Foshan
The heavy-industry town of the Ming-Qing era — a dense cluster of private iron-smelting, casting, and textile workshops, the most famous civilian industrial antenna of medieval China powering ironware exports to Southeast Asia.
A red, tiered gateway stands between grey brick walls with a small pavilion visible behind it, a stone balustrade and water in front, and a leafy branch at right.
Civic Building1
- Foshan Ancestral Temple & Wanfu Stage
A showcase of Lingnan carving and sculpture, the temple holds one of the oldest timber opera stages in South China and a hall honoring martial arts masters.
Gate & Wall1
- Foshan Donghuali Historic District
Donghuali is one of China's most complete Qing districts of official and merchant mansions, where wok-ear gabled houses meet water lanes and bluestone paths.
Gardens1
- Foshan Liangyuan Garden
Created by Liang family uncles and nephews in the Qing, this water-town garden is famed for its streams, unusual rocks, calligraphy rubbings and carved wooden screens.
Infrastructure1
- Shiwan Ancient Nanfeng Kiln in Foshan
Fired since the Zhengde reign of the Ming with flames that have never gone out in over five centuries, this kiln is a living antique of Chinese ceramics.
Ming3
- Foshan Ancestral Temple Rebuilt in 13721372 CE
After its destruction at the end of the Yuan, Foshan Ancestral Temple was rebuilt in 1372 and later expanded into a major Lingnan historic complex.
- Nanfeng Ancient Kiln Begins Firing1506–1521 CE
Built during the Ming Zhengde era, Shiwan's Nanfeng Ancient Kiln has continued as a wood-fired dragon kiln for more than five centuries.
- Foshan Ironmaking and Ceramics FlourishMing–Qing period
Ming–Qing Foshan became a major manufacturing center as ironmaking and Shiwan ceramics expanded into regional and overseas markets.
Food3
- Cantonese Roast Goose (Siu Ngo)Cantonese Cuisine
Roast goose is a Cantonese roast meat, seasoned, dried and roasted until the skin is crisp and glossy, with Shenjing, Gujing and Shunde each telling its own story.
- Shuang pi nai (double-skin milk pudding)Sweet Soups
Double-skin milk pudding is a Shunde milk dessert: the milk under the skin is mixed with egg white, steamed, and chilled to grow another skin.
- Jian dui (Cantonese fried sesame balls)Pastries
Jian dui is a Cantonese New Year fried glutinous rice ball, coated in sesame and often filled with lotus or red bean paste.