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Photography · Guangdong, Guangzhou

Yuexiu Park Five Rams Statue and Zhenhai Tower

  • Best timeEarly morning before tour groups arrive, or late afternoon for warmer light on the granite statue
  • LightingOpen daylight across the plaza most of the day, with the warmest tones during late-afternoon golden hour
  • Best seasonYear-round; spring brings fresh greenery around the statue's hillside setting

The Five Rams Statue in Yuexiu Park is one of Guangzhou's most recognizable and most photographed symbols, a large granite sculpture depicting five rams that references the city's founding legend, in which celestial beings riding rams are said to have brought rice to the region and given Guangzhou its nickname, the 'City of Rams.' The statue sits on a low rise within Yuexiu Park, Guangzhou's largest urban green space, and is typically approached along a paved path lined with trees that opens onto the sculpture's hillside plaza. Photographers generally aim for one of two framings: a closer shot emphasizing the statue's carved detail and monumental scale, best captured with a standard zoom from a moderate distance to avoid excessive perspective distortion, or a wider environmental shot that includes the surrounding parkland and, from certain angles further back, glimpses of the nearby Zhenhai Tower, the Ming Dynasty watchtower that houses the Guangzhou Museum and sits at a higher point within the same park. Early mornings see local residents exercising nearby and offer the emptiest plaza for an unobstructed statue shot, while the statue draws heavy tour group traffic from mid-morning onward, since it is a standard stop for organized Guangzhou city tours. Late afternoon light works well on the pale granite, bringing out warm tones and stronger shadow definition in the carved details than the flatter light of midday. The statue is unfenced and viewable from multiple angles, allowing photographers to work around whichever side has the best current light and fewest people rather than being locked into a single fixed vantage point.

Practical information for Yuexiu Park Five Rams Statue and Zhenhai Tower · Last updated August 2026
Best time Early morning before tour groups arrive, or late afternoon for warmer light on the granite statue
Best season Year-round; spring brings fresh greenery around the statue's hillside setting
Address 988 Jiefang North Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Shooting notes

Equipment
Standard zoom lens (24-70mm equivalent) for the statue, wider lens for including Zhenhai Tower in the same frame from a distance
Lens
24-70mm equivalent standard zoom for most compositions; a wider lens if including Zhenhai Tower in the same frame from a distance
Composition
Position the statue slightly off-center with the plaza's trees framing the edges of the shot; a low angle emphasizes the sculpture's monumental scale against the sky.
Tip
Shoot from a slightly lower angle looking up at the rams to emphasize their scale and separate them cleanly against the sky rather than a busy park background.

Location

988 Jiefang North Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

23.1382, 113.2664 View on map

Highlights

  • Guangzhou's iconic Five Rams Statue referencing the city's founding legend
  • Hillside plaza setting within Yuexiu Park's largest urban green space
  • Possible combined framing with the nearby Zhenhai Tower
  • Free, unfenced access allowing multiple photo angles
  • Popular but manageable with early or late timing to avoid tour groups

Tips for visiting

  • Visit early morning before organized tour groups arrive from mid-morning onward
  • Use late afternoon light for warmer tones and stronger shadow definition on the granite carving
  • Walk around the statue to find the angle with the best current light rather than shooting from a single fixed spot
  • Include surrounding parkland in a wider shot for context, or move closer for carved detail
  • Combine with a walk up to Zhenhai Tower for an elevated view back over the park

When to visit

Early morning for an uncrowded plaza, or late afternoon for warm light on the statue's granite surface.

Accessibility

The paved paths leading to the statue plaza are wheelchair- and stroller-accessible, though the plaza itself sits on a gentle rise reached via a sloped walkway.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a fee to photograph the Five Rams Statue?

No, Yuexiu Park has free general admission and the statue is freely viewable and photographable from its surrounding plaza.

When is the statue least crowded?

Early morning is quietest, before organized tour groups begin arriving from mid-morning onward.

What does the Five Rams Statue represent?

It references Guangzhou's founding legend of celestial beings riding rams who brought rice to the region, giving the city its nickname, the 'City of Rams.'

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Yuexiu Park Five Rams Statue and Zhenhai Tower

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