Guangzhou & Foshan Tour | Guangzhou + Chen Clan Ancestral Hall + Zhujiang New Town + Foshan + Nanfeng Ancient Kiln + Ancestral Temple Highlights 2-Day Tour (Kung Fu + Lion Dance)

Welcome to Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province. It is a hub city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and a famous trade and cultural center in South China, with a history of more than 2,200 years. Leveraging its advantages as a port city, it has blended local and foreign cultures to form a unique urban character. As the birthplace of Lingnan culture, Guangzhou has nurtured rich cultural symbols such as Cantonese, Cantonese cuisine, and Cantonese opera, demonstrating profound cultural heritage. In addition, the Guangzhou central axis, alongside the Beijing central axis, is a model of the continuity of ancient Chinese urban axes, which is also very rare in world urban history. Strolling along this central axis where ancient and modern blend, you can take in the folding of time and space from the Nanyue King's Palace ruins to the modern CBD, and touch the millennium pulse of Lingnan civilization's endless vitality. Today's itinerary begins at the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall. [Chen Clan Ancestral Hall] is the pinnacle of traditional Lingnan architecture and one of the largest, best-preserved, and most exquisitely decorated ancestral hall-style buildings in China, known as the "Pearl of Lingnan Architectural Art" and "the Crown of Baiyue Ancestral Halls." It was jointly built by the Chen clans of 72 counties in Guangdong and completed in 1893. Its layout consists of three axes, three courtyards, nine halls, and six courtyards, symmetrical along the central axis, with exquisite decoration. It integrates the essence of Lingnan's "three carvings, two sculptures, one casting, and one painting" crafts and is known as a "resplendent palace of folk decorative art," making it a great place to appreciate Chinese Lingnan architecture and ancestral hall culture. In addition, the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall also houses the Guangdong Folk Craft Museum, where you can admire traditional Guangdong craft masterpieces such as ivory carving, jade carving, wood carving, Cantonese embroidery, and Guangzhou painted porcelain. Then, you can visit Yuexiu Park like a local. [Yuexiu Park] is the largest comprehensive park in downtown Guangzhou and one of Guangzhou's landmark buildings, praised as one of the "Eight Sights of Yangcheng." It preserves a large number of historical and cultural relics: the site of the "Chaohan Terrace" of Zhao Tuo, King of Nanyue; the remains of the wooden water gate of the Nanyue King's Palace; the longest and most complete surviving Ming Dynasty city wall in Guangzhou; Zhenhai Tower; the Five Immortals Temple, the first tower of Lingnan; the stele of Sun Yat-sen's reading and administrative office; and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Monument (498 granite steps). Moreover, Yuexiu Park is shaded by green trees and has very beautiful scenery. While strolling through it, the 11-meter-high granite group sculpture in the park—the Five Rams Stone Sculpture—is not to be missed. This is Guangzhou's most iconic urban sculpture and also a symbol of Guangzhou, carrying the city's millennium legend and urban spirit. It is said that during a famine in Guangzhou, five immortals rode rams and gave rice ears, and the main ram holding rice ears in its mouth reenacts the legend of "Five Immortals Bestowing Grain," from which Guangzhou got the names "Yangcheng" and "Suicheng." Near the Five Rams Stone Sculpture, you can see the only remaining section of Guangzhou's ancient Ming Dynasty city wall, first built in the 13th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1380), with a history of more than 600 years. You can also climb to the top of the hill to visit the five-times-destroyed and five-times-rebuilt Zhenhai Tower (optional: admission 10 yuan per person), now the main hall of the Guangzhou Museum. This is Guangzhou's iconic ancient building and historical and cultural landmark, where you can take in the essence of Guangzhou's 2,200-year history and culture. After reaching the top, you can also enjoy a panoramic view of the magnificent scenery of the Pearl River and Baiyun Mountain. In addition, if you are interested, you can also visit the Sun Yat-sen Memorial complex to gain an in-depth understanding of Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary spirit, Republican-era architectural art, and modern Guangzhou history. After touring Yuexiu Park, head to the [Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, King's Tomb Exhibition Area], praised as the "Light of Lingnan Culture." The overall building was constructed on the tomb site excavated in 1983. Here, you can visit the original site of the Tomb of the Nanyue King Wen, the highest-ranking, largest, and best-preserved Han Dynasty painted stone chamber tomb in China's Lingnan region, and learn about ancient Chinese royal tomb culture. More than 1,000 precious cultural relics have been unearthed here, among which China's earliest complete "jade suit sewn with silk threads" and the "Emperor Wen's Seal" gold seal symbolizing royal power are very worth seeing. In addition, if you are interested, you can also go to the Palace Exhibition Area to visit the site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace Office, known as "the essence of Guangzhou's famous historical and cultural city." After visiting the Tomb of the Nanyue King Wen, head to [Beijing Road], praised as the "First