Ⅳ. The Convergence of Cultural Heritages upon Maritime Silk Road

The maritime traffic and trade lasted over two thousand years leaving Guangzhou abundant cultural legacies. The legacies range from historical sites and relics to architectures covering a vast span from the Qin and the Han dynasties to the late Qing dynasty.

The cultural legacies of Guangzhou Maritime Silk Road can be classified by their functions as follows:

(1) Ports and piers, including the Tang Dynasty Pier unearthed in the Mid Dezheng Road; the Ming and Qing Piers located in front of the Nanhai God Temple as well as the Ancient Pier of Huangpu.

(2) Religious and cultural architectures, including Guangxiao Temple, the Light Tower of Huaisheng Mosque, and the Place of Burial for the Great Sages of Islam.

(3) The relics of the sea worshiping, such as the Nanhai God Temple.

(4) The archeological sites with oversea cultural elements, including the Historical Site of Nanyue Kingdom Palace, the Tombs of the Nanyue Kings, the Kang Tombs of the South Han Dynasty, as well as the Tombs of the Families of Eunuch Wei.

(5) The Sites of the Ancient Kilns for export ceramics, such as Xicun Kiln of the North Song Dynasty.

Among the above historical sites, the sites of Nanyue Kingdom Palace, the Tomb of Nanyue King Wen, Guangxiao Temple, Nanhai God Temple, and the Ancient Pier of Huangpu, the Light Tower of Huaisheng Mosque, as well as the Place of Burial for the Great Sages of Islam have been listed as Preservation Premises of National Key Cultural Relics, and included in the pre-listing of the China World Legacies as historical sites of China under the Maritime Silk Road.

Apart from the sites of the historical relics, there are also many trading items of various qualities of gold, silver, gasses, crystals, pottery and ceramics. They're either imported directly from the overseas, or produced in China but absorbed oversea technical styles or cultural elements. Others were products made in different parts of China to be sold overseas via Guangzhou.