guangdong, China}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{Infobox Chinese
| title = Shamian
| pic = ShamianIsland.JPG
| piccap = Shamian viewed from Guangzhou mainland.
| picsize = <!-- 200px (Default is 260px) -->
| pictooltip = <!-- image 1 tooltip (use for [[WP:ALT|alt text]]) -->
| c = 沙面
| l = sandy surface
| p = Shāmiàn
| w = Sha-mien
| j = saa1 min2
| y = Sāmín
| gd = sa<sup>1</sup>min<sup>2</sup>
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|s|aa|1| |m|in|2}}
}}
{{Coord|23|06|34|N|113|14|22|E|display=title|region:CN-44_type:isle_source:dewiki}}
[[File:Shamian Island by Lai Afong, 1870.jpg|thumb|Shamian Island in the 1870s by [[Lai Afong]]]]
[[File:Shameen Canton.jpg|thumb|1920s map of "Shameen", showing the location of the British and French concessions]]
[[File:Shameen Bund JP.jpg|thumb|The West Bridge, also called the "English Bridge", in 1939]]
[[File:ShaMianBuildings.JPG|thumb|Buildings on Shamian Island in 2007]]
[[File:Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel.jpg|thumb|[[Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, Shamian Island|Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel]] on Shamian Island]]
[[File:GZ ShaMian 4 Jie 1.jpg|thumb|Former German consulate and [[Asiatic Petroleum Company]] building]]
'''Shamian''' (also romanized as '''Shameen''' or '''Shamin''', both from its [[Cantonese]] pronunciation) is a sandbank island in the [[Liwan, Guangzhou|Liwan District]] of [[Guangzhou]], Guangdong, China. The island's name literally means "sandy surface" in Chinese.

The territory was divided into two [[Foreign concessions in China|concessions]] given to France and the United Kingdom by the [[Qing dynasty|Qing]] government in the 19th century (1859–1943). The island is a gazetted historical area that serves as a tranquil reminder of the colonial European period, with quiet pedestrian avenues flanked by trees and lined by historical buildings in various states of upkeep. The island is the location of several hotels, a youth hostel, restaurants and tourist shops selling curios and souvenirs.
{{TOC limit|2}}

==Geography==
The island covers an area of 0.3&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>,<ref name="Guangzhou government">{{cite web |url=http://www.guangzhou.gov.cn/node_420/node_424/2003-08/106123294855457.shtml |title=Guangzhou government page about Shamian Island |publisher=Guangzhou.gov.cn |date=23 June 2010 |access-date=17 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707033322/http://www.guangzhou.gov.cn/node_420/node_424/2003-08/106123294855457.shtml |archive-date=7 July 2011 }}</ref> 900 m from east to west, and 300 m from north to south.<ref name="China daily">{{cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-01/17/content_299805.htm |title=''China Daily'' article on Shamian island |publisher=Chinadaily.com.cn |date=17 January 2004 |access-date=17 November 2010}}</ref> It is bordered in the south by the [[Pearl River (China)|Pearl River]], and it is separated from the mainland by a canal.

==History==
Shamian Island was an important port for Guangzhou's foreign trade from the [[Song dynasty|Song]] to the [[Qing dynasty]].<ref name="Guangzhou government" /> From the 18th to the mid 19th century, the foreigners lived and did business in a row of houses known as the [[Thirteen Factories]], on the banks of the Pearl River to the east the present Shamian,<ref name="Fodors">{{cite web |url=http://www.fodors.com/world/asia/china/guangzhou-and-shenzhen/review-110466.html |title=''Fodor's'' |publisher=Fodors.com |date=1 November 2010 |access-date=17 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604014210/http://www.fodors.com/world/asia/china/guangzhou-and-shenzhen/review-110466.html |archive-date=4 June 2011 }}</ref> which was then an anchorage for thousands of boat people.<ref name="eight things">{{cite web |url=http://www.throughtrain.com.hk/feature0510.html |title=Eight things you might not know about Guangzhou |publisher=throughtrain.com.hk |access-date=29 December 2014 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222727/http://www.throughtrain.com.hk/feature0510.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Harriet Low">{{cite web |url=http://www.asianreviewofbooks.com/arb/article.php?article=715 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718080411/http://www.asianreviewofbooks.com/arb/article.php?article=715 |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 July 2012 |title=Book review of ''Everything in Style: Harriet Low's Macau'' |publisher=Asianreviewofbooks.com |access-date=17 November 2010 }}</ref> In 1859, Great Britain and France dug an artificial river (now called Shajichong) to the north, making it an island. Since then, Shamian became a strategic point for city defense during the [[First Opium War|First]] and [[Second Opium War]]s. The British captured the Shamian Fort in the [[Battle of Canton (March 1841)|Canton River operations]] in March 1841 during the First Opium War. In the 1847 [[expedition to Canton]], they seized the Shamian batteries along with the rest of the forts guarding the city. In the first armed conflict of the Second Opium War, the British [[Battle of Canton (1856)|recaptured the forts]] in 1856.

