Yuexiu Hill | |||||||||||
Chinese | |||||||||||
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Literal meaning | Mountain of Southern Display | ||||||||||
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Yuewang Hill | |||||||||||
Chinese | |||||||||||
Literal meaning | Mountain of the Southern King | ||||||||||
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Transcriptions | |
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Standard Mandarin | |
Hanyu Pinyin | Yuèxiùshān |
Yue: Cantonese | |
Jyutping | Jyut6 sau3 saan1 |
Transcriptions | |
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Standard Mandarin | |
Hanyu Pinyin | Yuèwángshān |
Yue: Cantonese | |
Jyutping | Jyut6 wong4 saan1 |
Yuexiu Park | |||||||||||
The Five Rams sculpture
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Traditional Chinese | |||||||||||
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Simplified Chinese | |||||||||||
Literal meaning | Public Park of Southern Display | ||||||||||
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Transcriptions | |
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Standard Mandarin | |
Hanyu Pinyin | Yuèxiù Gōngyuán |
Yue: Cantonese | |
Jyutping | Jyut6 sau3 Gung1 jyun2 |
Yuexiu Hill, also known as Mount Yuexiu, is located in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou. It once formed the northern end of the old walled city, though most of the walls have been dismantled and the city has now expanded far beyond it. Its grounds now form Guangzhou's Yuexiu Park, which remains one of the most famous tourist attractions in Guangzhou, including beautiful natural surroundings and ancient sites. It covers an area of 860,000 square meters (9,300,000 sq ft).
Yuexiu is also known as "Mount Yuexiu", "Yuexiu Mountain", and "Yuexiu Shan" from its Mandarin name. It was formerly known as Mount Yut-Sau or "Yut-Sau-Shan" from its Cantonese pronunciation.
Guangzhou's Five Rams Sculpture is located atop Yuexiu Hill. It was built in 1960 from more than 130 pieces of granite and is one of the city's emblems.
The sculpture represents the five rams who gave Guangzhou its nickname "City of Rams" and were formerly honored at its Temple of the Five Immortals. These immortals were said to have ridden rams into the city soon after its founding, teaching its residents how to grow rice and ending the specter of famine forever. Locals consider the rams symbols of good luck.
Also atop Yuexiu Hill is the Five-storied Pagoda now known as Guangzhou's Zhenhai Tower. The present structure is 28 meters (92 ft) high and 16 meters (52 ft) wide. It has housed the Guangzhou Museum since it was opened to the public in 1928.
A guard tower was first erected at the site in 1380, one of the first to be constructed in Lingnan. Chinese legend holds that Zhu Liangzu (), Marquis of Yongjia and a member of the Ming dynasty, saw yellow and purple air rising over Yuexiu and was told that it was the sign of a new emperor. He then erected the tower as part of the city walls to alter the mountain's feng shui and prevent the prophecy from coming to pass. It has been destroyed and rebuilt five times, the various towers appearing in Chinese poetry and art.