Nanyue King Museum
南越王博物院 Nanyue King Museum · Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Enter the Nanyue King's tomb inside Xianggang Hill, then see the Nanyue Kingdom palace site on Zhongshan 4th Road; together the two sites help you understand this Lingnan kingdom of more than 2,000 years ago.
Know before you go
- Do not touch the stone walls of the tomb chambers or the display-case glass
- do not stamp, squat or put drinks on the glass floors over the ruins
- do not use flash in front of exhibits where photography is prohibited
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Nanyue King Museum was formed in 2021 by merging the former Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King of the Western Han and the Nanyue Palace Museum, and is divided into a Royal Tomb section and a Royal Palace section. The tomb, discovered in 1983 during construction on Xianggang Hill, is that of Zhao Mo, the second king of the Nanyue Kingdom; built of red sandstone, it has seven chambers, front and back, and yielded an exceptionally rich array of artifacts, never having been looted. The Royal Tomb section's building was designed by the Lingnan architects Mo Bozhi and He Jingtang and opened in 1988. The Royal Palace section stands on the site of the Nanyue Kingdom palace, excavated in stages from 1995 onward, where you can see remains such as the winding stone channel and wells, overlaid by urban layers from the Qin to the Republican era. Both sections are Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level and key places for understanding the beginnings of Guangzhou as the central city of Lingnan.
Local customs
- The two exhibition areas are several kilometers apart, and most visitors split the visit in two: in the morning see the tomb chambers and excavated relics in the Royal Tomb area, and in the afternoon go to the Royal Palace area to see the ruins and the city's stratigraphic layers. The royal tomb chamber is preserved and displayed in situ, and the viewing passage is narrow, so follow the signs in one direction
- much of the ruins area is covered with glass floors or raised boardwalks, so please keep to the walkways to help protect the archaeological site.
Religion & beliefs
- The Nanyue King's tomb is a Han-dynasty royal burial that contains the remains of sacrificed people
- the exhibits explain the funerary system of the time through archaeology and historical research. Please visit the tomb chambers with respect for the dead, don't be noisy or play around in the tomb passage, and don't make flippant remarks about the sacrificial remains.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
China: At Qingming tomb-sweeping, no burning paper or open flames in wooded areas
Do
- Check whether the cemetery requires a reservation before you go
- Stay quiet while laying flowers, bowing and observing silence
- Consider flowers, tree planting or online memorials instead of burning paper
- Dress soberly for tomb-sweeping
- Take offering wrappers and rubbish with you when you leave
Don’t
- Don't burn paper, incense or candles, or set off firecrackers, in woods or grassland
- Don't talk loudly or joke around in the cemetery
- Don't block cemetery paths for long to take photos
During fire-prevention periods, burning paper, incense and candles is strictly banned in forest and grassland fire zones, and anyone who starts a wildfire may be held legally liable. Whether and where a cemetery allows burning is set by its own rules on site.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Xinhua: Two departments deploy safety measures for the Qingming holiday
China: Go through security before the metro, and park shared bikes in marked zones
Do
- Cooperate with the security check at the entrance and put bags through the scanner
- On the platform, wait beside the doors and let passengers off first
- Register with your real name in the app before riding a shared bike
- Park in a marked bay or an app-designated spot, and make sure the lock clicks shut
- If the brakes or lock don't work, switch bikes and report it in the app
Don’t
- Don't linger in the doorway or force your way through closing doors
- Don't leave bikes in traffic lanes, fire lanes or on tactile paving
- Don't let children under 12 ride shared bikes
If you refuse the security check you will not be let into the station. Badly parked bikes are removed, and riders may face action under local rules and the operator's terms.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: People's Daily Online: Beijing issues standards for shared bike technology, services, parking
China: No smoking anywhere on high-speed trains, and no phone calls in quiet carriages
Do
- Sit in the carriage and seat shown on your ticket
- Put large luggage in the racks at the carriage ends or overhead
- Use headphones for videos and music
- In a quiet carriage, step outside to make or take calls
- Before getting off, check around your seat and take your rubbish and belongings
Don’t
- Don't smoke anywhere on the train, including toilets and vestibules
- Don't take someone else's seat
- Don't choose a quiet carriage when travelling with babies or toddlers (12306 advises against it)
Smoking on a bullet train can set off smoke alarms and slow or even stop the train. Smokers are fined by the police and, according to reports, may also be barred from buying bullet-train tickets; official rules prevail. If someone breaks the quiet-carriage rules, tell the train staff.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Travel China Guide: Smoking on Chinese trains
China: Stay on open sections of the Great Wall and never carve the bricks
Do
- Walk only on open sections and marked routes
- On steep stretches, stop and steady yourself before taking photos, and watch your step
- Wear non-slip shoes, carry enough water, and turn back if you are tired
- Carry your rubbish down or put it in a bin
- Check opening arrangements before you go; official announcements prevail
Don’t
- Don't carve, write on or prise loose the bricks
- Don't climb over fences or onto closed, crumbling walls and watchtowers
- Don't run or push on steep sections
