Yuexiu District Museum

Yuexiu District Museum

The Yuexiu District Museum was established in 1999 at the Wuxian Temple and is a comprehensive history museum located on Huifu West Road in Guangzhou. The Wuxian Temple was relocated here in the 10th year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty (1377) and is a granary god temple dedicated to the worship of the Five Immortals. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was listed as one of Guangzhou’s “Eight Scenic Spots of Yangcheng” under the names “Sui Shi Dongtian” and “Wuxian Xia Dong,” respectively. Existing cultural relics and historic sites include the Ceremonial Gate, Rear Hall, Immortal Trace Pool, and the First Tower of Lingnan, as well as more than ten stone tablets from various dynasties. It is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangdong Province.

The Wuxian Temple is the witness to Guangzhou’s oldest legend of the Five Immortals. Legend has it that during the reign of King Yi of the Zhou Dynasty, five immortals rode five-colored goats, each holding ears of grain, and descended upon Guangzhou. They presented the grain to the locals, wishing them eternal freedom from famine. After their blessing, the immortals ascended to the heavens, and the goats turned to stone. The people of Guangzhou built a temple to worship the Five Immortals, hence Guangzhou is also known as the City of Five Goats, Goat City, Grain City, or Immortal City. According to ancient inscriptions at the Wuxian Temple, the people of Guangzhou have worshipped the Five Immortals for nearly two thousand years, and it is recorded that “no temple in eastern Guangdong is older than the Wuxian Temple.”

The Wuxian Temple is a representative of Guangzhou’s historical and cultural tourism resources. In terms of tangible cultural heritage, it is a classic example of Ming Dynasty architecture in Guangzhou. In terms of intangible cultural heritage, it embodies the legend of the origin of Guangzhou’s history and culture. Since the Wuxian Temple worships the unique Five Immortals and Five Goats of Guangzhou, directly linked to the city’s founding, it can be described as the guardian temple of Guangzhou.

The Yuexiu District Museum is a patriotic education base in Guangzhou. It regularly hosts events to showcase and promote intangible cultural heritage such as “Yuexiu Ancient Forum” (storytelling art) and “Yuexiu Qin Forum” (guqin music), as well as various exhibitions and cultural awareness activities.

In addition, the construction project of the South Yue Sages Hall has also been located at the Wuxian Temple, with planning and design work already completed. The first group of 56 selected sages will be displayed together in the Sages Hall for public reverence and commemoration. The Five Immortals are legendary figures who brought prosperity to Guangzhou, while the sages enshrined in the hall are outstanding historical figures who benefited the nation, the people, and South Yue. The combination of the two further highlights the essence and charm of Lingnan culture. Once completed, the Wuxian Temple, together with the South Yue Sages Hall, will become a textbook and cultural showcase condensed from Guangzhou’s history, as well as a window for the world to understand Guangzhou and for cultural exchanges between China and other countries.

In September 2018, it was designated as a National Third-Class Museum.

Further Reading:

· China’s National Third-Class Museums