Temple
Foshan Ancestral Temple
A magnificent Ming dynasty complex dedicated to the Northern Emperor, featuring exquisite ceramic sculptures, wood carvings, and a martial arts hall.
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
¥20
Foshan history stretches back over five millennia. Archaeological finds at Xiqiao Mountain show that pottery was being fired here as early as the Neolithic period. During the Tang dynasty (618-907), Foshan became a major ceramics center, supplying kilns across China and along maritime trade routes. By the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Foshan was recognized as one of the Four Great Towns of China, alongside Hankou, Jingdezhen, and Zhuxian, known for its iron casting, ceramics, and textile industries.
In the Qing dynasty, Foshan continued to grow as a commercial and craft hub. It was also the birthplace of two figures who would shape global martial arts culture: Huang Feihong (1847-1925), a folk hero and master of Hung Gar kung fu, and Bruce Lee (1940-1973), whose ancestral home is in Shunde. Since the Reform and Opening Up in 1978, Foshan has emerged as a manufacturing powerhouse, leveraging its location in the Pearl River Delta to become a global center for home appliances, furniture, and ceramics.
