Dr. Mark Nan Tu

Mother Buddha Statue

From the top of the hill, one can see the FoShan city line

The temple at the XiQiao Mountain

Located at the east side of GuangZhou, FoShan is very continent for GuangZhou visitors. I visited FoShan during the weekend. I enjoyed the two of the most famous attractions: XiQiao Mountain and The Temple of the Ancestors (ZuMiao) Temple. I also had fantastic the local cuisines.

XiQiao Mountain:
With its graceful peaks, caves, waterfalls, and springs, XiQiao Mountain is one of the four famous mountains in Guangdong Province. The major attractions include the giant Mother Buddha (GuanYin) statue. The Mother Buddha Statue is positioned at the peak of Daxian Hill at 290 meters above sea level. The statue, which is in a sitting posture, measures a 61.9-meter-high. It is made from copper. Beneath the Buddha is a lotus seat, which is 36-meters wide, 14.9-meters high and features 66 petals in three layers. From the top of the hill, one can see the FoShan city line in the horizon. However, the city is covered with a layer of haze, possibly polluted by the traffics and the industry smokes.

ZuMiao:
The Temple of the Ancestors (Foshan ZuMiao) is located inside the city. It dates originally from the second half of the 11th C, and was restored in 1372 following a fire. It is dedicated to the God of the North, Ruler of the Waters. Although the Chinese name ”ZuMiao” means ”Temple of the Ancestors”, this simply indicates that it is the oldest temple in town, “the ancestor of temples”. The rich ceiling decoration with many figures is its most interesting feature.

Local cuisines
Guangdong cuisine is well known in China and around the world. The food is mostly steamed which local people believe to preserve the nutrition most. I had the steamed chicken soap, some dim sum and steamed rise noodle with beef. Because of the proximity of Hunan and Guangdong province, there are many Hunan restaurants in Guangdong province. I also had a Hunan style dinner. It was one of the best prepared Hunan dinners that I have ever had for many years. I lived in Changsha, Hunan province during all my childhood. These dishes brought back my found memories.

Getting to FoShan is surprisingly easy. #1 subway connects to Kenkou which is on the suburb of both GuangZhou and FoShan. From Kenkou exit, there are many