Shaoguan Travel Guide

Nanhua Temple in Qujiang, Shaoguan, enshrines the true statue of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng and is one of the most important sacred sites of Chan Buddhism. The "Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch" was written here, and the tradition of "sudden enlightenment" spread from here to the entire country and East Asia.

Highlights

Nanhua Temple

The true statue of the Sixth Patriarch, a Tang dynasty thousand-Buddha kasaya, and Emperor Wu Zetian's imperial decree are all here. Ancient trees tower inside the temple.

Yunmen Temple

Located in Ruyuan County, it is the ancestral temple of the Yunmen school, where the tradition of balancing farming and Chan practice still continues.

Danxia Mountain

A World Natural Heritage site, featuring red sandstone peak forests, can be considered along the same line as Chan Buddhism.

Meiguan Ancient Road

At the border of Guangdong and Jiangxi, the main passage for ancient Central China entering Guangdong.

Recommended Stay and Itinerary

• Recommended stay: 1-2 days.
• Half a day at Nanhua Temple, half a day to a day at Yunmen Temple or Danxia Mountain.
• It is more efficient to connect this with other cities of the same theme; see "Extended Itineraries" below for reference.

Best Season

October to April; hot and rainy in summer.

How to Get There and Intercity Transportation

High-speed train from Guangzhou to Shaoguan takes about 1 hour; Nanhua Temple is about 25 minutes by car from the city center.

Local Cuisine

Shaoguan braised pork, cold-water pig stomach, stir-fried wild snails, Hakka stuffed tofu.

Local Tips

• The true statue is inside the main hall; please keep quiet inside and do not take photos of the statue. Vegetarian meals are available in the temple.

Province

This entry belongs to Guangdong (2 ready-made itineraries). You can compare all routes in the province on the province page.