Dragon Mother Temple

Opening Hours: 7:30 – 17:30; 6:30 – 17:30 on the 1st and 15th days of each lunar month Ticket Price: 30 RMB Location: North of downtown Wuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on the east bank of the Guijiang River Best Visiting Seasons: Spring and Autumn Complaint Hotline: 0774-3856362

Take Bus No.3 and alight at Municipal Government Station, where shuttle buses run directly to the temple. Alternatively, take Bus No.1 or No.19 for a fare of 1.2 RMB to reach the site.

Dragon Mother Temple stands on the east bank of the Guijiang River at the northern end of Guilin Road in northern Wuzhou. First built in the early Northern Song Dynasty, it underwent reconstructions during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty and the Kangxi and Yongzheng reigns of the Qing Dynasty. It is a rare well-preserved cultural relic featuring Song-Dynasty architectural styles in Guangxi, boasting profound historical and tourism value.

Built against mountains and facing the river, the temple complex covers over 5,000 square meters, comprising an archway, front hall, middle hall, rear palace, imperial lodge, turtle pond and shopping arcade. The grand and solemn main hall is adorned with carved beams and painted rafters. A statue of Dragon Mother is enshrined in the front main hall, where countless devout men and women come to pray for blessings and protection. Incense burns nonstop all year round in the courtyard of the main hall. The hall on the right houses the statue of General Fu, while the hall on the left enshrines the Dragon Prince. A huge relief mural depicting Dragon Mother’s journey to the imperial capital hangs in the middle hall behind the main shrine. The rear palace displays the Dragon Mother’s bed and the Dragon Prince’s bed. To the right of the main hall lies the Dragon Mother Imperial Lodge, used as a reception chamber.

The second floor holds the statue of Guan Gong, God of War. On the left sits a clear water pond containing a giant stone turtle symbolizing ten-thousand-year longevity, carrying a large stone stele titled "Prefectural Official Roll of Honor" on its back. Visitors toss coins onto the stone turtle to pray for good fortune. A massive relief mural "Five Dragons Spouting Water" is carved on the mountain wall behind the turtle pond.

The 8th day of the fifth lunar month (Dragon Mother’s Birthday) and the 15th day of the eighth lunar month (the day she attained immortality) are the liveliest occasions at the temple. Tour groups with up to one thousand visitors travel here from Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao and overseas Chinese communities to celebrate her birthday. The temple is decked with lanterns, filled with festive cheer, and thronged with crowds both inside and outside the compound. On these two special dates, the temple stays open all night. Pilgrims and tourists flock to pay homage, burn incense, touch the Dragon Mother’s bed, look into her bronze mirror, comb hair with her wooden comb, wash with sacred spring water, sip Dragon Mother herbal tea and toss coins to the longevity turtle. The temple bustles with activity, drawing many foreign visitors as well.