Unique building style of Qilou in S China's Haikou turns into major tourist attraction

This aerial photo taken on Aug. 26, 2023 shows a view of the Qilou old street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)?

Qilou, or arcaded house, refers to a building with a frontage arcade on its ground floor that allows pedestrians to pass through.

Haikou boasts the largest and best-preserved Qilou compound in China, which was included by the state authorities in the country's first list of historic streets in 2009.

Most Qilou in the city were built in early 1900s by returned overseas Chinese with ideas borrowed from architecture of the Southeast Asia where they used to live.

This compound of unique building style has turned into a major tourist attraction in Haikou.

This photo taken on Aug. 20, 2023 shows part of buildings at the Qilou old street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Tourists are pictured at the Qilou old street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Tourists visit the Qilou old street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

This photo taken on Aug. 21, 2023 shows part of buildings at the Qilou old street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Tourists watch performance at the Qilou old street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

This aerial photo taken on Aug. 26, 2023 shows some details in buildings at the Qilou old street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Statues are pictured at the Qilou old street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)