Southern culture runs deep in district’s veins
Cantonese Opera and Wing Chun martial arts heritage attract the young generation to Enning Road neighborhood in Guangdong's capital, Li Yingxue and Li Wenfang report in Guangzhou.
In 2016, a preservation plan was set in motion to restore its historical face. That same year, Cen Zhaowei reopened the Guangzhou Cen Neng Wing Chun Heritage Center in its original home.
Around the corner from the center, the newly opened Cantonese Opera Art Museum began training a new generation of performers under the guidance of Tang Peiwen, then a 26-year-old inheritor of Cantonese Opera.
In 2018, President Xi Jinping visited Yongqing Fang, a revitalized section of Enning Road. By then, the neighborhood welcomed studios dedicated to Cantonese porcelain and embroidery, intangible cultural heritage practices that breathed fresh energy into the storied streets.
Today, the Enning Road historical district straddles two worlds — the timeless and the contemporary. Its historical urban fabric remains intact while new businesses — from trendy cafes to creative boutiques — introduce modern vibrancy.
Strolling through the neighborhood, visitors are met by the clang of copper being hammered and the lilting melodies of Cantonese Opera.
On weekends and holidays, the streets teem with life. During this year's National Day holiday, Yongqing Fang drew over 893,000 visitors, a striking 78.4 percent increase from the previous year — a testament to the allure of Enning Road's past and its reinvention for the future.
