Yuanyuan Taoist Temple

Yuanyuan Taoist Temple

Yuanyuan Taoist Temple is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Located near Bicun Village to the west of Xinhua Town in Huadu District, Guangzhou, the Yuanyuan Taoist Temple in Guangzhou is an emerging Taoist sacred site in Guangdong and currently the largest Taoist temple in the province. The Yuanyuan Taoist Temple was funded and built by the Hong Kong Yuanyuan College and its first phase was completed and opened to the public in 1998.

After several years of expansion, it now covers an area of nearly 100 acres, forming a center for Taoist activities in Guangdong.

The Yuanyuan Taoist Temple is a non-profit charitable welfare institution dedicated to advancing Taoist academic research, facilitating worship for believers, promoting virtues such as filial piety and reverence for ancestors, and upholding the values of caring for the young and the elderly, as well as supporting education and nurturing talent. It is also a popular destination for tourists. Its motto is “Supporting the young and the elderly!” In Huadu, there are many primary schools, kindergartens, and nursing homes named after Yuanyuan, all funded by the Yuanyuan College.

The main structures of the Yuanyuan Taoist Temple in Huadu include the Three Pure Ones Hall and the Taihe Building.

The Three Pure Ones Hall is built in the classical style of the Temple of Heaven, covering a construction area of over 500 square meters. It features an octagonal three-tiered roof, a circular hall, and a height of nearly 30 meters. The ceiling is painted with a Taiji diagram, symbolizing the boundless light of the vast heavens and earth. The hall is topped with yellow glazed tiles, adorned with traditional brackets and upturned eaves, and decorated with vibrant colors. Inside the hall are enshrined bronze statues of the Three Pure Ones: Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing.

The Taihe Building is located southeast of the Three Pure Ones Hall. It is a three-story semi-traditional building with a green glazed roof. The second-floor hall houses the Chinese Ethnicities Museum, showcasing the residences, customs, and traditional attire of China’s 56 ethnic groups. The third-floor hall is the Exquisite Stones Museum, which displays a collection of rare and uniquely shaped stones from around the world. These so-called “exquisite stones” are naturally formed rocks with peculiar shapes—for example, one of them is a chrysanthemum stone, a specialty of Huashan Town in Huadu District. No matter how this stone is broken, every piece bears the image of a chrysanthemum, white and semi-transparent. The chrysanthemum is the district flower of Huadu, inspired by the symbolism of this local specialty stone.

The mountain gate and the memorial archway gate of the Yuanyuan Taoist Temple are both very imposing. The central axis of the temple includes the square (flanked by the Bell Tower and Drum Tower, each with a decorative stone pillar), the Three Pure Ones Hall (built in the traditional style of the Temple of Heaven, with a giant golden sphere on the roof), and other key structures. To the right of the square is the Taihe Building, while to the left are the Zhonghe Building, Yuanyuan Villa, and the Elderly Care Home. There are also additional structures such as the Guanyin Hall, Doumu Hall, and Tai Sui Hall. The overall architecture of the temple is built in the imitation ancient “Temple of Heaven” style, grand and solemn, set within an elegant environment, and is often referred to as Guangdong’s “Little Temple of Heaven.”

The Yuanyuan Taoist Temple also features buildings such as the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, Chunyang Treasure Hall, Yuan Chen Treasure Hall, Guanyin Hall, and Wong Tai Sin Hall... Among these, the highlight is the large seated statue of Laozi. The entire architecture of the Yuanyuan Taoist Temple is truly stunning.

Address: No. 38, West Yingbin Avenue, Xinhua Street, Huadu District, Guangzhou (Jiutan, Huadu District)

Type: Taoist Temple

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visiting Time: Approximately 4 hours

Phone: 020-36861238; 020-36861111

Official Website: http://yxdg.org/index.php

Opening Hours:

8:00-17:00