Guangzhou is the capital city of Guangdong, and the center of its political, economic, scientific, educational and cultural life. Sui (Ears of Rice) is short for Guangzhou and the City of Ram (Yang Cheng) is also an alias of Guangzhou. The kapok is the city flower and the kapok tree is the city tree of Guangzhou.Guangzhou is located in the middle south of Guangdong Province, north of the Pearl River Delta. It lies close to the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Zhujiang (The Pearl River), the third largest river of China, runs through Guangzhou and is navigable to the South China Sea. Situated in such an excellent geographical region, Guangzhou is called China’s South Gate.Covering an area of 7434.4 square kilometers (2870 square miles), Guangzhou is home to more than 11 million people, including a 3.7 million transitory population. With the opening of China to the outside world, a large number of people from other regions of China swarmed into Guangzhou, one of the first “open” cities in China. This has accelerated its economic development.Guangzhou is a famous historical city. In ancient days, Guangzhou was the capital city for three Chinese dynasties: the Nan Yue (South Yue), the Nan Han (South Han) and the Nanming (South Ming). Thus it was put in the list of the 24 most famous historical cultural cities and became a tourist destination. You can not understand most Chinese cities deeply until you know their history. This is true of Guangzhou. Many historic sights: the Western Han Nanyue King’s Tomb Museum, the Zhenhai Tower and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall tell us the 2,000-year history of Guangzhou.Today, Guangzhou retains its ancient customs, but is also a large city full of vigor and current fashions. You can find something worth taking home in Shangxia Jiu Lu, Beijing Lu and Di Shi Fu Lu.Trying Yue Cai (Cantonese Cuisine), one of eight Chinese famous cuisines, is definitely a must in Guangzhou! Eat delicious food with ingredients you have never heard of.Hotel facilities and service in Guangzhou are fine. A word of warning: Do make a reservation beforehand if you decide to visit Guangzhou during the Canton Fair. For visitors, especially those plan to attend the Canton Fair, transportation in Guangzhou is more and more convenient. You can choose plane, train, ship or bus.Guangzhou is famous as a hometown for overseas Chinese. It boasts the largest population of overseas Chinese people. These overseas Chinese do a great deal of good for Guangzhou: opening international markets, bridging Guangzhou and the rest of the world, and establishing many schools, hospitals, nurseries, kindergartens and rest homes in Guangzhou.

Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family:

Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family is also called Chen Clan Academy which is a place both for offering up sacrifices to ancestors and for study. Now the Chen Clan Ancestral Temple in Guangzhou City, the Ancestors’ Temple in Foshan City, the former Residence of Sun Yat-sen in Zhongshan City and the Opium War Memorial Hall in Dongguan City are regarded as the four major cultural tourist sites in Guangdong Province. In the late of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a man named Chen got the third place in the highest imperial examination and had conferred upon him a distinguished office title which made the Family Chen well-known. Later someone suggested that all the Chen’s families raise money to build a temple to sacrifice to the ancestors and encourage their offspring likewise to study hard. Therefore, the temple was finished in 1894 with the money donated by Chen’s families in 72 counties of Guangdong Province as well as some overseas members of Family Chen. The temple is a compound complex consisting of nine halls, six courtyards and nineteen buildings connected by corridors, all separated by walls from the outside world. A pair of stone drums in front of the entrance door, measuring 2.55 meters (about 8.36 feet) in height and two colored drawing pictures of door-god of four meters (about 13 feet) height are said to be the best in Guangdong. The compound was constructed in the traditional Chinese symmetrical style and the main hall, the Juxian Hall is in the center of the temple. Juxian Hall was once a place for clansmen to assemble before the establishment of the temple and now it is used as an ancestral hall. In front of the hall is a stone gazebo surrounded by stone balustrades. In the hall there is an exquisitely carved folding screen which is an excellent example of woodcarving. The most impressive attractions in the temple are various superb carvings extolling nature. They are in the forms of wood, brick, pottery, stone, lime and things like that, of which wood carving especially fully demonstrates the great achievements of the art of carving in Guangdong Province. Stories of historical celebrities and scenes are also vividly represented in the temple.

