Nanyang is the name of Southeast Asia in the Ming and Qing dynasties. More than 100 years ago, a large number of people from southern Fujian "went to the South Seas" from Xiamen, after the accumulation of many generations, many people chose to return to their hometowns, and used the architectural forms of foreign countries in local buildings to bring the arcades back to their homeland.
The arcade originated from the western verandah-style architecture and was first seen in Singapore. A arcade is a modern commercial and residential building in which the ground floor of the building is set back along the street level and leaves a public pedestrian space. Arcades are widely found in South Asia, Southeast Asian countries, as well as China's Hainan Province, Fujian Province, Guangdong Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and other coastal areas of overseas Chinese.
The part of the first floor of the building near the street is built into a pedestrian corridor, and above the corridor is the floor of the second floor, as if the second floor "rides" on the first floor, so it is called "arcade". At present, the first floor of the arcade is generally used for business, and the second floor and above are used for residents. The arcade can not only protect from rain and sun, but also facilitate the display of windows and attract business.
During the Qing Dynasty, Xiamen was one of the five treaty ports that were opened up in the country, and many Hokkien people who came back from Singapore returned to their hometowns to do business and build shops.
After 1875, arcades appeared in some streets of Xiamen City, built by local overseas Chinese businessmen. The arcade is the existence of the cultural charm of southern Fujian, and Xiamen is the birthplace of the arcade in southern Fujian.
Nowadays, many streets in Xiamen can still see the arcade buildings of the first period, and in Zhongshan Road and Siming South Road, there are many new buildings of arcade style after 2000.
The arcade in the Zhongshan Road area of Xiamen is a relatively well-preserved century-old arcade block, which combines the integration of Chinese and Western in Xiamen and the new cultural characteristics of Shouguna, so that the block as a whole has continuous innovation and unique aesthetic power. In 2012, Zhongshan Road was awarded the title of "China's Famous Historical and Cultural Street".
The arcade here is exquisitely decorated with Western-style columns, various window arches, reliefs, etc., and wood carvings with Chinese elements, showing a different kind of beauty of Chinese and Western combinations. The parapet wall on the roof of the arcade, the mountain flowers, and all kinds of exquisite window frames and carvings are worth admiring repeatedly. It can be said that each arcade has its own taste.
The arcade is not only convenient for life, but also adapts to the humid and rainy weather in the south, which can block the invasion of wind and rain, block the hot sun, and create a cool environment. The arcade that steps out of the street is like an umbrella for passers-by, and pedestrians can go shopping without distraction, regardless of whether it is sunny or rainy.
The arcade is different from the restrained and conservative style of the traditional Chinese deep house compound, breaking through the shackles of a single-door home. The arcade has a strong atmosphere of life, and has become a place for tea, chatting, enjoying the coolness, meeting guests, exchanging information, and sleeping at night. At the same time, it is also a space for children to do homework, jump rubber bands and other plays, reflecting the regional characteristics of Xiamen's commercial culture and social culture.