In 1859,<ref name="Guangzhou government" /> the territory was divided in two [[concession (territory)|concessions]] given to France and the United Kingdom (of which 3/5 belonged to the British and 2/5 to the French).<ref>{{cite journal|date= September 2005|title= Article about Shamian Island|journal= Connexions. Le Magazine de la Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie Française en Chine|issue= 29|pages= 52–53|publisher= CCIFC|url= http://www.ccifc.org/publications/connexions-magazine/|access-date= 18 March 2016|archive-date= 2 March 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180302164143/http://www.ccifc.org/publications/connexions-magazine/|url-status= dead}}</ref> It was connected to the mainland by two bridges, which were closed at 10pm as a security measure.<ref name="Fodors" /><ref>{{cite book |title= An Official Guide to Eastern Asia, Trans Continental Connections Between Europe and Asia. Vol IV China.|year= 1915|publisher= Imperial Japanese Government Railways|location= Tokyo|page= 344|url= http://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?countryid=129&chapterid=1110&picid=2&picturesize=medium|access-date=19 July 2011}}</ref> The British arch bridge, also called the "Bridge of England" and built in 1861, to the north was guarded by [[Sikh]] police officers, and the French bridge to the east was guarded by [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] ([[Cochinchina]]) recruits with the [[Troupes de marine|Troupes coloniales]].<ref name="eight things" />

Trading companies from Britain, the [[United States]], [[Second French Empire|France]], [[Dutch colonial empire|Holland]], [[Italian Empire|Italy]], [[German Empire|Germany]], [[Portuguese in China|Portugal]], and [[Empire of Japan|Japan]] built stone mansions along the waterfront.<ref name="Fodors" /> The construction on the island was characterized by climate-adapted but Western-plan detached houses with hipped roofs and large verandahs.<ref>[http://www.scad.edu/architectural-history/vaf/upload/INSULARLIVING.pdf Jonathan A. Farris ''Insular living and its exceptions'']{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (.pdf document)</ref>

The island was the scene of fighting during the "[[Canton–Hong Kong strike|June 23 incident]]" in 1925.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/B000T9VO2U/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link|title=Chiang Kai Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost|year=2004|isbn=0-7867-1484-0|author=Jonathan Fenby|publisher=Carroll & Graf |author-link=Jonathan Fenby}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,720721-1,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023201338/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,720721-1,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 October 2012|title=Shameen Shooting|date=10 August 1925|magazine=TIME|author=Alfred H. Holt}}</ref>

[[1949 in the People's Republic of China|After 1949]], the mansions of Shamian became government offices or apartment houses and the churches were turned into factories.<ref name="Fodors" />
[[File:WHITE SWAN HOTEL (2017-10-14).jpg|thumb|White Swan Hotel]]
[[File:Shamian Garden.jpg|thumb|A public garden on Shamian Island]]

==Features==

===Religious buildings===
The French Catholic chapel, [[Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, Shamian Island|Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel]] ({{zh|c=|labels=no|s=露德圣母堂|t=露德聖母堂}}), has been restored and stands on the main boulevard.<ref name="China daily" /> Located at the French end of the island, it was completed in 1892.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?countryid=129&chapterid=1110&picid=20&picturesize=medium |title=Shamian Photos, Captioned Pictures Photo 20 |publisher=Greatmirror.com |access-date=17 November 2010}}</ref>

The British Protestant church, [[Christ Church Shameen]] ({{zh|c=沙面堂|p=Shāmiàn Táng|labels=no|j=saa1 min2 tong4}}), was built in 1865.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zhongwenweb.com/cgi-bin/dopics.pl?desc=Christ%20Church%20of%20Shamian%20Main%20Street%20built%201865%20@../../shamian/pictures/christ%20church.JPG |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717135322/http://www.zhongwenweb.com/cgi-bin/dopics.pl?desc=Christ%20Church%20of%20Shamian%20Main%20Street%20built%201865%20%40..%2F..%2Fshamian%2Fpictures%2Fchrist%20church.JPG |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 July 2011 |title=Christ Church of Shamian Main Street |publisher=Zhongwenweb.com |access-date=17 November 2010 }}</ref>

===Government===
The community includes the Shamian Police Station ({{zh|c=沙面派出所|p=Shāmiàn Pàichūsuǒ|labels=no|j=saa1 min2 paai3 ceot1 so2}}).

