Xishan Temple is also named as Guandi Temple. It is located at the east foot of Fengshan Mountain, Shunde District, Foshan. Xishan Temple is built in accordance with the mountain terrain. It now covers an area of 4,800 square meters, with a construction area of 3,700 square meters. The ancient temple is surrounded by deep forests peacefully.
History of Xishan Temple
Xishan Temple was built around 1541 during Ming Dynasty. It has undergone several construction and renovation in successive dynasties later. Its layout becomes more and more perfect and exquisite.
In recent years, Xishan Temple was rebuilt by the government in 1985. Since open in 1987, the the Xishan Temple with rich historical relics has attracted a large number of tourists from home and abroad. It has become a famous cultural tourism scenic spot in Foshan. In 1991, it was regarded as the Provincial Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit.
Today’s Xishan Temple preserves the patterns of the late Qing Dynasty. Over the past 400 years, countless skillful craftsmen had left gorgeous architectural decorations here, making it a splendid and attractive temple in China.
Features of Xishan Temple
The Xishan Temple faces to the northeast, which is elegant and majestic. The courtyard style architectural complex has the magnificent mountain gate, front hall, main hall, partial hall, courtyard, incense pavilion and porch. There are many brick carvings, stone sculptures, murals and painted pottery statues inside.
The main hall’s roof is covered with green glazed tiles, with the wood carvings of flowers, plants, characters and folk legends. The columns in the temple are mostly square mainly built by wood and stone. Inside the hall, there is a two-meter-high bronze statue of Guan Yu. It can date back to the early Qing Dynasty. On the right, there is the statue of Zhou Cang while on the left a statue of Guan Ping stands. The statues have different but vivid expressions.
On the right part of the Xishan Temple was the ancient Sanyuan Palace, which is now an exhibition hall of the cultural relics.