Nanhai Temple, also called Poluo Temple, is an important and sacred
place for ancient people exploring the Southern China Sea. It is an
important site of ancient Chinese transportation and overseas trade
as well as the starting point of the marine Silk Route. It is the
only architectural heritage remained among the Donghai Temple,
Nanhai Temple, Xihai Temple and Beihai Temple in ancient China.
Nanhai Temple is an important historic site of China's foreign
trade in ancient times ( Guangzhou is the starting point of the marine Silk Route).
Nanhai Temple, with a history of 1400 years, was built at the 14th
year of the first emperor of the Sui Dynasty. Every emperor sent
officials to hold a memorial ceremony there since the Sui Dynasty
and the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, the temple has many valuable
inscriptions and is honored as the "Forest of Southern Steles".