Illustration of Haizhu Temple

Haizhu Templeliterally "Sea Pearl Temple", Sancai TuhuiThe "Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms," a massive Ming Dynasty encyclopedia compiled by Wang Qi and his son Wang Siyi, published in 1609., Geography, Guangdong, Temple, Guangzhou, Woodcut Print

This classic Ming Dynasty woodcut depicts the Haizhu Temple, which was once located on a prominent rocky island—known as the "Sea Pearl"—in the middle of the Pearl River at Guangzhou. The image features a dramatic rock formation in the foreground water, highlighting the island's rugged nature. The temple complex itself, with its traditional sloping roofs and tiered structures, is situated on the island, while the distant shoreline and a backdrop of rolling mountains are visible across the water. The title of the map, "Illustration of Haizhu Temple" original: 海珠寺圖 (Haizhu si tu), is printed in the upper right corner within the border. This plate serves as a significant geographic record of Guangzhou’s historical river landscape, much of which has since been altered by land reclamation.