===Consulates===
While Shamian Island in history housed the majority of the consulates in Guangzhou, all have since moved out except the consulate general of Poland which remains at No. 63 Shamian Main Street.<ref>[http://www.kanton.msz.gov.pl/en/ Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Guangzhou]</ref>

Former consulates on the Island include:
* Czechoslovakia. The Czech Consulate was for some time located at No. 1 North Shamian Street, in a 1911 building, which later hosted the North Korean trade delegation in Guangzhou.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141229230229/http://www.zhongwenweb.com/cgi-bin/dopics.pl?desc=No.%201%20North%20Shamian%20Street%2C%20built%20late%20Qing%20to%20Early%20Republican%20%281911%29%20once%20the%20Czech%20Consulate%20now%20the%20North%20Korean%20trade%20delegation%20in%20Guangzhou%20%40..%2F..%2Fshamian%2Fpictures%2F1%20North%20Shamian%20Street.JPG No. 1 North Shamian Street]. zhongwenweb.com</ref><ref name="howardscott">[http://www.howardscott.net/4/Shameen_A_Colonial_Heritage/Files/Documentation/Architect%20Notes%20Shameen.pdf Layout of the Main Streets of Shameen Island]</ref>
* France. No. 20 South Shamian Street.<ref name="howardscott"/>
* Poland. No. 63 Shamian Main Street.
* Germany. No. 59 Shamian Main Street South. The building also housed the [[Asiatic Petroleum Company]].<ref name="howardscott"/>
* Japan. No. 22 South Shamian Street.<ref name="howardscott"/>
* Norway. No. 54 Shamian Main Street North.<ref name="howardscott"/>
* Portugal. No. 42 South Shamian Street.<ref name="howardscott"/>
* Soviet Union. The Soviet Consulate was for some time located at 68 Shamian Main Street North, in a 1916 building.<ref name="howardscott"/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141229221418/http://www.zhongwenweb.com/cgi-bin/dopics.pl?desc=68%20Shamian%20Main%20Street%20the%20former%20Soviet%20Union%20Consulate%20built%20in%201916%20%40..%2F..%2Fshamian%2Fpictures%2F68%20Shamian%20main%20street.JPG No. 68 Shamian Main Street]. zhongwenweb.com</ref>
* United Kingdom. No. 44-46 South Shamian Street.<ref name="howardscott"/>
* United States. The [[Consulate General of the United States, Guangzhou|U.S. Consulate Guangzhou]] was located at No. 56 Shamian Main Street North<ref name="howardscott"/> from 1873 to 1938, and later during several months in 1949. In April 1990, the consulate moved again to Shamian Island, where it occupied the Consulate Tower, a new building at No. 1 Shamian South Street, built on reclaimed land near the Pearl River and next to the [[White Swan Hotel]]. In 2005, the Consular Section of the Consulate moved to a location in [[Tianhe District]]. In July 2013, the consulate was relocated to a new building within [[Zhujiang New Town]].<ref>[https://photos.state.gov/libraries/guangzhou/47024/Consulate%20history/Guangzhou_History.pdf "History of Consulate Guangzhou"]. Consulate General of the United States Guangzhou.</ref> The consulate's location made Shamian Island a hub for U.S. families adopting children from China.<ref>New York Times, "A Chinese Hotel, Full of Proud American Parents," David Barboza, 31 March 2003</ref>

===Education===
Schools in the community include Shamian Primary School ({{zh|s=沙面学校|t=沙面學校|p=Shāmiàn Xuéxiào|labels=no|j=Saa1min2 Hok6haau6}}) and Shamian Experimental Primary School ({{zh|s=沙面实验学校|t=沙面實驗學校|p=Shāmiàn Shíyàn Xuéxiào|labels=no|j=saa1 min2 sat6 jim6 hok6 haau6}}).