Carving the Great Wall counts as damaging a cultural relic: one visitor who carved his name at Badaling was given administrative detention and a fine by the police and was blacklisted by the scenic area. Closed sections are not maintained and can be dangerous.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China News Service: Man detained for five days and fined 200 yuan for carving on the Badaling Great Wall
China: book popular sights in advance, under your real name, through official channels
Do
- Check the booking rules on the site's official website, mini program or account before you go
- Enter every companion's ID details in advance and pick an entry time slot
- Children, seniors and others with free or reduced tickets also book as required and show ID
- Book early for holidays and summer; popular dates often fill quickly
Don’t
- Don't trust third parties offering to grab tickets or sell 'insider' tickets
- Don't assume a free ticket means no booking is needed
- Don't count on buying tickets at the gate on peak days
Once a popular date is fully booked, you may be turned away. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires sites to keep in-person ticket windows and to accommodate seniors and others, but on-site quotas are limited; booking windows, release times and visitor caps are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China Daily: Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires all scenic areas to keep ticket windows
China: set up mobile payment before you go; hotels and tickets are booked under your passport
Do
- Link a foreign bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before departure
- Carry some cash in yuan for small stalls, remote areas or payment glitches
- Expect real-name checks at hotels, for train tickets and popular sights; use your passport
- Make sure the name and number on bookings match your passport exactly
- If a station gate cannot read your passport, use the staffed lane
Don’t
- Don't wait until you arrive to set up payment; verification can take time
- Don't assume cash alone or a bank card alone will work everywhere
- Don't book with details that differ from your passport
Without a working payment method, or with mismatched ID details, you may be unable to check in, buy tickets or enter sights. Payment limits, fees and platform rules are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Gov.cn: Payment services for foreign visitors to China
China: Queue, don't smoke where banned, and never carve on heritage sites
Do
- Wait your turn in line, and follow staff directions when it's crowded
- On buses and the metro, let passengers off first and offer seats to those in need
- Book popular sights and museums in advance, under your real name, through official channels
- Sort your rubbish into the right bins
- Use serving chopsticks and spoons, and order only what you can eat
Don’t
- Don't cut in line or walk side by side blocking the way
- Don't smoke where it is banned; many cities ban smoking in indoor public places and on public transport
- Don't carve or write on historic buildings or ancient trees, or climb on or touch relics
- Don't use flash or tripods in exhibition halls
- Don't talk loudly or play music out loud in public places
Staff will stop you from queue-jumping, smoking where banned or marking relics, and smoking in no-smoking areas or damaging relics can also lead to fines under the law. Fine amounts, booking methods and opening hours are as officially announced.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Palace Museum official site: Visit
Guangzhou dim sum: tap your fingers to thank whoever pours, open the teapot lid for a refill
Do
- Order a pot of tea with a few dishes of dim sum: 'one cup, two pieces'
- Pour for others before yourself, and the young pour for elders first
- When someone pours for you, tap the table lightly with bent index and middle fingers
- For more hot water, lift or shift the teapot lid and staff will refill it
- Dim sum is priced by tiers such as small, medium and large; check prices before ordering
Don’t
- Don't pour only for yourself
- Don't hurry your companions; lingering for hours is normal
Nothing happens if you don't know these customs, but knowing them helps you fit into Guangzhou's yum cha culture. The finger tap is said to go back to the Qianlong Emperor travelling incognito, when his attendants tapped instead of kowtowing; this is only a legend.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Wikipedia (Chinese): Yum cha
Don’t DON'T
- Do not touch the stone walls of the tomb chambers or the display-case glass
- do not stamp, squat or put drinks on the glass floors over the ruins
- do not use flash in front of exhibits where photography is prohibited
- do not climb over the boardwalk railings into the excavation area
- do not let children chase around the tomb passages and display cases
Locals appreciate DO
- Make a real-name reservation in advance through official channels
- see the tomb chamber first and then the excavated relics to understand where the burial goods were originally placed
- in the palace section, compare the winding stone channel with the layers of each dynasty
- use an audio guide or join a guided tour to learn how the archaeological discoveries were made
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- Allow 1.5–2 hours for the Mausoleum Site and 1–1.5 hours for the Palace Site, about half a day for both. The Mausoleum Site is on Jiefang North Road in Yuexiu District, near Yuexiu Park
- take the Guangzhou Metro to Yuexiu Park Station and walk. The Palace Site is on Zhongshan 4th Road, near Beijing Road Pedestrian Street
- take the metro to the Beijing Road area and walk. Both require real-name reservation, usually close on Mondays (except holidays), and opening hours, booking methods and temporary exhibitions are subject to the Nanyue King Museum's official website and WeChat account. Combine the Mausoleum Site with Yuexiu Park and Zhenhai Tower
- from the Palace Site, walk to the Beijing Road Millennium Ancient Road Ruins and the Dafo Temple area to trace how Guangzhou's urban axis has changed over two thousand years.
Photos
Photos
Shujianyang · CC BY-SA 4.0
Shujianyang · CC0
Sources & verification notes
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