Monuments in the South Sea God Temple

South Sea God Temple was one of four ancient Sea God Temples of China and the only one that still remains. It was built during the Sui Dynasty in the year 594 and has a history of more than 1400 years.
　

 
Monument in the South Sea God Temple [Guangzhou Daily]

According to recorded history, all the feudal emperors of ancient China gave high regard to the fiesta of the South Sea God Temple. Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty held ceremonious formalities every year. Emperors and provincial magnates of Guangzhou would send their subordinates to attend the fiesta. Monuments were incised to extol the merits and virtues of the South Sea God. Year after year, more and more monuments were built inside the temple to form The Forest of Stone Tablets of South China.

 
45 steles from five different dynasties form
the Forest of Stone Tablets of South China.[Guangzhou Daily]

According to a masterpiece 'Yue Dong Jin Shi Lue(brief introduction of inscriptions in east Yue region)' written by Weng Fanggang, a renowned expert on epigraphy in the Qing Dynasty, the South Sea God Temple owned one monument from the Tang Dynasty, 10 from the Song Dynasty, 10 from the Yuan Dynasty, 26 from the Ming Dynasty and 21 from the Qing Dynasty. Moreover, poems from famous poets such as Su Shi of the Song Dynasty, Chen Xianzhang of the Ming Dynasty and Qiu Xingjian of the Qing Dynasty were carved on another 16 monuments. Two hundred years passed and 45 steles from five different dynasties remained in the temple, most of which were from the Ming and Qing Dynasty. Of the 45 steles, the oldest one was a masterpiece written by literary Han Yu and carved by stonecutter Li Shuqi.

The steles provide important and valuable literature for the study and research of Guangzhou history and the Silk Road on the Sea in ancient China.

(Translated by Carrot Chan and Proofread by Alan Devey)

Source: Guangzhou Daily/ www.lifeofguangzhou.com

Editor: Carrot Chan