===Recreation===
Shamian Park ({{zh|s=沙面公园|t=沙面公園|p=Shāmiàn Gōngyuán|j=saa1 min2 gung1 jyun2|labels=no}}) and the Shamian Tennis Courts ({{zh|s=沙面网球场|t=沙面網球場|p=Shāmiàn Wǎngqiúchǎng|j=saa1 min2 mong5 kau4 coeng4|labels=no}}) are in the community.

===Statues===
[[File:GZ ShaMian bldgs women.jpg|thumb|Statues on Shamian Island.]]
Various [[bronze statue]]s are scattered around the island which depict life as it was during earlier periods on the island, as well as from more recent times. For example, one statue entitled "A gentleman, a lady and a darn woman" shows a Western couple watching a Chinese woman darning cloth. Another depicts the changing appearances and stature of Chinese women, with a woman from colonial times in traditional clothing, a slightly taller woman from the early or mid 20th century wearing a [[qipao|cheongsam]], and a relatively tall and slender young Chinese woman wearing shorts and talking on a mobile phone.

==Transportation==
The three east–west streets of the island, formerly named "Canal Street", "Central Avenue" (a tree-lined boulevard), and "Front Avenue" (originally lined on the riverside by parks) were renamed "Shamian North Road" (Shamian Beijie), "Shamian Main Street" (Shamian Dajie), and "Shamian South Road" (Shamian Nanjie).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?countryid=129&chapterid=1110&picid=11&picturesize=medium |title=Shamian Photos, Captioned Pictures Photo 11 |publisher=Greatmirror.com |access-date=17 November 2010}}</ref> The five north–south streets are named Shamian 1 Street to Shamian 5 Street.

[[Huangsha Station]] of [[Guangzhou Metro]] is located within a short walk from the island, via an overpass crossing the busy Liu'ersan Road. There is also a ferry running from Huangsha Pier to Fangcun Pier, which runs every 10 minutes carrying foot-passengers and bicycles. Fares are from 0.5 RMB for a foot passenger and 1 RMB for a passenger with a bike. There are no public buses on the island itself, although there are several nearby bus stops.

==See also==
{{portal|Islands}}
*[[The Bund (Shanghai)|The Bund]]
*[[Gulangyu Island]], in [[Xiamen]]
*[[Treaty ports]]
*[[List of French possessions and colonies]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Shamian}}
* [https://archive.today/20130130212911/http://oldshameen.com/ Website dedicated to old Shamian]
* [http://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?countryid=129&chapterid=1110&picturesize=medium Pictures of Shamian Island], with detailed captions. Includes colorful historical descriptions of the island and its residents.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090131045550/http://willysthomas.net/Shamian.Guangzhou.htm An American in China: 1936–39 A Memoir]. The website is a companion project of the book collecting the 1930s writings of {{cite book |last= Thomas|first= Gould H.|date=June 2005 |title=An American in China 1936–1939: A Memoir |publisher= Greatrix Press|isbn=978-0975880005}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081229013338/http://www.howardscott.net/4/Shameen_A_Colonial_Heritage/Files/Journal.html Shameen: A Colonial Heritage]. By Dr Howard M. Scott
* [http://www.howardscott.net/4/Shameen_A_Colonial_Heritage/Files/Documentation/Architect%20Notes%20Shameen.pdf Layout of the Main Streets of Shameen Island]
* {{cite journal |last=du Cros |first=Hilary |author-link=Hilary du Cros |date=2008 |title=Issues for Developing National Heritage Protection Areas for Tourism: A Case Study from China |url=http://sajth.com/02%20Indian%20JHT_Hilary%20du%20Cros.pdf |journal=South Asian Journal of Tourism and Heritage |volume=1 |issue=1 |issn=0974-5432 |access-date=23 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218130841/http://sajth.com/02%20Indian%20JHT_Hilary%20du%20Cros.pdf |archive-date=18 February 2012 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140808041934/http://www.gzshamian.cn/indexs.asp Shamian Primary School] {{in lang|zh-cn}}

{{Guangzhou}}
{{Islands of Guangdong}}
{{Liwan District}}
{{Towns in Guangzhou}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Islands of Guangzhou]]
[[Category:Islands of the Pearl River (China)]]
[[Category:Concessions in China]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Guangzhou]]
[[Category:Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Guangdong]]
[[Category:Artificial islands of China]]
[[Category:Township-level divisions of Guangdong]]
[[Category:Subdistricts of the People's Republic of China]]
[[Category:Liwan District]]
[[Category:Populated places in China]]
[[Category:Islands of China]]