Street of Lingnan" and the "Millennium Commercial Road." This is Guangzhou's oldest urban central axis (unchanged for 2,200 years since the Qin Dynasty) and also one of Guangzhou's most popular commercial pedestrian streets. While strolling through it, you can browse quaint and exquisite local time-honored shops and international brand stores, taste authentic Cantonese snacks (such as rice noodle rolls, claypot rice, wonton noodles, beef chow fun, Cantonese roast meats, char siu buns, etc.), and see long-standing historical and cultural relics: the foundation site of Gongbei Tower from the Song Dynasty, the brick-paved road from the Southern Han period, the wooden water gate of the Nanyue Kingdom (the world's earliest and most complete wooden gate), the Nanyue King's Palace Office (the highest-ranking palace complex in Lingnan during the Qin and Han dynasties), Dafo Temple (a Lingnan-style Buddhist temple), and the City God Temple (Ming Dynasty, the largest City God Temple in Lingnan). Afterward, follow Guangzhou's ancient central axis and stroll to Guangzhou's new central axis, taking you through time and space, from the arcade streets of the millennium commercial capital to modern landmarks in the clouds, fully enjoying the stunning scene of Guangzhou's 2,200-year folding of time and space. First, you will begin exploring [Zhujiang New Town], praised as "Guangzhou's Manhattan." This is Guangzhou's largest CBD and one of the areas with the densest concentration of supertall buildings over 300 meters in the world, gathering many skyscrapers: Guangzhou International Finance Center (IFC, about 440 meters), Chow Tai Fook Finance Centre (about 530 meters, Guangzhou's second tallest building), and the distant Canton Tower (tower body about 600 meters, Guangzhou's landmark building and China's tallest tower). Next, continue to the core landmark of Guangzhou's new central axis—[Huacheng Square]. It gathers 39 landmark buildings, including Guangzhou Library, Guangzhou Opera House, Guangdong Museum, and others, and is known as the "city's living room." You can also gaze at the towering Canton Tower in the distance, whose design is unique, with slender lines like a "small waist," very distinctive. In addition, the splendid light show at night is a highlight of Huacheng Square and not to be missed. It is worth mentioning that the Guangzhou International Light Festival held annually at Huacheng Square is very worth seeing, and it is also one of the world's three major light festivals. Finally, you can stroll along Guangzhou's mother river—the Pearl River, especially at night: the night view of Canton Tower, the light and shadow of bridges, and the lights on both banks reflected on the Pearl River surface paint a colorful Lingnan poetic painting. Optional evening activity: From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., you can take a Pearl River night cruise (about 60 minutes), immerse yourself in Guangzhou's charming night scenery, and capture the most beautiful night views. Along the way, you can not only enjoy Guangzhou's magnificent city skyline but also admire Guangzhou's landmark buildings: Canton Tower, Liede Bridge (LED light show), Haixin Bridge (the world's largest-span pedestrian bridge), and others.

This morning, you will drive 35 km from Guangzhou (about 1 hour) to Foshan. This is the hometown of international kung fu superstar Bruce Lee and also the birthplace of the Chinese martial art Wing Chun. Masters such as Ip Man and Leung Jan came from Foshan, and it is also the hometown of Chinese martial arts master Wong Fei-hung, earning it the reputation of "Hometown of Martial Arts." In addition, Foshan is also known as the "Hometown of Ceramics," "Hometown of Cantonese Opera," and "Hometown of Lion Dance," making it an excellent place to explore Lingnan culture in China. After arriving in Foshan, first visit Nanfeng Ancient Kiln, known as a "living fossil of ceramics." This is China's only still-in-use and oldest wood-fired dragon kiln, continuing from the Zhengde period of the Ming dynasty to the present. Its kiln fire, which has not gone out for more than 500 years, has been recorded in the Guinness World Records and fully preserves China's traditional wood-firing craft. The architecture of Nanfeng Ancient Kiln is very distinctive: the 34.4-meter dragon kiln was built along the mountain slope facing south, and the kiln body resembles a reclining dragon, hence the name. Here, you can immersively feel the power of traditional wood-firing techniques, discover the wonder of a 400-year-old banyan tree at the kiln tail coexisting with the high-temperature kiln body, and check in at the internet-famous spot built from thousands of piled defective pieces—the Pottery Jar Wall. In addition, one of the landmark structures of Nanfeng Ancient Kiln—the brick-red chimney together with the ancient kiln and ancient banyan—is the best place for photography and is called "the most romantic industrial love letter." Besides visiting the dragon kiln, you can also visit the Guangdong Shiwan Ceramics Museum (free admission, closed on Mondays) to gain an in-depth understanding of the profound history and culture of Foshan Shiwan ceramics in China; or stroll through the adjacent ancient streets and alleys to feel the charm of red walls, green tiles, and stone-paved roads weathered by time; or visit Shiwan Figurine Street to immersively experience Chinese ceramic art and pick up some small Shiwan ceramic souvenirs, such as ceramic fridge magnets. Optional paid activity: At Nanfeng Ancient Kiln, you can experience pottery making (0.5 hours) or paper-cutting (1 hour) and appreciate the charm of Foshan's intangible cultural heritage in China. In the afternoon, visit Foshan Ancestral Temple Museum, known as the "Palace of Eastern Folk Art." This is a must-visit place in Foshan and one of the three great ancestral temples of Lingnan. Foshan Ancestral Temple was first built during the Yuanfeng period of the Northern Song dynasty (1078–1085). The temple enshrines the Taoist Zhenwu Xuantian Shangdi (Beidi), and it is the center of folk belief in Foshan. Today, Foshan Ancestral Temple is a China National First-Class Museum centered on a complex of Ming and Qing ancient buildings, integrating Lingnan architectural art, Taoist culture, and Foshan folk culture. Here, you can admire ancient buildings such as Wanfu Stage and Lingying Shrine and appreciate the charm of Lingnan architectural art in China; visit cultural exhibition halls such as the Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall and Ip Man Hall to feel the profound Chinese martial arts culture. By the way, in some famous films, Chinese kung fu stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li have portrayed Wong Fei-hung (martial arts master), while Donnie Yen and Tony Leung have portrayed Ip Man (Wing Chun master); watch intangible cultural heritage performances such as lion dance and Cantonese opera, and fully enjoy the charming Lingnan folk customs. If you go at the right time, you can see wonderful Chinese kung fu performances and New Year blessing ceremonies. Tips for activities inside Foshan Ancestral Temple Museum 1. Lion dance performance (free outside the Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall): Performance times are daily 10:00–10:40, 14:15–14:55, and 15:30–16:10, except on rainy days. The lion dance performance is a major highlight of Foshan Ancestral Temple. It combines Chinese martial arts, dance, and drum music and is a 35–40 minute performance by professional masters and apprentices from Foshan martial arts schools or a professional dragon and lion dance troupe outside the Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall. In the minds of locals, the lion is an auspicious beast symbolizing good fortune and is one of the indispensable programs for local festivals and important events. Watching the lively lion dance performance allows you to deeply appreciate the charm of Guangdong awakening lion culture (Lingnan folk culture). In the lion dance performance, the lions come in three colors corresponding to figures from the Three Kingdoms: yellow = Liu Bei, red = Guan Yu, black = Zhang Fei. The red lion is most commonly seen at celebrations, while the black lion is mostly used in martial arts competitions. 2. Cantonese opera performance (free at Wanfu Stage): Performance times are weekends and the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, 13:30–15:30. The Cantonese opera performance is another major highlight of the Ancestral Temple. It is a treasure of Lingnan culture and a famous intangible cultural heritage of China. During festivals, you can watch Cantonese opera performances at Wanfu Stage (first built during the Shunzhi period of the Qing dynasty, the oldest stage in Lingnan, China). The existing building retains the Kangxi-period style, allowing you to immersively appreciate the traditional Chinese Cantonese opera style. In addition, Lingnan architectural features such as ceramic ridge decorations are often embedded in Cantonese opera scenes, forming a unique cultural landscape that is very worth seeing. 1. If you are interested in Chinese kung fu courses, please contact our customer service in advance to arrange them for you, because Foshan has many martial arts schools (such as Wing Chun schools). 2. If you are interested in Cantonese opera and wish to visit the Guangdong Cantonese Opera Museum (free admission, closed every Monday, opening hours 9:00–16:30), please contact our customer service in advance so that we can arrange it for you if time permits. Then, take a leisurely stroll to the nearby Lingnan Tiandi. Lingnan Tiandi was once one of the "Four Great Gatherings" commercial centers of Foshan in the Qing dynasty and is known as "Lingnan's First Street" and "Foshan's First Street." Here, you can admire 22 Lingnan cultural relics and treasures, including Cantonese arcade buildings, wok-ear walls, and ceramic tile ridges, learn about Lingnan intangible cultural heritage and wedding customs, check in at distinctive cultural creative products, and taste authentic local flavors. Finally, visit Liang Garden, known as the "First Garden of Lingnan." Liang Garden is one of the four great gardens of Lingnan and is famous for its three treasures: water scenery, rare stones, and famous calligraphy rubbings. Here, you can admire exquisite buildings in the Lingnan residential style, feel the scene of Qing dynasty literati gatherings, view calligraphy and painting works by famous masters up close, check in at famous spots such as the Twelve Stone Studio known for its twelve yellow wax stone bonsai and the uniquely shaped Fenjiang Thatched Cottage, and fully enjoy the elegance of a Chinese Qing dynasty literati garden. After the tour, this wonderful and unforgettable 2-day Guangzhou-Foshan journey will come to an end. Our driver will take you to the airport/train station. If you would like to extend this trip and explore more destinations in China, such as Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Huangshan, Harbin, Yunnan, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Tibet, Guilin, and Xinjiang, you can also contact our customer service to arrange it for you.