Editor’s note: Guangzhou, a city of about 19 million, is one of the most important trade cities in China and the world. The city sits near the head of the Pearl River Delta, and for many years has been the means through which foreign influence first entered Mainland China. Guangzhou is famous for its Cantonese culture, and believers in the area say their city is comfortable, laid back, and simultaneously treasures its history while being an up-to-date and modern metropolis.

Down-to-Earth and Comfortable

China Partnership: What makes Guangzhou unique among Chinese cities?

Wong Meijing: It is comfortable, and it’s easy to get along with people. Everyone is down-to-earth. Although Guangzhou is a metropolis, it’s not suffocating. Life is relatively laid back. People spend money on themselves, not to show off. Everyone does their own thing and doesn’t really care about others.

Everyone who comes to Guangzhou, especially college graduates, can easily survive. Housing prices are not too high; of course, they are a bit higher in good areas, but the distance still isn’t too far. There are also urban villages close to the city where housing is cheap.

Guangzhou people love to eat; the food is delicious. You can eat very well and cheaply.

Guangzhou is relatively pragmatic and traditional. Guangzhou people attach great importance to traditional festivals. Dragon boat races are a good example: Guangzhou is in the Pearl River Delta, and has abundant water resources. Every village is very united, and comes out to race dragon boats.

Everyone is down-to-earth. Although Guangzhou is a metropolis, it’s not suffocating. Life is relatively laid back. People spend money on themselves, not to show off. Everyone does their own thing and doesn’t really care about others.

Guangzhou has a large migrant population. The main language of original Guangzhou is Cantonese, but because there are so many migrants, Mandarin is very common. If you come here to do business, but are from Fujian, you will still be considered a “Fujian person.” Everyone likes the ease of Guangzhou, but the cultures may not blend. Everyone retains their own culture.

The down-to-earth nature of Guangzhou people influences many areas. For example, when giving red envelopes during Spring Festival, Guangzhou people only give 20 yuan. Northerners may give 100, 200, or 300. But in Guangzhou, 10 yuan is okay. People feel this is just a gesture. Everyone gives each other a blessing, and there is no comparison. When giving red envelopes for weddings, Guangzhou people don’t give too much either. They will find a way to thank you and give you a gift in return based on what you give them. It’s not like northerners, who care so much about face. It’s not that Guangzhou people don’t care at all, but their understanding of “face” is different from general Chinese culture. Guangzhou people think it’s meaningless. What’s the point? They know very well what they want. They don’t need too much, and live in their own world.

Clan-Centered Culture

Zu Jianyu: Economic conditions here are relatively good.

Because of better economic conditions, people here are more focused on enjoyment. This makes evangelism difficult. It’s not easy to get people to think deeply about life, because they are preoccupied with enjoyment, travel, fun, and making money. It leads to less genuine introspection.

Ran Wuliang: I’m a native of Guangzhou but live in Foshan [10 miles outside of Guangzhou], so I understand the culture. The Cantonese culture is similar in both places, but there are some differences. The pace of life is different. Guangzhou has a fast pace of life: people rush to work, subways are crowded, and everyone on the street is hurrying. Foshan is relatively slower.

The gospel entered the area through commercial centers, but faced greater resistance as it moved into rural areas centered on the ancestral halls. While he Cultural Revolution did somewhat weaken this, clan-centered culture still remains strong in the Guangzhou area.

Culturally, both share a Cantonese foundation. The gospel first entered China through this area. From 1807 to the present, some things – despite being interrupted by the Cultural Revolution – have remained. For instance, the clan system, which centers around ancestral halls. Early missionaries to the area, like Matteo Ricci and others of his time, encountered a different situation here than in the capital. Here, people gathered according to their surname. Due to the clan system, xenophobia was much stronger here than in other regions.

The gospel entered the area through commercial centers, but faced greater resistance as it moved into rural areas centered on the ancestral halls. While he Cultural Revolution did somewhat weaken this, clan-centered culture still remains strong in the Guangzhou area.

People here are more pragmatic and lowkey than in other regions. They are practical about everything they do: business, work, even idol worship. They evaluate whether something is useful. If they find it is not, they quickly move on to something else. This is evident even in idol worship.

The Center of Cantonese Culture

Jiang Aizhong: I served in Guangzhou for more than two decades, but still haven’t delved deeply into its unique characteristics. But I can summarize a few points.

Guangzhou is the center of Lingnan culture: of Cantonese cuisine, Cantonese opera, and Lingnan architecture. Cantonese food includes dim sum, which we enjoy from morning to night, and also white-cut chicken, roast goose, and double-boiled soups. It is a unique culinary culture.

Guangzhou was at the forefront of “reform and opening-up.” This economic reform is exemplified by the Canton Fair (also known as the China Import and Export Fair). Our church has ministered at the Canton Fair, and has been able to share the gospel with visitors from around the world. The fair was established in 1957, and is one of China’s largest and most important international trade showcases.

Guangzhou is adjacent to Hong Kong and Macau, and connects mainland China with the world, making it a vital commercial city.

I’ve lived in Guangzhou for many years, and observed that Guangzhou has a different spirit than other cities. Guangzhou is not as power-driven as Beijing, as fast-paced as Shenzhen, or as exclusive as Shanghai. The city is more pragmatic and inclusive. When we have had to interact with government officials about church-state relations, we have sensed this difference from inland cities.

I’ve lived in other cities, but having spent more than two decades in Guangzhou: I truly love this city.

Guangzhou is full of modern vitality, yet has a sense of history. Guangzhou has more than 2,000 years of history, including the famous Thirteen Factories (the only foreign trade port in China during the late Qing Dynasty). This shaped Guangzhou into a major global trading port. There’s also Communist Party revolutionary history: the Xinhai Revolution, led by Sun Yat-sen, started here.

But Guangzhou is also a modern city, with the Canton Tower and Zhujiang New Town. Guangzhou still preserves many historical sites among all this modernity. Of course, the most important history is the missionary history, as Robert Morrison arrived in Guangzhou.

Guangzhou is known as the “Flower City,” and hosts the annual International Flora Expo, attracting visitors from around the world. Baiyun Mountain, where our church often hikes, sings hymns, and shares the gospel, is the “green lung” of the city. These are some of the things I appreciate about Guangzhou.

God has called me to serve China, centered in Guangzhou, but through church planting radiating outwards to surrounding areas, the nation, and the world. I’ve lived in other cities, but having spent more than two decades in Guangzhou: I truly love this city.

Wong Meijing, Ran Wuliang, and Jiang Aizhong are Guangzhou area house church pastors. Zu Jianyu is an elder in a local house church.

Praise the Lord for how he used Guangzhou to open up China to the gospel, and pray that the spiritual darkness and power of the clan system and of ancestor halls will be broken.