Qilou City–Dragon Mother Temple Scenic Area

　　　　Wuzhou has long been the water gateway to Guangxi. After the 1920s, the traditional alley-style houses could no longer meet the demands of the growing commercial prosperity, and qilou buildings gradually took their place. Located in Lingnan, with the Tropic of Cancer passing through it, Wuzhou’s climate is humid, rainy, and prone to flooding. To adapt to these conditions, the city’s architecture adopted the qilou style: the street-facing lower floors serve as shops while the upper floors provide living space. Most qilou buildings have three or four stories, with the second floor and above extending outward over the sidewalk. The covered space above the second floor forms a pedestrian walkway, making the buildings appear as if they are “straddling” the sidewalk—hence the name “qilou.” This design not only offers pedestrians shelter from sun and rain but also increases usable building area. Behind the qilou lies an inner street, where residential entrances generally open onto alleys, turning the inner street into a bustling communal hub filled with local charm. This multi-layered, street-front corridor space skillfully accommodates the diversity of daily life and varied spatial functions. The facades of qilou buildings feature many iconic elements of traditional Chinese architecture—such as decorative windows, brick carvings, and memorial arches—that are exquisitely crafted, achieving a remarkable balance of utility and artistry. Among them, the iron rings on the qilou pillars are distinctly Lingnan features, used by residents to tie up boats during floods. Moreover, as Wuzhou was one of Guangxi’s earliest port cities open to foreign trade, it has been significantly influenced by external economic and cultural forces. As a result, Western architectural elements are also prominent in the qilou, such as Roman columns, arched windows, and domed reliefs—hallmarks of Western design. Chinese and Western cultures blend seamlessly on the qilou, coexisting harmoniously and embodying the weight of history while retaining enduring cultural charm.

　　　　Within approximately one square kilometer of Wuzhou’s Hedong old town in Guangxi, there are 22 qilou streets and 560 qilou buildings. Their vast scale and large quantity are rare in China, making it a true “China Qilou Museum City.” The continuous qilou structures in Wuzhou’s Hedong old town, shaped by the city’s unique geography and historical-cultural background, serve as a vivid, living record of Wuzhou’s past traditions and local flavor.

　　　　Throughout the Qilou Museum City, you’ll find gray-relief artworks on walls that reflect traditional Chinese culture. On the walls of Dànán Road’s qilou district, one relief depicts “Abundance Year After Year,” showing two carp swimming beneath a lotus pond; another features four white cranes under a pine tree, symbolizing “Longevity Like the Pine and Crane.” There are also vases representing “Peace and Safety,” and at the Dragon Mother Temple Plaza, carvings portray “The Carp Leaps Through the Dragon Gate,” among others.

　　　　The parapet wall is the most delicate term among qilou architectural decorative elements. The waist-high, street-facing low wall atop a qilou’s roof is called the parapet wall. The origin of the parapet wall is quite interesting: in ancient times, due to feudal constraints, wealthy families built this wall atop roofs and along walls to prevent their daughters from venturing outside freely. Yet, confined indoors, the girls were inevitably drawn to the excitement of the outside world. They would secretly climb onto roofs or high walls and peek out over the low protective barrier. Over time, this wall came to be known as the parapet wall. This street-facing low wall allowed young women in seclusion to observe the mortal world unobtrusively, quietly blossoming in their youth. Occasionally, a scholarly man glancing upward might catch a glimpse—and thus, a romantic tale would begin.

　　　　Dragon Mother Temple

　　　　Wuzhou is the hometown of the Dragon Mother. To honor her, during the Northern Song Dynasty, the Dragon Mother Temple was built on the northern bank of the Gui River. It is one of the most renowned tourist attractions in Wuzhou and even southeastern Guangxi. The temple is magnificent. Originally constructed in the early Northern Song Dynasty, it underwent renovations during the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era and the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi and Yongzheng eras. It is one of the few historical sites in Guangxi that preserves architectural characteristics of the Song Dynasty, blending styles from the Song, Ming, and Qing periods.

　　　　Nestled beside the scenic Gui River, the Dragon Mother Temple sits against the mountain and faces the water, embodying a spiritually auspicious location. It is a true millennium-old sacred site. The original temple complex consisted of a mountain gate, front hall, rear hall, side chambers, and corner pavilions, though parts were damaged during wartime. Since its rededication in 1987, ongoing renovations have preserved the ancient architectural style while adding key structures such as a memorial archway, imperial visitation palace, turtle pond, Guanyin Pavilion, Blessing Pavilion, Release Life Pavilion, and the Dragon Mother Vegetarian Restaurant. In 2005, the Wuzhou municipal government allocated 10.2 hectares of land north of the original temple for expansion, investing over 60 million yuan. This expanded the site from its original 5,000+ square meters to 100,000 square meters. Today, it boasts a memorial archway, front hall, Dragon Mother Treasure Hall, Dragon Mother Bedroom Hall, bell tower, drum tower, pagoda, side chambers, connecting corridors, and the tallest Dragon Mother statue in China at 38 meters.

　　　　According to research, the Dragon Mother was the leader of the ancient “Cangwu” tribe in southern China. She was born on the eighth day of the fifth lunar month, which is celebrated as “Dragon Mother’s Birthday,” and passed away on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, known as “Ascension Day.” Revered for leading the people in taming mountains and rivers for their benefit, she earned deep affection from the populace. Consequently, “Dragon Mother’s Birthday” and “Ascension Day” have become traditional commemorative events at the temple. The eighth day of the fifth lunar month and the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month are the busiest times at the Dragon Mother Temple. During these days, the temple remains open all night, with devout worshippers competing to pay homage, offer incense, touch the Dragon Bed, gaze into the Dragon Mother Mirror, use the Dragon Mother Comb, bathe in Dragon Mother Water, drink Dragon Mother Tea, and toss coins into the Longevity Turtle.

　　　　Address of Wuzhou Qilou City–Dragon Mother Temple Scenic Area: Qilou City is located in Wuzhou’s Hedong old town, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; the Dragon Mother Temple is situated in northern Wuzhou, on the banks of the Gui River.

　　　　Admission to Wuzhou Qilou City–Dragon Mother Temple Scenic Area: Free

　　　　Transportation to Wuzhou Qilou City–Dragon Mother Temple Scenic Area: 1. Qilou City: Qilou streets are mainly distributed along Dàdōng Shànglù, Dàdōng Xiàlù, Fùmín Lù, Dàtóng Lù, Zhōngshān Lù, Zhú’ān Lù, Wǔfāng Lù, Shājiē, Jiǔfāng Lù, Nánhuánlù, Dàzhōnglù, Mínzhǔ Lù, Jiànshè Lù, Dànánlù, Xiǎonánlù, Sìfāng Lù, Guìlín Lù, Guìběilù, and Běihuánlù. 2. Dragon Mother Temple: Take Bus 3 to Government Square Station, where a shuttle bus runs directly to the temple (1.2 yuan fare), or take Bus 1.

Qilou City–Dragon Mother Temple Scenic Area