Overseas Chinese New Village Guide

This is Guangzhou's earliest and undoubtedly affluent villa district, "Overseas Chinese New Village," also the first area in Guangzhou designated as a cultural relic protection zone. But for some reason, many rumors claim it's an eerie place—is this true? Built in 1958, the Overseas Chinese New Village covers an area of 680,000 square meters, featuring 177 garden-style independent villas and 291 apartments. Surrounded by the bustling Huanshi Middle Road, the neighborhood boasts Guangzhou's first hotel, "Baiyun Hotel," and its first shopping mall, "Friendship Store," making it a lively hub. It's said to have been Guangzhou's CBD back in the day, witnessing the city's prosperity and development. In the early years of the People's Republic, the government specially built this villa district to accommodate overseas Chinese returning to invest in the country. It was funded by a group of patriotic overseas Chinese. Now, 66 years later, many villas appear aged. As most residents have moved abroad, many homes are either rented out or left vacant, leading to gradual deterioration. The neighborhood offers a comfortable living environment with complete amenities, including schools and kindergartens, and convenient transportation—a true school district with high property values, averaging tens of thousands per square meter. A single villa can easily be worth tens of millions. Yet, for some reason, there are many negative rumors about Overseas Chinese New Village, claiming that empty homes are due to it being an "unlucky" place, citing incidents at Heping No. 7 Villa and nearby tombs as reasons people moved away. In reality, these are just rumors. Old Guangzhou had similar stories everywhere—it's all in the past. In this modern age, why believe such superstitions? Guangzhou is a heroic city, once a wartime base, so it's natural to have martyrs' resting places. These martyrs were righteous—what is there to fear? This is prime real estate in Guangzhou, highly sought-after. That's the story of Overseas Chinese New Village, past and present.