Introducing Temple of the Five Immortals, Temple of the Five Immortals Guide.
Article from Guangzhou Municipal Commission of Tourism
The Temple of the Five Immortals is a temple of the Man of Crops enshrining the five immortals. Legend has it that during Emperor Yiwang's reign in Zhou Dynasty, five immortals came riding into Guangzhou on five colored rams with earheads in their mouths to bring bumper harvest to its citizens. They granted the earheads to the Cantonese people, and wished no-famine in Guangzhou. The five rams then became stone statues when the five immortals flew away. Thus Guangzhou got its two early nicknames of "Ram City" and "City of Rice Ears". In order to memorize the five immortals, local people built the Temple of the Five Immortals, to enshrine and worship in it the statue of the five immortals riding their rams.
According to historical records, the Temple of the Five Immortals has gone through through several removals in its lifetime. Temple of the Five Immortals was located originally at Shixian Fang (now the neighborhood of Provincial Finance Bureau) in the Song Dynasty, then by the Ancient West Lake (now the neighborhood of Jiaoyu Lu) during the late Nansong Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty, and as at present located to its current premises in 1337, the 10th year of Emperor Hongwu's reign in the Ming Dynasty. Temple of the Five Immortals is a well-preserved wooden architecture of Ming Dynasty.
The Temple of the Five Immortals now preserves 14 inscriptions on tablets and one pair of stone kylins of the Song-Qing Dynasty. On the east side of the rear hall (now Huifu Xilu 2nd Elementary School), there is a footprint recess on the protogene red sandstone with a stone plaque inscribing "Immortal's Big Toe Print". This was the erosion mark by the Pearl River flood in ancient times, which is said to have been footprints by immortals in folklore. In Jin Dynasty, Temple of the Five Immortals was called "Poshan Ferry". The Temple of the Five Immortals was enlisted as one of eight scenic spots of Guangzhou in the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1616-1911) in the consecutive names of "Rice-ear Alcove" and "Five Immortals' Abode".
Quick Facts on Temple of the Five Immortals
• Name: Temple of the Five Immortals
• Location: Downtown Guangzhou
• Phone: +86-20-81078200
• Dates: Ming Dynasty(1368-1644)
• Best Time to Visit: April to December
• Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 Hours
• Opening Hours: 09:00 to 17:00
• Admission Fee: Free