Nansha Tianhou Palace

The Nansha Tianhou Palace, also known as the "Mazu Temple", is located at No. 88 Tianhou Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. It sits at the southeast foot of Dajiao Mountain, at the heart of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and faces the Lingdingyang of the Pearl River Estuary, covering an area of 180,000 square meters. The predecessor of the Guangzhou Nansha Tianhou Palace was the ancient Tianfei Temple built in Lukeng Village during the Ming Dynasty. It was renamed Yuanjun Ancient Temple after renovation during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. It was destroyed by Japanese warplanes during the war of resistance and was rebuilt in 1994. The Guangzhou Nansha Tianhou Palace was built to commemorate the sea goddess Lin Mo. It is a scenic area themed on Mazu culture and serves as the Mazu cultural exchange center of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It is also the largest Mazu temple in Southeast Asia. The architectural layout of the Guangzhou Nansha Tianhou Palace adopts a symmetrical Qing-style structure, built in harmony with the mountain's terrain, featuring a blend of the style of the Forbidden City in Beijing and the grandeur of the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, making it the largest of its kind in the world today. The Guangzhou Nansha Tianhou Palace consists of three parts: the plaza, the palace, and the Nanling Tower. The "Eight Scenic Spots of Tianhou" include: Binhai Silver Beach facing the sun, Colorful Spirit Path, Mazu's Spiritual Hairpin, "Nansha People" site, Linggong Bestowing Blessings, Nanling Sunset, Anti-War Divine Cannon, and the Home of Silent Mother.