White Cloud Mountain

From ancient times, White Cloud Mountain has been one of the most famous spots of natural beauty in Guangzhou, and it’s still known as the First Spectacular Scene of Guangzhou. Every time the sun shines after the rain, and through late spring, a wreath of airy clouds circles the mountains. This is how White Cloud Mountain has won its name, and its reputation as a marvelous spectacle of nature. The fierce differentiation of rocks, and the different ways in which erosion has affected them, has caused White Cloud Mountain a crisscross network of gullies. So its relative height is now about 100 meters (109 yards). The quiet and secluded environment of the valley has made White Cloud Mountain a haven of peace from the big city. People always describe the natural beauty of Guangzhou as being composed of white cloud and pearl sea, the white cloud referring to that of White Cloud Mountain, located about 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of Guangzhou. The total area of White Cloud Mountain is about 28 square kilometers (10 square miles), consisting of 30 peaks. Moxing Ridge (Star-Scraping Ridge), known as ‘the first peak under the southern sky’, is about 382 meters (417 yards) high. You can stand on the summit and look over the whole city and the beautiful Pearl River, the most famous river in Guangzhou. White Cloud Mountain is an ideal place for people to relax. It has six areas that are popular with visitors, Bright Pearl Building Park, the San tailing Summit Park, the Bird Spring Valley Park (Mingchun Valley), the Santailing Park, the Luhu Park and the Fei’eling Park. Yuntai Garden, a bright pearl in the crown of White Cloud Mountain, is located in Santailing Park. Yuntai Garden is an enormous garden filled with all kinds of blooms and trees, which make Guangzhou, City of Flowers, worthy of the name. The Sculpture Park is located in Fei’eling, and covers an area of 46 hectares (113 acres). It was built according to the fashion of the times, which was to use modern languages in sculpture. You will also find the biggest natural birdcage in China, perfect for enjoying all kinds of birds; Bird Spring Valley Park. Here you can stroll idly by the river and mountains, and mingle with the birds. Luhu Park is famous for Jinye Pond. The lake is so clear that the beautiful sights surrounding the lake are perfectly reflected in the water, like a brilliantly drawn picture. Due to the recent rapid development of Guangzhou City, White Cloud Mountain is mostly surrounded by urban developments. A major beauty spot in a modern city with a population of 8,000,000 is really a most unusual occurrence. White Cloud Mountain is fairly known as a return to nature from the big city.

Bright Filial Piety Temple:

Situated at the north end of Guangxiao Road, Bright Filial Piety Temple (Guangxiaosi) is among the grandest and most influential temples in China with a history dating back more than 1,700 years. In fact, it is said that ‘The Bright Filial Piety Temple existed before the birth of Guangzhou City’. In 1961, the Temple was designated by the State Council as a Key National Cultural Preservation Site. Initially built during the Western Han Dynasty (207 BC - 24 AD) as a private house, it was used as a lecture hall before being dedicated completely to the function of a Zen Buddhist Temple during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279). The many noted monks and sutra-translators who have resided there have contributed greatly to the spread of Buddhist culture. The pride of the temple is Hui Neng, the famous sixth master of Zen Buddhism, who had his hair cut and was initiated into monkhood there. The architecture of the temple and cultural relics provide insight into the history of Chinese Buddhism, culture, and architecture as well as the local history of Guangdong Province. The main complex consists of Mahavira Hall, Sixth Ancestor Hall (Liuzudian), Samgharama Hall, Heavenly King Hall (Tianwangdian), the East and West Iron Towers, and the Mahakaruna Dharani Sutra Pillar. The Mahavira Hall was built in 401 during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420) with additions made during succeeding dynasties. Today it is 35.36 meters (116 feet) long by 24.8 meters (81.36 feet) wide by 13.6 meters (44.62 meters) high. Situated on a high platform, the stately building, which is considered the most magnificent in South China, is guarded by the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Inside are three fine statues of Buddha. Travelers to other parts of South China will note that many other temples in the area have imitated the architectural style of Mahavira Hall. The Sixth Ancestor Hall, located behind Samgharama Hall, was established during the Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127) in honor of Master Hui Neng, a larger-than-life statue of whom is found inside. Behind this hall grows a bodhi tree, which symbolizes the Buddhist ideal of wisdom. In 676, the abbot of the temple buried Hui Neng’s cut hair under the tree. Today the seven-story (7.8 meters [25 feet]) octagonal Yifa Pagoda stands as a memorial to him. Each level houses eight shrines. The East and West Iron Towers are the oldest iron towers in China. The West Iron Tower, the older of the two, was erected in 963; the East Tower was built four years later in 967. The four upper floors of the West Tower failed to survive the collapse of the house. The East Tower, which remains intact, is seven stories tall. About 1,000 shrines, each housing a small, exquisite statue of Buddha, are carved into the exterior of the tower. It is said that at the time of its completion, the exterior of the tower was gilded. In addition to these structures, other beautiful buildings and relics can be seen on the Temple grounds. The Heavenly King Hall boasts the 380-year old Helin Stele, which was inscribed during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).The Spring of Washing Bowl was dug in 527 to provide clear spring water in which Bodhidhamma, the initiator of Chinese Zen Buddhism, could wash his bowl. And the unique mushroom-shaped dharani pillar, which was made of bluestone in 826, is engraved on all eight sides with the words of the Mahakaruna Dharani Sutra.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall :

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, situated on the southern slope of Yuexiu Hill, was constructed between 1929 and 1931, a monument to Dr Sun Yat-sen, the forerunner of Chinese democratic revolution, by the people of Guangzhou and overseas Chinese. The hall, a grand octagon building of typical Chinese architectural style, looks brand new because of reconstruction in 1998. The masterpiece of architecture history is created with a span of 71 meters (about 78 yards) without a pillar but significant outlooks and delicate interior designs. As an important place for conferences and performances, it can hold thousands of people with sound equipment. In the hall there is also a display gallery showing pictures and letters of Sun Yat-sen. The oldest ceiba in Guangzhou City grows in the hall, like a centuries-old man, witnessing great changes of this city; besides, you can also have a chance to see the two biggest white jade orchid trees of Guangzhou. A bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen was set up in 1956 in front of the memorial hall. Stepping on the monument by a steel spiral staircase, you are presented with a panoramic view of the memorial hall. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall will refresh you after visiting the bustling commercial metropolis and provide you with a moment to touch this great man in Chinese history.

Yuexiu Park :

Yuexiu Park is the largest park in downtown Guangzhou. Covering an area of 860,000 square meters (212.5 acres), the park is made up of three artificial lakes and seven hills of Yuexiu Mountain; hence the name Yuexiu Park. Yuexiu Park is a perfect combination of cultural relics and ecological tourism, reputed for its pretty water and hills as well as cultural relics. The main places of interest include the stone sculpture of the Five Rams, Zhenhai Tower, the site of the Ming Dynasty City Wall, and Square Cannon Site.
The Five-Ram Sculpture is one of the most famous structures in Guangzhou. It has become the emblem of Guangzhou City. Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, Guangzhou was a barren land with people who despite hard work were suffering from famine. One day five immortals in five-color garments came riding on five rams, playing their legendary music. The rams held sheaves of rice in their mouths. The immortals left the sheaves of rice for the Guangzhou people, gave blessings to the city and left. The rams turned into stone and the city of Guangzhou became a rich and populous place. Guangzhou got the name of the City of Rams and the City of Ears.
Zhenhai Tower, better known among the locals as the Five-Story Tower, is one of the landmarks of Guangzhou city. An interesting historical record has it that Zhu Liangzu, Yongjia Marquis of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), saw yellow and purple air rising over Yuexiu Mountain and was told by a sorcerer that it was the omen of a new emperor. To subdue this omen, Zhu Liangzu ordered this tower to be built in 1380. Over the past 600 years, the tower has been destroyed five times and set up five times. Now it is the Guangzhou Museum, housing relics and documents showing Guangzhou’s history over 2, 000 years. Known as the first tower in Lingnan (South of Nanling Mountain) Area, Zhenhai Tower now is 28 meters (91.9feet) high and 16 meters (52.5 feet) wide. The striking contrast of green glazed titles and red walls makes the tower elegant. While the historical traces create a serene environment, singing birds and exuberant plants add vigor and natural beauty to the park. Three artificial lakes — Dongxiu, Nanxiu, and Beixiu– cover an area of more than 50,000 square meters (538,213 square feet). Dongxiu Lake and Nanxiu Lake are tranquil and elegant, inviting painting and sketching artists. Beixiu Lake, surrounded by trees, is open for boating and fishing. What’s more, the lakes are connected with arch bridges and decorated with pavilions and corridors in the Lingnan Style. Flower exhibitions are held here from time to time. For nature lovers who can’t get to the faraway countryside or forests, Yuexiu Park is an optimum choice with modern conveniences. As a large comprehensive park, Yuexiu Park provides an amusement park, swimming pool, gymnasium, restaurants, stalls, museum and art museum besides plant and flower viewing area. All visitors find pleasure in Yuexiu Park.