Cantonese culture and food tour in Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the capital and the sub-provincial city of Guangdong Province in the southern part of the People's Republic of China. The city is also known by an older English-language name, Canton. It is a port on the Pearl River, navigable to the South China Sea, and is located about 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Hong Kong. As of the 2000 census, the city has a population of 6 million, and a metropolitan population of roughly 8.5 million (though some estimates are as high as 12.6 million) making it the most populous city in the province and the third most populous metropolitan area in mainland China.

Hualin Temple, also known as the Temple of the Five Hundred Genii or Gods, is a Buddhist temple in Guangzhou, China.The Xilai Monastery was established in Panyu (now Guangzhou) by Emperor Wu of the Liang in the ad 520s. It is traditionally credited to the Buddhist missionary Bodhidharma, but he may have arrived in China as early as the Liu Song. The name was changed to the Hualin Temple by the Zen master Zongfu during his rehabilitation of its grounds in 1655. There used to be a Gilded Ashoka Pagoda and 500 arhats statues but some of them were destroyed afterwards.

Typical South China water town providing great enjoyment of architecture, cuisine and native activities. Lychee Bay was built to be a summer resort in the early 206 AD (Han Dynasty), and gradually be well-known in South China areas. It’s a perfect combination of nature and artificial. In Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it was ranked as one of the eight most famous scenic spots of Guangzhou. Although it changed a lot under the influences of human or nature, the spirit or traces formed in Lychee Bay’s hundreds of years’ historic accumulation never faded away.

As the ancient town of Guangzhou, Xiguan is located in Liwan district with its north to Xicun, south to Pearl River, east to Renmin Road and west to Xiaobei River. Now it has become a place for people to memorize the history of Guangzhou. Xiguan preserves lots of traditional architectures of ancient styles. Xiguan Mansion is one of the representations. There is also a patio and garden inside. Hardwood furniture, carved wooden ornaments, stained glass Manchuia windows, and many other Cantonese features come together to create an old Guangzhou style house. In the past, only the well-to-do families of businessmen or officials could live in these grand and magnificent places. In spite of the residence, another attraction in Xiguan for tourists is the traditional food in this area. The most authentic Cantonese food and snacks can be found in Xiguan.