It's the Mulan magnolia, or I would have missed this Republican-era library.

I've lived in Guangzhou for over ten years and never knew there was a library from the Republican period here (partly because I'm a homebody and not very knowledgeable). I only recently noticed this place after seeing photos of the Mulan magnolia at the former site of the Guangzhou Municipal Zhongshan Library taken by others. In 1927, overseas Chinese in the Americas donated funds to build the Guangzhou Municipal Zhongshan Library in memory of Sun Yat-sen. The library was designed by the renowned architect Professor Lin Keming (whose representative works also include the former National Zhongshan University building complex now on the campuses of South China University of Technology and South China Agricultural University, the Guangzhou Municipal Government building, and the Leung Kau Kui Building at Sun Yat-sen University. He also participated in the design of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing). Construction began in 1929 and was completed in 1933. In 1955, the Guangzhou Municipal Zhongshan Library merged with the former Provincial People's Library at 62 Wende Road to form the "Guangdong Provincial Zhongshan Library." As both libraries were located on Wende Road, the former Provincial Library was called the "South Branch," and the former Municipal Library was called the "North Branch." In 1986, the Guangdong Provincial Zhongshan Library moved to its new location at 213 Wenming Road. The "North Branch" now houses the Children's Department of the Provincial Zhongshan Library / the former site of the Municipal Zhongshan Library / the Sun Yat-sen Literature Museum. The "South Branch" no longer exists, and I couldn't find information on when it was demolished. Although it's the Children's Department, I also saw adults studying inside, and it wasn't as noisy as I expected. Both the exterior and interior of the building are beautiful, especially inside, where you feel like you've stepped back in time. I'll come back and take some proper photos when I have time. Location: Former site of the Guangzhou Municipal Zhongshan Library, Children's Department of the Guangdong Provincial Zhongshan Library, Sun Yat-sen Literature Museum 🚌 Transportation: Wende Road bus stop; within a 15-minute walk from Gongyuanqian/ Peasant Movement Institute/ Beijing Road subway stations ⌚ Hours: Closed on Mondays; 9:30–17:30 / 9:30–16:30 (Tuesday to Friday / weekends)