Renwei Temple (Renwei Ancestral Temple)

Renwei Temple (Renwei Ancestral Temple)

Renwei Temple (Renwei Ancestral Temple) is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangzhou.

Renwei Temple is situated on Renwei Temple Front Street, Longjin West Road, Guangzhou, within the former Pantang Township, covering an area of 2,200 square meters. It is a temple dedicated to the Taoist deity Zhenwu (the Perfect Warrior). It was the oldest and largest temple among the eighteen villages of Pantang and Enzhou at the time. Historical records indicate that Renwei Temple was first built in the fourth year of the Huangyou era during the Song Dynasty (1052). Major renovations were carried out in the second year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty (1622), during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1736–1795), and the Tongzhi era (1862–1874). The Qianlong-era reconstruction initially only involved the central axis and the first three sections of the western row; the later additions included the last two rear buildings and the eastern row.

Renwei Temple

When first built, the temple was called Beidi Temple. It is said that since Zhenwu governed water, people referred to him as Beidi or the Water God. Later, due to the “divine might” of the Northern Zhenwu Xuanwu Heavenly Emperor, the temple came to be known as Renwei Temple.

Name Origin

Pantang is located in the water towns of Lingnan and has long been famous for growing “the Five Treasures of Pantang”—lotus roots, water chestnuts, arrowheads, water caltrops, and bamboo shoots. The villagers of Pantang, wishing to “express gratitude and invite blessings from the deities to prevent disasters,” were deeply devoted to the worship of the enshrined statues. Legend has it that there were two brothers in Pantang, the elder named “Ren” (Benevolence) and the younger “Wei” (Might). One day, while fishing, they found a strange rock, brought it home, and erected it as a deity statue. From then on, they experienced nothing but good fortune and success, and the story spread throughout the village. Within ten miles, many came to worship. When the community raised funds to build a temple, they named it “Renwei” in honor of the brothers.

Architectural Features

The layout of Renwei Temple is roughly trapezoidal, facing south with its back to the north. It spans three lanes in width and five sections in depth, with an additional row of simple houses slightly to the east. The first three sections consist of the main hall in the center, flanked by side halls on the east and west, the fourth section serves as a vegetarian dining hall, and the fifth section is the rear building. Along the central north-south axis are, in sequence, the entrance gate, the main hall, the middle hall, the rear hall, and the rear building, with the east and west rows on either side. The entrance gate is 11 meters wide and 8 meters deep. On either side of the gate stand granite pillars carved with stone lions on top, and with auspicious clouds and the “two dragons playing with a pearl” motif along the body—lines are fluid, and the imagery vividly lifelike, commonly known as “dragon pillars.”

Main Structure

The main structure is 40 meters wide from east to west and 54–60 meters deep from north to south, built with a combination of brick and wood. The roof framework has nine beams, and the roof features five-tiered stepped gable walls, covered with green-gray tubular tiles edged with blue glazed tiles. The roof ridges and decorative figures—such as ceramic figurines of people, pavilions, towers, and stage drama characters on the main ridge and gable tops—were fired by the Wenyu Bi workshop in Shiwan, Foshan, Guangdong during the Qing Dynasty. The faint markings “Tongzhi Dingmao” (Tongzhi Year 6, i.e., 1867) can still be discerned. The beams, brackets, camel humps, and spandrels are all crafted as wooden carvings, featuring auspicious designs such as qilins, all gilded lavishly. The eaves boards are exquisitely carved with detailed motifs of auspicious patterns and opera characters. The brick carvings on the stair edges are also finely detailed and uniquely designed. The lotus-shaped bracket arms, the fork supports of the pillar beams, and the brackets are all carved in the shape of upside-down crayfish. The spandrels, camel humps, and eave boards are delicate and lustrous, coated with gold lacquer, reflecting the style of Chaozhou gold-lacquered wood carvings. Multi-layered, intricate openwork carvings integrate relief, sunken relief, and round carving within the same scene. The main hall is nine beams wide using four pillars, combining the post-and-lintel and bracketing systems, linked organically with the four-rafter circular prayer pavilion via an overlapping structure. All components—including brackets, beams, spandrels, and camel humps—match the style of the front beam frame. Carvings on the camel humps include motifs like lions playing with balls, dragons and phoenixes in harmony, carp leaping over the dragon gate, and joyous expressions. The horizontal beams below the front of the main hall are carved with scenes such as immortals celebrating longevity and double blessings of happiness and longevity. The bottoms feature smooth ruyi (scepter) patterns, beautifully shaped, finely carved, and distinct in layers. The space between the two central pillars is carved with figures such as the Eight Immortals. The bottoms of all beams and brackets are adorned with exquisitely carved patterns. The wooden carvings are all coated with gold. The construction of the third and fourth sections and the buildings of the east and west rows are slightly less refined, though their architectural styles and layouts are essentially consistent with the main hall.

Carvings

The temple’s architectural ornaments integrate various art forms such as painting, wood carving, brick carving, and plaster carving. The decorations are vivid and lifelike, embodying the essence of ancient Lingnan architectural art, earning it the reputation of a “magnificent palace.” Meanwhile, the temple features diverse shapes, including square, octagonal, and dome-like structures. The pillars are made of stone or wood, with cross-sections in square, octagonal, circular, or corner forms. The wood carvings, stone carvings, and brick carvings of Renwei Temple each have their unique characteristics and demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship. The pottery and plaster sculptures are finely detailed and vigorous, rich in Lingnan local flavor and style, reminiscent of the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, leaving a profound impression. There are also several stone inscriptions within the temple.

Address: Miaoqian Street, Longjin West Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou (next to Liwan Lake Park)

Type: Historic Site / Temple

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Opening Hours: 8:00–17:00 (last entry at 16:50); on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month: 6:30–17:00.

Ticket Information: Free admission.

Pantang Community: Pantang Community…… More details about Pantang Community++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units