Situated at the north end of Guangxiao Road, Bright Filial Piety Temple (Guangxiaosi) is among the grandest and most influential temples in China with a history dating back more than 1,700 years. In fact, it is said that 'The Bright Filial Piety Temple existed before the birth of Guangzhou City'. In 1961, it was designated by the State Council as a Key National Cultural Preservation Site.

Initially built during the Western Han Dynasty (207 BC - 24 AD) as a private house, it was used as a lecture hall before being dedicated completely to the function of a Zen Buddhist Temple during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279). The many noted monks and sutra-translators who have resided there have contributed greatly to the spread of Buddhist culture. The pride of the temple is Hui Neng, the famous sixth master of Zen Buddhism, who had his hair cut and was initiated into monkhood there.

The architecture of the temple and cultural relics provide insight into the history of Chinese Buddhism, culture, and architecture as well as the local history of Guangdong Province. The main complex consists of Mahavira Hall, Sixth Ancestor Hall (Liuzudian), Samgharama Hall, Heavenly King Hall (Tianwangdian), the East and West Iron Towers, and the Mahakaruna Dharani Sutra Pillar.

The Mahavira Hall was built in 401 during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420) with additions made during succeeding dynasties. Today it is 35.36 meters (116 feet) long by 24.8 meters (81.36 feet) wide by 13.6 meters (44.62 meters) high. Situated on a high platform, the stately building, which is considered the most magnificent in South China, is guarded by the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Inside are three fine statues of Buddha. Travelers to other parts of South China will note that many other temples in the area have imitated the architectural style of Mahavira Hall.

The Sixth Ancestor Hall, located behind Samgharama Hall, was established during the Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127) in honor of Master Hui Neng, a larger-than-life statue of whom is found inside. Behind this hall grows a bodhi tree, which symbolizes the Buddhist ideal of wisdom. In 676, the abbot of the temple buried Hui Neng's cut hair under the tree. Today the seven-story (7.8 meters [25 feet]) octagonal Yifa Pagoda stands as a memorial to him. Each level houses eight shrines.

The East and West Iron Towers are the oldest iron towers in China. The West Iron Tower, the older of the two, was erected in 963; the East Tower was built four years later in 967. The four upper floors of the West Tower failed to survive the collapse of the house. The East Tower, which remains intact, is seven stories tall. About 1,000 shrines, each housing a small, exquisite statue of Buddha, are carved into the exterior of the tower. It is said that at the time of its completion, the exterior of the tower was gilded.

In addition to these structures, other beautiful buildings and relics can be seen on the Temple grounds. The Heavenly King Hall boasts the 380-year old Helin Stele, which was inscribed during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).The Spring of Washing Bowl was dug in 527 to provide clear spring water in which Bodhidhamma, the initiator of Chinese Zen Buddhism, could wash his bowl. And the unique mushroom-shaped dharani pillar, which was made of bluestone in 826, is engraved on all eight sides with the words of the Mahakaruna Dharani Sutra.

Baomo Garden is located in Zini Village, Panyu District of Guangzhou. More than just a garden, it covers an area of about 100,000 square meters (about 25 acres) and is a complex of encompassing culture, south China traditional architecture and south China garden arts.

History
Baomo Garden was built in the late Qing Dynasty as an extension of the Temple of Lord Bao located to the east of the Garden.  The Temple itself was built during the reign of Emperor Jiaqing of Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911 AD), to praise Lord Bao Zheng of the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279 AD) and his qualities of incorruptibility and justice. The original garden was destroyed in the 1950s. Reconstruction work began in 1955 and lasted for eight years. Large and elegant, the rebuilt garden is a good example of south China gardens.

Major Attractions
Baomo Garden can be divided into many scenic areas and sites. At its front gate is a grand and exquisite white stone archway. Inside the garden, pottery sculptures, porcelain sculptures, brick sculptures, stone carvings, and wood carvings can be seen everywhere. The most amazing piece is the porcelain inverse relief “Qingming Festival by the Riverside”, which has been added to the Guinness Book of World Records. Another example of this type of work is the huge brick carving, Wall of Flowers and Birds. The bronze statue of Confucius is exhibited in the Treasure Pavilion on Litchi Island for visitors to worship.

In addition to the above mentioned attractions and art works, there are many other famous scenic spots inside the garden.

Zhiben Hall was originally Lord Bao’s Hall. In its lobby, hangs a Chinese painting of a Lotus, symbolizing the upright and holy spirits of Lord Bao. Behind the hall, there is a granite plaque inscribed with the characters of “Baomo Garden”, which is the only relic of the garden.

