Foshan Ancestral Temple

 

Basic Information of Foshan Ancestral Temple

Chinese Name: 佛山祖庙 Pronunciation: Fóshān Zǔmiào

Building Time: 1078-1085

Suggested Visiting Hours: 1-3 Hours

Occupied Area: About 30,200 square meters

Address: No. 21 Zumiao Road, Chancheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China

Function: During the reign of Emperor Shenzong (1078-1085) of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), the Ancestral Temple was used to worship the God of Water.

 

Admission Ticket Fee

Tickets	Price
Adult Ticket	20 yuan
Discount Ticket	10 yuan

• Note: Discount Tickets are available for children between 1.2m-1.5m, minors above 1.5m with Student Certificates or ID cards, and seniors between 60-64 years old with ID cards.
  
   
• Ticket Free of Charge Policy

1. Children under 6 years old or below 1.2 meters are free of charge;

2. Senior citizens over 65 years old (with ID cards) are free of charge.
 

• Surcharge Inside Foshan Ancestral Temple

Guide Service			Price
Group Package Tour	Chinese Service	＜ 30 people	50 yuan
		≥ 30 people	100 yuan
	English Service	＜ 30 people	80 yuan
		≥ 30 people	150 yuan
Individual Tour	＜ 10 people		100 yuan
	≥ 10 people		150 yuan
Note: Guide services above are voluntary consumption.

 

Service Time

The Ancestral Temple Opening Hours	8:30 - 18:00
Ticket Office Opening Hours	8:30 - 17:30

 

Brief Introduction of Foshan Ancestral Temple

Foshan Ancestral Temple, located in Chancheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, has evolved into a folklore museum that integrates the ancient architectural art of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing (1636-1912) Dynasty and the traditional culture of Foshan. The temple was first built during the Yuanfeng period (1078-1085) of Northern Song Dynasty, enshrining Zhenwu Xuantian God, the God of Water in Taoism. The Ancestral Temple includes the ancient architectural complex, the Ancestral Temple Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall, the Confucius Temple, the Huang Feihong Memorial Hall, and the Ye Wen Hall, etc.

The cultural relics of the Ancestral Temple are mainly Taoist cultural relics and Foshan local folk cultural relics. The basic displays fully show the history and culture, Taoism arts, martial arts, and Foshan folk crafts of the Ancestral Temple. Many far-reaching folk cultural activities are held here every year, such as Spring Festival blessing, temple fair, sacrificial activity for the God of Water, etc. Furthermore, the “School Children’s First Writing Ceremony of Confucian Temple” and “Huang Feihong Dancing Lion Performance”, “Juvenile Huang Feihong Martial Arts Performance”, “Cantonese Opera Performance” and other folk culture dynamic display activities have been held for many years here.

 

Development of Foshan Ancestral Temple

The Ancestral Temple was first built during the Yuanfeng period of the Northern Song Dynasty. At that time, the Pearl River Delta region was mostly the region of rivers and lakes and was often submerged by floodwater. While the Zhenwu Xuantian God was the god of water in Chinese mythology, so he was enshrined in the temple as a protector. In the Ming Dynasty, the Ancestral Temple was destroyed. But in the 5th year (1372) of the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, the Ancestral Temple was rebuilt.

In the 14th year (1449) of the Zhengtong period of the Ming Dynasty, the Ancestral Temple changed from a place of folk sacrifices to a place of official sacrifices. In 1451, a bronze statue of the Zhenwu Xuantian God was built, which marked the initial shaping of the Ancestral Temple. And in the 5th year (1899) of the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, wealthy people from Chancheng donated money and materials to carry out the first major repair of the Ancestral Temple.

The Confucian Temple, the place for monumentalizing Confucius, was built in the 3rd year (1911) of the Xuantong period of the Qing Dynasty and was officially opened to the public in 1981. The Ancestral Temple Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall was the first in history to systematically introduce the history of the Ancestral Temple, whose exhibition hall was completed and opened to the public in 2016. The Huang Feihong Memorial Hall and the Ye Wen Hall were completed and opened in 2001.

 

Popular Activity of Foshan Ancestral Temple

“School Children’s First Writing Ceremony of Confucian Temple” is one of the popular activities of the Ancestral Temple. Writing is a psychological process influenced by ancient traditional culture and a form of enlightenment education through educational psychology. As a memorial ceremony for children to enter the learning stage of life, it is often memorable and becomes a lifelong spur for children.

“School Children’s First Writing Ceremony of Confucian Temple” in the Ancestral Temple was started in 2002. Due to its historical origins and the aura of the Ancestral Temple, the number of participants has increased year by year. Many parents and schools have chosen the Confucius Temple to hold the writing ceremony for children.

