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Foshan packs more history per square kilometre than almost any city in Guangdong. It is the birthplace of Cantonese opera, the home of kung fu legends Wong Fei-hung and Ip Man, and the source of the region’s finest ceramics. Most sights sit in the compact Chancheng old town or a short metro ride away in Nanhai and Shunde. For help timing your trip, see our best time to visit Foshan guide, and start with our full Foshan destination guide.
Things to Do in Foshan: Historic Chancheng and Temples
Foshan Ancestral Temple (Zumiao)
The Ancestral Temple, or Zumiao, is Foshan’s most important landmark, founded around 1080 and rebuilt in 1372. The Taoist temple is dedicated to the Northern Emperor (Beidi) and is famous for its intricate ceramic ridge figures on the roof, made in the nearby Shiwan kilns. Inside you will also find the Ip Man Tong hall and the Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall, plus twice-daily kung fu and lion dance performances. It is at Zumiao metro station, open 8:30 to 18:00, with entry at 20 CNY.
Nanfeng Ancient Kiln
The Nanfeng Ancient Kiln in Shiwan has been firing ceramics for more than 500 years and is still in use today, making it one of the oldest working kilns in China. You can watch potters at work, try throwing a pot yourself for about 30 CNY extra and buy genuine Shiwan figurines direct from the workshops. It is open 8:30 to 17:30 and entry costs 25 CNY.
Liang’s Garden (Liangyuan)
Liang’s Garden is one of the four great gardens of Lingnan, built in the 1790s by the wealthy Liang family. It packs ponds, rockeries, pavilions and a teahouse into a compact site just west of Zumiao. Entry is 10 CNY and it is open 8:30 to 17:00. Come early to see it before the tour groups arrive.
Things to Do in Foshan: Kung Fu and Martial Arts Heritage
Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall
Wong Fei-hung was Foshan’s most famous martial artist, a folk hero celebrated in more than 100 films. The memorial hall inside the Ancestral Temple complex covers his life with displays of lion dance heads, weapons and old photographs. Daily lion dance and kung fu demonstrations run at scheduled times, usually late morning and early afternoon.
Ip Man Tong
Ip Man, the Wing Chun master who trained Bruce Lee, was born in Foshan in 1893. The Ip Man Tong hall, also within the Ancestral Temple, reconstructs his study and displays his personal effects. Fans of the Ip Man films will recognise the wooden dummy and the low table he used for training.
Bruce Lee’s Ancestral Home
Bruce Lee’s ancestors came from Jun’an in Shunde, about 40 minutes south of central Foshan. The family’s ancestral home has been turned into a small shrine, and the nearby Bruce Lee Paradise theme park holds a museum and an 18.9-metre bronze statue. Entry to the park is around 40 CNY, and it is easiest to reach by taxi or didi from Shunde; see our Foshan neighborhoods guide for the district layout.
Things to Do in Foshan: Nature, Gardens and Views
Xiqiao Mountain
Xiqiao Mountain in Nanhai district is a dormant volcano turned national forest park, with a 61.9-metre Guanyin statue at its summit. Hiking trails, waterfalls and the Wong Fei-hung Lion Dance Martial Arts Museum spread across the slopes. Entry is about 70 CNY and it is open 7:30 to 18:00. Budget a full day, and check our Foshan weather by month guide before you hike, since summer storms roll in fast.
Qinghui Garden
Qinghui Garden in Shunde’s Daliang district is the best preserved of the Lingnan gardens, built in 1621 and expanded over three centuries. It is known for its cantilevered pavilions, koi ponds and carved stone bridges. Entry is 15 CNY and it is open 8:30 to 17:30, a short walk from Daliang’s food streets.
Qiandeng Lake
Qiandeng Lake in Nanhai is Foshan’s modern showpiece, a landscaped lake ringed by the city’s new CBD, with a free LED light and fountain show most evenings after dark. It is popular with local families at sunset and gives a sharp contrast to the old town across the river. The lake is served by Qiandeng Lake metro station on the Guangfo Line; our Foshan travel tips guide covers the metro fares.
For dates on the lion dance festivals and the autumn parade that bring these sights to life, see our Foshan events and festivals calendar. When you are ready to plan where to base yourself, read our where to stay in Foshan guide.
