Visitors to Sunwen West Road Pedestrian Street in Zhongshan are being reminded to look up — not only at the arcade facades, but also at the ceilings, where a century-old decorative art known as dengyinghua, or "lamp-shadow flowers", is drawing fresh attention.

Venezuelan influencer Anthony Caguado was captivated by the surprise hidden above his head during a recent visit. The art form dates back to the Republic of China period (1912-49), when Lingnan craftsmen blended Southeast Asian, Western and traditional Chinese motifs to create unique ceiling decorations. When the lights are turned on, the patterns and colors appear to flow. 

During a 2024 renovation of the street, later-added suspended ceilings were removed, revealing some Republic-era dengyinghua and providing physical evidence for research into traditional architecture in the Xiangshan area.

Each pattern and color bears the imprint of the century-old qiaoxiang, or hometown of overseas Chinese, and its East-West fusion. Today, dengyinghua has been turned into cultural-creative products, carrying the stories of the overseas Chinese to the world.