Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [196]
GUANGZHOU
The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees (Liùróng Sì; 87-89 Liurong Lu; admission Y15; 8am-5pm; 56) was built in AD 537 to enshrine Buddhist relics brought over from India. Located about 400m west is the Temple of Bright, Filial and Piety (Guāngxiào Chánsì; 109 Jinghui Lu; admission Y5; 6am-5pm; Xīmén Kǒu metro), the oldest temple in Guangzhou, dating back to the 4th century. Many prominent monks came to teach here, including Bodhidarma, the founder of Zen Buddhism.
The Mosque Dedicated to the Prophet (Huáishèng Sì; 020-8333 3593; 56 Guangta Lu; Xīmén Kǒu metro) dates from the Qing dynasty, but the original building on the site is thought to have been established in AD 627 by Abu Waqas, one of the Prophet Mohammed’s uncles, making it the first of its kind in China.
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Shíshì Jiàotáng; Yide Xilu; Hǎizhū Guǎngchǎng metro) is an impressive twin-spired Roman Catholic cathedral built between 1863 and 1888. It was designed by a French architect in the neo-Gothic style and built entirely of granite.
To the southwest of the city is the leafy oasis of Shamian Island (Shāmiàn Dǎo; Huángshā metro). It was acquired as a foreign concession in 1859 after the two Opium Wars and is now a peaceful respite from the city. Shamian Dajie, the main boulevard, is a gentle stretch of gardens, trees, and old men playing Chinese checkers. The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes (Tiānzhǔjiào Lùdé Shèngmǔ Táng; Shamian Dajie; 8am-6pm), built by the French in 1892, is on the eastern end of the thoroughfare. Travellers recommend Shamian Traditional Chinese Medical Centre (Shāmiàn Guóyīguǎn; 020-8121 8383; 85-87 Shamian Beijie; 11am-2am), at the western end of the island, for its massage (Y68 per hour).
For buffs of modern Chinese history, Guangzhou has several significant ‘revolutionary sights’. The recently restored Memor-ial Museum of Generalissimo Sun Yat-sen’s Mansion (Sūnzhōngshān Dàyuánshuàifǔ Jìniànguǎn; 020-8900 2276; www.dyshf.com; 18 Dongsha Jie Fangzhi Lu, Haizhu District; adult/student Y10/5; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun), on the other side of the river, was where Sun Yat-sen lived when he established governments in Guangzhou in 1917 and 1923.
This beautiful complex consists of two Victorian-style buildings exhibiting the history of Guangzhou during the revolutionary era and Sun’s office and living room. A taxi from Shamian Island is around Y20. Or take bus 182 on Zhongshan Wulu and get off after five stops. Change to bus 24 and then get off on Jiangbin Lu.
Much more interesting is Whampoa Military Academy (Huángpǔ Jūnxiào; 020-8820 3564; admission free; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun) on Changzhou Island (Chángzhōu Dǎo; ). Established in 1924 by Kuomintang, the academy trained a number of military elites for both Kuomintang and the Communist Party, who went on to fight in many subsequent conflicts and civil wars. The present structure houses a museum dedicated to the revolutionary history of modern China. Take metro line 2 to Chìgǎng station, then exit C1. Then board bus 262 on Xingang Zhonglu to Xīnzhōu Pier (; Xīnzhōu Mǎtou). Ferries (Y1.50) to the academy depart every 40 minutes past the hour from between 6.40am and 8.40pm.
The communists had a stronghold here once. The Peasant Movement Institute (Nóngmín Yùndòng Jiǎngxísuǒ; 020-8333 3936; 42 Zhongshan Silu; admission free; 9am-4.30pm Tue-Sun; Nóngjiǎng Suǒ metro) was established in 1924 by the Communist Party. Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai both taught here, before the school closed in 1926. You can see Mao Zedong’s recreated personal quarters.
East of the institute, on Zhongshan Sanlu, is the Memorial Garden to the Martyrs (Lièshì Língyuán; admission Y3; 8am-7pm), dedicated to those killed on 13 December 1927 under the orders of Chiang Kaishek. The massacre occurred when a small group of workers, led by the Commun-ist Party, were gunned down by Kuomintang forces; over 5000 lives were lost.
Art lovers may find Guangzhou disappointing, but the Guangzhou Museum of Art (Guǎngzhōu Yìshù Bówùguǎn; 020-8365 9337; 3 Luhu Lu; admission Y20; 9am-5pm Tue-Fri,