Guangzhou Attractions - Top sightseeing and things to see

Dr. Sun Yatsen's Memorial Hall
As a famous commemorative structure of Chinese revolution built in 1931, it was designed by the well-known architect of modern China Lu Yanzhi, who was also The Designer of Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing. The building complex is composed of the arch over the gateway, the auditorium and the stoteyed buildings on its eastside and westside. The auditorium is octagonal in the shape of the palace hall.

With big vermilion pillars, yellow bricks and sapphire-blue glazed tiles, the complex looks splendid and magnificent. There are 4,700seats in the spacious auditorium, with is beamless and produces no echo. the interior is decorated with paintings and patterns of strong national features. In front of it there stands the statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

Bright Filial Piety Temple
Bright Filial Piety Temple on Guangxiao Road is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Guangzhou and was the mansion of Prince Zhao Jiande of the Nanyue Kingdom during the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.24).

Bright Filial Piety Temple was first built by an Indian monk during the Eastern Jin dynasty (317- 420) and the present temple, occupying an area of 31000 square meters, was rebuilt it the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911). It enjoys great reputation in Buddhist history because Huineng of the Zen Buddhist sect was a novice monk here in the 7th century.

The Sixth Ancestor Hall in the temple was built in memory of Huineng, the sixth master of the Zen Sect of Buddhism, who was also the most influential monk in the history of Chinese Buddhism.

In the temple there is also a pagoda where Huineng's hair was buried. Other ancient structures in the temple include Sakyamuni Hall, Samgharama Hall, the King of Heaven Hall, and two iron towers.

Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees, situated on Liurong Road, is a world famous ancient Buddhist temple. It was built in 537 in the Liang dynasty during the Southern dynasties (386-581).

More than 1460 years ago in the Liang dynasty, Tanyu, the master priest, under orders of Emperor Liangwu, built Baozhuangyan Temple to store the Buddhist bones brought from Kampuchea. During the Northern Song dynasty, a great writer - Su Shi, on a visit to this temple was attracted by the six banyan trees surrounding it and wrote the inscription "Liu Rong" (Six Banyan Trees). This temple has since been known as Temple of the Six Banyan Trees.

The temple was burned down and rebuilt in the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127).

Flowery Pagoda, built in 1097, is the major structure in this temple. Named for its colorful exterior, the pagoda stands 57 meters high in the center of the temple, having a bronze column with 1,000 Buddhist sculptures on its top. Viewed from outside, the pagoda has 9 stories while in fact it has 17stories inside.

To the west of the pagoda is Grand Hall, a magnificent hall rebuilt in 1983 with an area of 300 square meters and a height of 14 meters. In this hall are enshrined three huge images: Sakyamuni in the middle, Amitabha left and Maitreya right. Elaborately made of brass in 1633 during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty, each is 6m high and weighing 10 tons, being the largest existing ancient brass images in Guangdong province.

In the Banyan Garden, there is Hall of Liuzu, where the copper image of Liuzu - the sixth generation of China's Buddhist master was enshrined. This image, 1.8 meters in height and 1 ton in weight, was meticulously cast in 989 in the Northern Song dynasty. It looks like real life, sitting silently with eyes closed.

Zhenhai Tower
Standing on the top of Yuexiu Hill in the northern suburbs, the 28-metre-high five-storey tower -- also known as Five-storey Pagoda -- was built on the order of Zhu Liangzu, the Yongjia Marquis of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), to flaunt his power that was able to "shake the seas and mountains". A magnificent building, it commands a bird's-eye view of the whole city. The tower now houses the City Museum, with exhibits which describe the history of Guangzhou from Neolithic times till the early part of this century.


Western Han Nanyue King Tomb Museum
Nanyue King Tomb Museum, located in Jiefang road, is stands on the site of the tomb of Emperor Wen, the second ruler of the Southern Yue Kingdom dating back to 100 B.C.

The tomb was originally 20m under Elephant Hill and was discovered in 1983. More than 1000 burial objects were excavated, among which are a chariot, gold and silver vessels, musical instruments, and human sacrifices. The tomb is 10.85 meter in length and 12.43 meters in the widest place, consisting of the front and rear chambers. It is the earliest large-scale painted stone-chamber tomb ever found in south of the Five Ridges.

The site is now the Western Han Nanyue King Tomb Museum.