JANVI TOURS

One of the oldest and most famous historic sites in Guangzhou, the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees (Liurong Temple) was originally built in 537 AD to serve as a shrine for Buddhist relics from India. The temple grounds suffered from a series of fires during its first few hundred years, it has been rebuilt several times, but most of the structures standing today date back to the eleventh century, and the name has also been changed several times from Changshou Temple (meaning Longevity Temple) to Jinghui Temple and finally the current name.

Julong Village, tucked away deep in an alley, was home to wealthy merchants of the Kuang clan from 1875 to 1908, the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. More than 10 years ago, the village was listed as a city-level cultural heritage site. Two years ago, the renovation project kicked off. By now, the 19 ancient mansions with unique doors and Manchurian-style windows have all been restored to their former glory; the ancient village has received a facelift, exuding homely elegance. The government will also allot RMB15 million to replace the structures around the village with landscaped sights.

When people talk about Xiguan, the most attractive road is Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street. This shopping street is the heart and soul of this city. Like Wangfujing in Beijing, Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street is the most influential and prosperous pedestrian in Guangzhou.

Qing Ping Market started its journey in 1979 and since then, many stalls exist on both sides of its ancient, constricted alleyways. The true charm of the market exists in these alleys where more than 60,000 people do business daily. So, if you want to experience the true Cantonese spirit, you should surely visit these alleys, which offer a wide variety of articles to suit every taste and budget.