Yuexing Dragon Mother Ancestral Temple

　　The Dragon Mother, surnamed Wen, was a person from the Qin Dynasty. Since childhood, she could foresee fortune and misfortune and was known for her kindness and willingness to help others, earning her the title of “Goddess.” Legend has it that one day, while washing clothes by the Xijiang River, Lady Wen accidentally found a large egg, which hatched into five small creatures that helped her catch fish. As they grew, the five creatures transformed into five real dragons, each with impressive horns and scales. Lady Wen asked them to control the clouds and rain to protect the land and its people. People began to call her the Dragon Mother. Later, when the Dragon Mother passed away, the five dragons were heartbroken. They transformed into five scholars, buried the Dragon Mother under Zhushan Mountain on the north bank, and mourned her deeply. Moved by their filial piety, later generations built a temple there, initially named “Filial Piety Temple,” and later renamed “Dragon Mother Ancestral Temple.”

　　The Dragon Mother Ancestral Temple was first built during the Qin and Han Dynasties and was granted imperial recognition and renovated in successive dynasties. The existing temple was rebuilt in the late years of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty. It is constructed of brick, wood, and stone, and features a stone stairway pier, stone memorial archway, mountain gate, incense pavilion, main hall, two side halls, dressing tower, traveling palace, and the tomb of the Dragon Mother. The most commendable aspect of the Dragon Mother Ancestral Temple is its exquisite architectural art — intricate carvings, shiny tiles, flying eaves, upturned roof corners, and stone pillars are all exquisitely crafted, presenting an exceptionally harmonious overall aesthetic. The architectural design emphasizes symmetry, with the central axis clearly defined. The layout is rigorous, featuring interlocking courtyards and layers upon layers of depth, all set against the backdrop of lush green mountains. Some beams and brackets are decorated with gilded carvings, displaying brilliant craftsmanship. This ancient structure fully embodies the ingenuity of traditional Chinese architecture.

　　The Dragon Mother Ancestral Temple was completed after seven years of work by master craftsmen from both Guangdong and Guangxi. Together with the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall in Guangzhou and the Foshan Ancestral Temple, it is hailed as one of the Three Treasures of Lingnan Architecture. Every year on the eighth day of the fifth lunar month, the “Dragon Mother’s Birthday” attracts tens of thousands of visitors from home and abroad who come to offer incense and pay homage. The incense burning here never ceases year-round, making it a sacred site where descendants of the Dragon in Guangdong worship the Mother of the Dragon. In 2001, the Yuexing Dragon Mother Ancestral Temple, as a Qing Dynasty ancient building, was included in the fifth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level by the State Council.