Temple of the Five Immortals (Wuxian Guan)

According to legend, Guangzhou was founded when five immortal beings, three men and two women, descended upon the city during the reign of King Yi in the Zhou Dynasty. The five celestial beings rode on top of rams and brought with them rice and the valuable knowledge of cultivation to help the people of the area avoid famine. The immortals then ascended back into the heavens, leaving behind the five celestial rams to protect the city.

In honor of the five immortals, the people of Guangzhou built the Temple of the Five Immortals (Wuxian Guan) in 1377 at the location of a footprint left behind by one of the beings. The Ming-style Taoist temple features a main hall just west of small pond in the shape of a foot.

Within the temple sits a large stone sculpture of the five immortals on their celestial rams (Five-Ram sculpture) and it is home to a huge bell tower dating back to the Ming Dynasty. The massive bronze bell can be heard through much of the city each time it rings.