 

Highlights to See Inside Foshan Ancestral Temple

Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall

This exhibition hall covers an area of more than 800 square meters and is the first exhibition to fully display the history and culture of the Ancestral Temple. The content of the exhibition hall is divided into five parts, combining the simple material concept of ancient China, and using the concept of “five elements”, “water, fire, earth, wood, and metal” as its design concept and mainline. A total number of 126 cultural relics and 19 cultural relic replicas, 115 physical photos, 38 ancient books and text-photos, and a large number of precious archive materials of the Republic of China are exhibited here.
 

Huang Feihong Memorial Hall

Huang Feihong (1856-1925) is a famous master of Hongquan, a traditional Chinese martial art. He had a profound influence on the development of Chinese martial arts. Huang Feihong Memorial Hall was opened in 2001. On July 3, 2018, the Exhibition of Huang Feihong’s Life and Influence was officially opened to the public.

The exhibition area of Huang Feihong Memorial Hall is more than 930 square meters. It is divided into seven core exhibition areas including “Huang Feihong in Foshan”, “Huang Feihong in Fiction”, “Huang Feihong in Broadcast”, “Huang Feihong in Cantonese Opera”, “Huang Feihong in Movies”, and “Huang Feihong in TV” and “Huang Feihong in Cartoons”. There are also more than 180 collections. Nearly 160 sets of photos, oil paintings, pottery sculptures, models, and restoration scenes are exhibited here.

Ye Wen Hall

Ye Wen Hall was built to commemorate Ye Wen, the Kung Fu master born in Foshan. The exhibition design of Ye Wen Hall matches the characteristics of antique buildings and emphasizes Chinese traditional colors. The ceiling of the hall was designed as a geometric shape band with the outline of the motion of Wing Chun, increasing the atmosphere of Wing Chun martial arts. The lobby of the hall has a mook jong scene and the second showroom shows the scene that Ye Wen was reading. Furthermore, a mook jong is placed at the exit of the exhibition hall to allow the audience to practice.
 

Lingying Archway

Lingying Archway, as the most spectacular archway with a mixed structure of wood and stone in Guangdong Province, is the second building at the southern end of the central axis of the Ancestral Temple. The archway was built in 1451 and was the gate of the Ancestral Temple in the Ming Dynasty.

The archway perfectly integrates the post-and-lintel frame and column-and-tie frame to form a hybrid architecture. It breaks the construction mode of flat archways. And it also creates a precedent for the construction of three-dimensional archways. It plays an important role in resisting earthquakes, typhoon disasters, and enlarging building space, and saving building materials.

 

Recommended Route to Visit Foshan Ancestral Temple

The Ancestral Temple Archway → Ye Wen Hall → Bao Chong (Praise and Award) Archway → Huang Feihong Memorial Hall → Jin Xiang (Beautiful and Fragrant) Pool → Lingying Archway → Wan Fu (Blessing) Opera Stage → Confucius Temple →  Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall

 

Travel Tips

1. Lion dancing performance will be canceled on rainy days.

2. Cantonese opera performance starts at 13:30-15:30 every weekend and on the first and fifteenth day of every lunar month.

 

How to Get to Foshan Ancestral Temple

By Bus

Take bus 101, 105, 116, 117, 118, 121, 122, 123, 126, 128, 134, 137, G12, or 164B and get off at Zumiao-A Station, then walk about 130 meters to the West Gate of the Ancestral Temple.

Take bus 106, 109, Fo-k6, Tourism 1, Tourism 2, Tourism 3, or Tourism 4 and get off at Zumiao-B Station, then walk about 130 meters to the West Gate of the Ancestral Temple.
 

By Subway

Take Guangfo Metro Line and get off at Zumiao Station (Exit A or C). Then walk northward along Zumiao Road around 220 meters to the West Gate of the Ancestral Temple, or walk northward along Tiandi Road around 260 meters to the East Gate of the Ancestral Temple.
 

By Taxi

Chinese: 请带我去佛山祖庙。English: Please take me to Foshan Ancestral Temple.

Chinese: 请带我去佛山祖庙的东门。English: Please take me to the East Gate of Foshan Ancestral Temple.

Chinese: 请带我去佛山祖庙的西门。English: Please take me to the West Gate of Foshan Ancestral Temple.

If you go to the Ancestral Temple from the center of Foshan (Crowne Plaza Foshan), it takes about 5 minutes (about 10 yuan).

If you go to the Ancestral Temple from Foshan Shadi Airport, it takes about 30 minutes (about 35 yuan).

If you go to the Ancestral Temple from Foshan Railway Station, it takes about 15 minutes (about 15 yuan).

If you go to the Ancestral Temple from Foshan West Railway Station, it takes about 45 minutes (about 50 yuan).