The oldest and largest extant Taoist temple in Guangzhou, with a history spanning 1,600 years, San Yuan Gong is famous the world over. The temple complex is made up of several building with Sanyuan Palace at its center. The temple's entrance faces the south, and an east-west corridor in front of the palace connects the bell tower to the drum tower, a pattern unique among Guangzhou's ancient temples. San Yuan Gong is protected by the municipal government because of its cultural and historical significance, and is an important venue for many traditional festivals including Shangyuan (15th day of 1st month according to the Chinese lunar calendar), Zhongyuan (15th day of 7th lunar month) and Xiayuan (15th day of 10th lunar month).