In the lobby of Baomo Hall is a portrait of Lord Bao, painted by the famous Chinese painter, Han Yunlang. The two elms in front of the hall are nearly 100 years old. As they are tall and vigorous, and standing right in front of Lord Bao’s portrait like guards, people call them “General Trees”. On the roof bridge is a group of pottery sculptures telling the story of Lord Bao throwing ink stone into the river.

Longtu Hall is built in a traditional south China architecture style. It boasts delicate and elegant brick carvings, wood carvings, and clay sculptures, etc. Upon entering, visitors see a giant rosewood screen, 3.5 meters by 4.5 meters (about 11.5 feet by 14.8 feet). This screen took 16 artists about 18 months to complete. In front of it is the statue of Lord Bao that portrays his commitment to standing on principles.

Zhao Tailai Collection Hall is built in the late Qing Dynasty temple style of the Pearl River Delta. Mr. Zhao is the permanent honorary director of Baomo Garden. His donations to this garden, including bronze Kwan-yin, horse, burner, and 41 large Tibet Thangkas are housed here.

Qianxiang Corridor, about 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) long, winds up and down following the terrain and layout of the surrounding architecture. It not only provides protection from the rain and sun, but also is a nice place for sightseeing and resting.

The garden has a lot of wonderful water features. Litchi Scenery Bay, Qingping Lake, Baomo Lake and a 1000-meter-long river are interconnected. They are glassy like mirrors and run all the time. Over 30 bridges cross these waters for visitors’ convenience. The most famous is the Purple Ribbon Bridge over Qingping Lake. It is a traditional 9-arch stone bridge carved with famous Chinese stories like “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms (220 - 280 AD)” and “The Romance of the Sui (581 - 618 AD) and Tang Dynasties (618 - 907 AD)”. Another attractive water scene over Qingping Lake is Zidong Boat. The two-storey boat is 21 meters (69 feet) long, 6.8 meters (22 feet) wide and 8.7 meters (29 feet) high, constructed of reinforced concrete and decorated with teak. The wood carvings and wood furniture on the boat are very beautiful. On its first storey, visitors can drink tea and enjoy Cantonese music and operas.

Another great thing about Baomo Garden is its plants and flowers, which make the garden beautiful all year round. The best places to enjoy these plants include Rose Yard, Lotus Pond, Orchid Garden, and Purple Bamboo Woods.

From ancient times, White Cloud Mountain has been one of the most famous spots of natural beauty in Guangzhou, and it's still known as the First Spectacular Scene of the city. Every time the sun shines after the rain, and through late spring, a wreath of airy clouds circles the mountains. This is how White Cloud Mountain has won its name, and its reputation as a marvelous spectacle of nature. The fierce differentiation of rocks, and the different ways in which erosion has affected them, has caused it a crisscross network of gullies. So its relative height is now about 100 meters (109 yards). The quiet and secluded environment of the valley has made it a haven of peace from the big city.

People always describe the natural beauty of Guangzhou as being composed of white cloud and pearl sea, the white cloud referring to the mountain, located about 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of the city. The total area of White Cloud Mountain is about 28 square kilometers (10 square miles), consisting of 30 peaks. Moxing Ridge (Star-Scraping Ridge), known as 'the first peak under the southern sky', is about 382 meters (417 yards) high. You can stand on the summit and look over the whole city and the beautiful Pearl River, the most famous river in Guangzhou.

This area is an ideal place for people to relax. It has six areas that are popular with visitors, Bright Pearl Building Park, the San tailing Summit Park, the Bird Spring Valley Park (Mingchun Valley), the Santailing Park, the Luhu Park and the Fei'eling Park. Yuntai Garden, a bright pearl in the crown of White Cloud Mountain, is located in Santailing Park. Yuntai Garden is an enormous garden filled with all kinds of blooms and trees, which make Guangzhou, City of Flowers, worthy of the name. The Sculpture Park is located in Fei'eling, and covers an area of 46 hectares (113 acres). It was built according to the fashion of the times, which was to use modern languages in sculpture. You will also find the biggest natural birdcage in China, perfect for enjoying all kinds of birds; Bird Spring Valley Park. Here you can stroll idly by the river and mountains, and mingle with the birds. Luhu Park is famous for Jinye Pond. The lake is so clear that the beautiful sights surrounding the lake are perfectly reflected in the water, like a brilliantly drawn picture.

Due to the recent rapid development of the city, the mountain is mostly surrounded by urban developments. A major beauty spot in a modern city with a population of 8,000,000 is really a most unusual occurrence. It is fairly known as a return to nature from the big city.