Luobo Temple and Its Surrounding Stone Carvings

Luobo Temple and Its Surrounding Stone Carvings

　　 　　Wuming’s Luobo Temple is the ancestral temple of the ancient Luoyue people. The annual worship of the Luoyue Ancestral Queen on the third day of the third lunar month, along with the resulting Sanyuesan (Third of March) Zhuang Song Festival, represents an irreplaceable cultural treasure. On April 14, the unveiling ceremony for the autonomous region-level intangible cultural heritage—Luobo Temple Fair—was held in front of Luobo Temple. The Ancestral Worship Ceremony of the Luoyue people during the Sanyuesan Song Festival and Luoyue Cultural Tourism Festival in Wuming, the Hometown of the Zhuang People, will also take place on April 20.

　　 　　The Dragon Mother culture has had a profound influence across the Pearl River Basin and Southeast Asia. The legend that the Dragon Mother’s surname was “Pu” originates from “Luobo.” Many towns in the Pearl River Basin bear the cultural imprint of the Dragon Mother through place names containing “Bo” or “Pu,” such as “Linpu” in the ancient Daming Mountain area, “Pumiao” for the ancient county seat of Yongning, “Ningpu” for ancient Heng County, “Bushan” for ancient Guigang, and the port in the Pearl River Estuary called “Whampoa (Huangpu).” The worship of the Dragon Mother is the most influential folk belief across the Pearl River Basin and Southeast Asia, as well as an important custom among the descendant ethnic groups of the Luoyue people in the region. The Dragon Mother has long been regarded as the embodiment of kindness and peace, and temples dedicated to her along the Pearl River enjoy the greatest popularity.

　　 　　The Guangxi Daming Mountain area, where Luobo Temple is situated, was the site of the earliest capital of the ancient Luoyue Kingdom and the center of ancient Luoyue culture. Originally the largest folk temple in the region, Luobo Temple once covered an area of over 20 acres, including city walls, a theater stage, and a three-courtyard temple complex. Later, the city walls and stage were demolished, and the original temple grounds were converted into an elementary school, leaving only the three-courtyard temple structure.

　　 　　Since ancient times, the worship of the Luoyue Ancestral Queen at Luobo Temple has been one of the most significant folk activities among the Zhuang people. The main rituals include a parade of the “Luobo” deity, offerings to Luobo, a grand banquet for thousands of families, theatrical performances, the Flower Cannon Grabbing game, and mountain song contests. The annual worship of the Ancestral Queen on the third day of the third lunar month has also evolved into a folk ancestral worship and song festival for the Zhuang people, becoming their traditional Song Festival.

　　 　　In 2014, Wuming renamed the Sanyuesan Song Festival as the China Wuming Sanyuesan Song Festival and Luoyue Cultural Tourism Festival. The worship of the Luoyue Ancestral Queen was included as a key component of the “One Fair, One Festival” program, and Luobo Ancestral Temple became a central pilgrimage site for the descendants of the Luoyue people. Every year, over 100,000 pilgrims visit, with last year’s Sanyuesan worship ceremony alone attracting more than 30,000 participants for prayers and incense offerings in just one day.

　　 　　The annual Luobo Temple Fair and Luoyue Ancestral Worship Ceremony will be held on April 20 at the Luobo Community Cultural Square and Luobo Temple in Luobo Town, Wuming. The events include folk consecration ceremonies, a parade of the Luoyue Ancestral Queen statue, the grand ancestral worship ceremony, a grand banquet for a thousand families, mountain song duets, and a joint cultural evening gala. These community-organized activities can be described as authentically local, offering a truly original cultural experience.

　　 　　Currently, Wuming is planning and developing Luobo Temple and the Luobotan scenic area as a Luoyue pilgrimage center and cultural tourism destination, with various facilities gradually being improved. A large sculpture of the Luoyue Ancestral Queen is under design, and both the Luoyue Ancestral Worship Ceremony and the Sanyuesan Song Festival are being nominated for inclusion in the national intangible cultural heritage list.

Luobo Temple and Its Surrounding Stone Carvings are located on the eastern shore of Luobotan in Luobo Town, Wuming County. Dating back to the Qing Dynasty, they fall under the category of cave temples and stone carvings.

In 1988, Luobo Temple and Its Surrounding Stone Carvings were designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Wuming County.