Zhongshan（中山）

First Impressions

In my previous post concerning Foshan, I mentioned that the atmosphere and pace of life is relatively slower than that of Guangzhou or Shenzhen. Well, Zhongshan is also no different, the lifestyle here is much more mellow than the average city in China. There really wasn’t much going on here except for the pedestrian street and Sun Zhong Shan memorial. Overall, in comparison to Foshan, Zhongshan fairs better in respects to liveliness and things to do.

Sunwen West Road Pedestrian Street

“Sunwen Xi Pedestrian Street, boasting a history of over 100 years, lies to one side of the Shiqi River Bridge. While the western bank of the Shiqi River is fairly tame, crossing the bridge and walking down the pedestrian thoroughfare of Sunwen Road leads to a glamorous display of Zhongshan’s new-found wealth.

The reputation of Sunwen Xi Pedestrian Street is built upon its contribution to the economy and culture of Zhongshan City. Tourists come to visit and shop in an endless stream every year. As a result, their consumption has occupied a significant percentage in the sum consumption income of Zhongshan. Besides, the authorities spare no effort to strengthen and reinforce the development of Zhongshan culture and this effort is perfectly incarnated by the building of The Cultural Square”

孙文西路步行街

“孙文西路古称迎恩街，1925年孙中山先生逝世后，为纪念孙中山先生改称为孙文路。从隋唐时期到1925年间逐渐拓展，形成今天格局。马路两旁是经历数十年、上百年，甚至数百年的历史建筑物体，至今仍然保留着古建筑艺术色彩。昔日档次不高的商铺也焕然一新，带给人们一个亮丽的视点，新旧文化在这里完善地对接，传统和现代有机地揉合一体，这相容不悖的融汇令百年老街飘逸着一片迷人的文化气息，成为中山市精神文明建设的窗口，为外来游人提供一个风格独特的旅游景象，也为本地市民提供一个集休闲、购物、娱乐为一体的好去处，给人们一派繁华兴旺之景”

Xiangshan Commercial Cultural Museum

“Located on 152, Sunwen Road (West), the original site of Shiqi Commerce Committee in the 1940s, Zhongshan Museum of Xiangshan Commercial Culture is the first commerce-centric museum in China. The three-storey museum covers an exhibit space of 2,000 square meters, housing nearly 400 articles. Aided by real articles, pictures and multi-media, the museum chronicles the commercial development in Zhongshan, including the commercical culture in the late Qing dynasty and the early Republic of China, how Sun Yat-sen and Zheng Guan-ying thought about commerce, the introduction of some Zhongshan-origin compradors in the early modernization period, and how the four mega department stores were founded. These exhibits afford visitors a good glimpse of the long history of commerce in Zhongshan. A multi-media interactive system for inquiring is available on each floor, through which visitors can inquire about materials related to Zhongshan’s commercial culture. A plasma display panel is installed in the exhibition hall to demonstrate Zhongshan’s commercial culture”

香山商业文化博物馆

“香山商业文化博物馆是我国首家商业文化专题博物馆，隶属于中山市博物馆，是其分馆之一。香山商业文化博物馆是我国首家商业文化专题博物馆，馆址为20世纪40年代的石岐镇总商会旧址，即中山市孙文西路文化旅游步行街152号。该馆于2003年12月15日正式立项，从征集筹备展品到展馆建设历经数年，于2006年1月17日建成并正式对外开放，是一座融参观、休闲、旅游、纪念为一体的全方位现代化的专题博物馆。2007年12月香山商业文化博物馆被广东省侨务办、广东省文化厅、广东省旅游局选定为全省首批“中华文化传承基地”

一层主要展示中山商脉即中山从农业经济向商业经济的转变。分为生活环境和原始商业、早期中外贸易枢纽、现代工商业兴起和商业风俗文化4个部分，其中商业风俗文化主要通过多媒体来展示。设有旧石岐模型以及当铺、药店、布匹店、茶庄、缸瓦店和码头五个场景。二层主要展示先进的近代商业思想和中国早期现代化中的香山籍买办。分为郑观应的商业思想与实践、孙中山的商业思想与实践、四大百货公司的经营方式与商业思想、富于地域特征的香山买办群体、香山买办的经济与生活状况五个部分。设有郑家大屋(郑观应澳门故居)、买办“居室”、上海轮船招商局三个场景。三层主要展示中国现代百货业的先驱――四大百货公司，分别为先施公司、永安公司、新新公司、大新公司。系统地介绍了四大百货公司创立、经营、发展过程等内容”

Sun Yat Sen Residence Memorial Museum

“Sun Yat-sen had an amazing life that is worth studying if you want to understand the history of modern China. He grew up learning about resistance against the Qing from a former Taiping soldier. Then he attended school in Hawaii. He became a Western-trained medical doctor, and he started to travel around the world to raise funds for a revolution. He led the revolution to try to form a republic. He was the first president of the country, but he stepped down. However, he was considered the foremost leader by most people until his death.

Sun Yat-sen organized and led a revolution against the Qing Empire in the first decade of the 20th century. He was became a temporary first president of the country at the end of the Qing Empire in 1912. Shanghai was China’s most international and modern city, and he and his family lived in this Western-style house in the International Settlement that was a large self-governing British-run district of foreigners. He traveled often, and he probably wasn’t actually there much from 1918 to the time of his death in 1924. Next to his former house, there is a museum building about him”

孙中山故居纪念馆

“2010年5月，孙中山故居纪念馆被中共中央纪委、监察部评为第一批全国廉政教育基地；2011年7月，孙中山故居纪念馆举行全国廉政教育基地揭牌仪式。多年来，孙中山故居纪念馆坚持通过开展多种形式的爱国主义教育活动，不断增强教育的针对性和时效性，增强教育的吸引力和感染力。先后被评为全国优秀社会教育基地、全国爱国主义教育示范基地、中国侨联爱国主义教育基地、全国精神文明建设工作先进单位等。孙中山故居纪念馆坚持挖掘、传播和发扬孙中山廉政思想，成效显著，为进一步发挥基地的教育功能，特举办了《孙中山的廉政思想及实践》展览，通过语录、文物、照片、声像等，集中展示一代伟人的廉政思想及事迹，大力弘扬本土廉政文化，为中山市党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争深入开展，营造良好社会氛围” （备注：原文于网易新闻）