Baishe Dragon Mother Temple

　　(Dragon Mother of White Sand) Temple. The temple was originally built during the Xianchun era (1265–1274) of the Southern Song Dynasty and has been renovated in subsequent dynasties. Among the many Dragon Mother temples, it is the largest in scale and the only one bestowed with an imperial title. Currently, only the memorial archway, Dragon Mother Pavilion, and part of the main hall remain. Two of Zhaoqing’s Eight Scenic Spots — “Turtle Peak Shade” and “White Sand Moonlit Night” — are not far from the temple. The Dragon Mother Pavilion covers a construction area of 28 square meters, featuring a blue-glazed tile hip-and-gable roof. Its pillars are inscribed with the couplet: “Imperial calligraphy bestows grace from the high court; the mother’s virtue benefits all under heaven.” Only the eastern wing of the main hall remains, covering an area of 56 square meters. The temple was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Zhaoqing City in 1984.

　　Architectural Layout

　　　　Baishe Dragon Mother Temple faces south and is built on a north-south axis. The entire complex is constructed with brick and wood, following the imperial architectural style of “supreme nobility under heaven.” The main hall, rear hall, Five Dragon Sons Hall, and Seven Sisters Hall together form nine bays, aligned along the central axis. The stone memorial archway at the main entrance consists of five bays. Entering through the stone archway, to the sides of the pathway, there is the Dragon Mother Pavilion to the east and a stage to the west, leading directly to the mountain gate. Inside is the worship hall, with side rooms on both sides. Further ahead are the main hall and the rear hall of the Dragon Mother. Each side of the main hall has a Qingyun Lane (Green Cloud Alley), with east and west auxiliary halls, temple quarters, and a reception room located on the outer side of the lanes. Surrounding the buildings are spacious and serene courtyards and gardens, with ancient, towering trees, birdsong, fragrant blossoms, drifting incense, and a tranquil atmosphere.

　　Guangyin Archway

　　　　The best-preserved structure of Baishe Dragon Mother Temple is the "Guangyin Archway," a rare stone memorial archway from the Qing Dynasty. The Guangyin Archway stands on a 500-millimeter-high, exquisitely carved granite Sumeru pedestal, with a width of 17 meters and a height of 6.5 meters (the full width of the temple is 33.33 meters), roughly half the width of the temple. It features six pillars and is entirely made of exquisitely carved granite, forming a towering stone archway. At the top is a plaque inscribed with bold, powerful Song-style characters reading “Imperial Edict” on both front and back. The lower beam plaque is engraved with the dignified and solemn words “Granted Guangyin,” and on the back are the eight imperial titles bestowed by emperors throughout history. The sides are adorned with figures and floral motifs. The left and right beam plaques feature elegant carvings depicting a jade dragon playing in water and a majestic lion descending the mountain. The slightly narrower beam plaques also bear bold inscriptions of “Eternal Relief” and “Filial Piety,” accompanied by floral designs. The pillars are engraved with steady regular-script couplets and historical inscriptions.