History of Foshan

Foshan has a long history and brilliant culture, formerly known as “Jihua Township,” founded during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. According to the local records in “Foshan Loyalty and Righteousness County Annals,” in the second year of Long’an (398 AD), a monk from the Western Regions, Master Da Piye She, came to Tapogang (塔坡岗, Tapogang) to give sermons. Later, he returned to the West. In the second year of the Tang Dynasty’s Zhenguan period (628 AD), local residents unearthed three bronze Buddhas and a stone tablet at Tapogang, which featured a couplet:

“胜地骤开，一千年前，青山我是佛；
莲花极顶，五百年后，说法起何人。”

The horizontal plaque read “塔坡寺佛” (Buddha of Tapogang Temple). Subsequently, the locals rebuilt Tapogang Temple to enshrine the three bronze Buddhas and established a stone monument, renaming “Jihua Township” to “Foshan” (佛山, Foshan), marking Tapogang as the “initial place of Foshan” in the hearts of its people.

Evolution of Foshan City

Pre-Qin Period

Foshan was part of the territory inhabited by the Baiyue people, a minority group in Guangdong known as “Nanyue” (南越, Nanyue), including ethnic groups such as the Zhuang, Li, and She.

Qin Dynasty

The areas of present-day Chancheng (禅城), Nanhai (南海), Shunde (顺德), and Sanshui (三水) belonged to the Panyu County (番禺县) of Nanhai Commandery (南海郡); Gaoming (高明) belonged to Gaoyao County (高要县). After Qin unified Lingnan, the urban area was under the jurisdiction of Panyu County in Nanhai Commandery.

Han Dynasty

The same areas continued to belong to Panyu County in Nanhai Commandery. After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, Foshan was governed by the Nanyue Kingdom. In the sixth year of Emperor Wu’s reign (111 BC), Nanyue was destroyed, and nine commanderies were established, placing the urban area back under Panyu County in Nanhai Commandery.

Three Kingdoms Period

The areas continued to belong to Panyu County in Nanhai Commandery. The Wu Kingdom established Guangzhou (广州, Guangzhou) in the fifth year of Huangwu (225 AD) in eastern Jiaozhou, and the urban area remained under Panyu County.

Jin Dynasty

Chancheng was referred to as “Jihua Township” and, along with Nanhai, Shunde, and Sanshui, was part of Panyu County in Nanhai Commandery. The urban area was still called Jihua Township.

Sui Dynasty

In the tenth year of Kaihuang (590 AD), Panyu County was renamed Nanhai County (南海县), inheriting the name of Nanhai Commandery, now known as Nanhai District. Sanshui, Chancheng, and Shunde were part of Nanhai County.

Tang Dynasty

In the second year of Zhenguan (628 AD), villagers in present-day Zhumiao Street (祖庙街道) unearthed three bronze statues of Buddha at Tapogang. The area was named “Foshan” (佛山, Foshan), meaning “Buddha Mountain,” and donations were collected to rebuild Tapogang Temple to enshrine the statues, with a stone monument inscribed with “Foshan.”

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Nanhai County was divided to create Changkang and Xianning Counties. The current areas of Chancheng and Shunde were included in Xianning County.

Song Dynasty

Changkang and Xianning Counties were abolished. The areas of Chancheng, Shunde, and Sanshui were merged into Nanhai County along with Panyu and Sihui Counties. In the sixth year of Kaibao (973 AD), Sihui County was re-established.

Yuan Dynasty

By the fifteenth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1278 AD), Foshan Fortress (佛山堡, Foshan Fortress) was governed under Guangdong Dao, part of Jiangxi Province. By the twentieth year (1283 AD), Guangzhou was re-established, and Foshan Fortress remained under Nanhai County.

Ming Dynasty

In the third year of Jingtai (1452 AD), the area of Zhumiao Street was still called Foshan and was honored as “Loyalty and Righteousness Township,” part of Nanhai County. That same year, Shunde County was established from Nanhai County.

Qing Dynasty

Foshan Fortress (乡) was also known as Foshan Town. In the eleventh year of Yongzheng (1733 AD), a local magistrate was appointed to suppress the ten forts. Foshan Town was part of Nanhai County.

Republic of China

Zhumiao Street remained known as Foshan and underwent several administrative changes, including being designated as Foshan Town, Foshan City, and a special district of Nanhai County. In the first year of the Republic (1912 AD), Nanhai County’s government was established in Foshan.

Post-1949

On October 31, 1949, the area around Zhumiao Street was officially separated from Nanhai County to form the Foshan People’s Government. In 1952, the Guangdong Central Administrative Region was established.

In 1956, the Foshan Municipal Committee was formed, governing thirteen counties and two cities. Over the years, Foshan underwent various administrative reorganizations and was eventually recognized as a prefecture-level city.

From its rich history to its modern governance, Foshan continues to be a vibrant cultural and economic hub in Guangdong Province.