龍母祖廟以(yi)神、絕、巧(qiao)、靈著稱(cheng)于世。
巧(qiao)——龍(long)(long)母祖(zu)(zu)廟(miao)石(shi)雕(diao)、磚雕(diao)、木雕(diao)、陶(tao)雕(diao)等,建筑雕(diao)刻藝術巧(qiao)奇天工(gong)。一塊小方磚竟(jing)能雕(diao)刻出四、五(wu)個栩栩如(ru)生(sheng)的(de)人物;山門、香亭的(de)蟠龍(long)(long)花(hua)崗石(shi)雕(diao)柱(zhu),廣(guang)泛運用深雕(diao)和透雕(diao)工(gong)藝,使(shi)盤龍(long)(long)的(de)口中“龍(long)(long)珠”還可滾動而(er)拿不(bu)出來;廟(miao)內木雕(diao)、陶(tao)雕(diao)題材廣(guang),造工(gong)精、數量多、保存好,堪稱(cheng)小型雕(diao)刻藝術館。龍(long)(long)母祖(zu)(zu)廟(miao)無論從建筑技藝、文化(hua)底蘊都堪稱(cheng)“古壇(tan)僅存”。
靈(ling)(ling)——龍母祖廟“四海(hai)朝宗(zong)”,位(wei)居(ju)靈(ling)(ling)勝之(zhi)地,前臨西(xi)江(jiang),后靠雄竣的五龍山,青(qing)、黃旗山列于兩旁拱衛(wei),形環抱護珠(zhu)之(zhi)勢,人稱鳳派龍勢鐘(zhong)靈(ling)(ling)之(zhi)地。有(you)關龍母靈(ling)(ling)驗的傳說不少,馬萬祺有(you)感龍母圣靈(ling)(ling)曾(ceng)題詩:“久仰悅城龍母顯,有(you)求(qiu)必應鑒(jian)公平(ping)。天機奧妙(miao)誠難(nan)測,國泰民安感圣靈(ling)(ling)。”
廣(guang)場各處設有香(xiang)爐(lu)及化(hua)寶爐(lu),供香(xiang)客焚燒紙扎、上香(xiang)。廣(guang)場中心(xin)立著石牌(pai)坊。
傳說(shuo)(shuo),龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)母出生于(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)于(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)西江南岸(an)程(cheng)溪,在程(cheng)溪豢龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)、馴鹿、治水,有(you)功(gong)于(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)國、有(you)德于(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)民。公元前210年(nian)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)母去世(shi)后,人們把她厚葬于(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)程(cheng)溪水口青旗山上(shang)。后來,人們編造(zao)神話傳說(shuo)(shuo),說(shuo)(shuo)是龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)母墓被五龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)作法遷(qian)到西江北(bei)岸(an)的悅(yue)城(cheng),才建孝(xiao)通廟(miao),這才有(you)了今天悅(yue)城(cheng)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)母廟(miao)中“龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)母墓”的建筑。其(qi)實,龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)母故(gu)事源(yuan)于(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)程(cheng)溪,而龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)母墓也(ye)在青旗山,至于(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)悅(yue)城(cheng)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)母的廟(miao)、墓,皆源(yuan)于(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)(yu)悅(yue)城(cheng)人對(dui)程(cheng)溪龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)母的虔誠(cheng)信仰(yang)。
龍(long)母祖廟是(shi)一座磚木石結(jie)構(gou)的(de)(de)建筑(zhu),也是(shi)一座凝(ning)聚了歷代建筑(zhu)和造型(xing)藝(yi)術的(de)(de)殿堂。龍(long)母祖廟具有良好的(de)(de)防(fang)洪(hong)、防(fang)火、防(fang)蟲、防(fang)雷性(xing)能,雖經百年(nian)風雨雷電,至今瓦不漏,墻不裂(lie),柱(zhu)不彎,地(di)不陷,令(ling)專家驚嘆不已,稱為南方低水地(di)區古建筑(zhu)的(de)(de)典范。特(te)別是(shi)它完整的(de)(de)地(di)下排洪(hong)渠(qu)道設計非常巧妙(miao)(miao),溢流通暢快捷。每逢洪(hong)水侵浸,廟宇內(nei)外清潔如故,絕無淤泥。廟內(nei)梁(liang)、柱(zhu)、桁、檐,幾乎全是(shi)木雕(diao)、磚雕(diao)、石雕(diao)、灰雕(diao)、陶(tao)雕(diao),精妙(miao)(miao)絕倫的(de)(de)藝(yi)術品目不暇接,令(ling)人嘆為觀止(zhi)。
東裕(yu)堂這(zhe)三(san)個大字(zi)是(shi)(shi)清同(tong)治年間由順德(de)的(de)(de)一位狀元——梁(liang)耀樞所寫(xie),無論是(shi)(shi)從起筆、運筆還(huan)是(shi)(shi)落筆來(lai)看,這(zhe)三(san)個大字(zi)都寫(xie)得很好,給(gei)人以剛健遒勁之感(gan),因此是(shi)(shi)一幅(fu)十分難得的(de)(de)書法藝術珍品。據說,清朝慈禧太后當時也十分欣(xin)賞梁(liang)耀樞所寫(xie)的(de)(de)字(zi)。
程(cheng)溪書院(yuan)又名龍母書院(yuan),因龍母傳說源于南岸程(cheng)溪豢龍而得名,始(shi)建(jian)于清(qing)光緒十年(1885),距今已(yi)有120多(duo)年歷(li)史了。
從(cong)廣(guang)州(zhou)市(shi)省汽車客運站(zhan)(zhan)、越秀南、芳村(cun)、窖口客運站(zhan)(zhan)到(dao)(dao)肇慶(qing)(qing)端州(zhou)路汽車總站(zhan)(zhan)再坐車到(dao)(dao)德(de)慶(qing)(qing)悅城(cheng),窖口到(dao)(dao)德(de)慶(qing)(qing),7:00-15:00,約每(mei)1小(xiao)時有一班(ban)車發(fa)車,肇慶(qing)(qing)到(dao)(dao)德(de)慶(qing)(qing),7:00-18:00每(mei)隔20-30分鐘(zhong)發(fa)車,直接在悅城(cheng)站(zhan)(zhan)下車即可(ke)到(dao)(dao)達(da),約50分鐘(zhong)。
肇慶(qing)汽(qi)車站(zhan)有(you)直(zhi)達德慶(qing)的班車。自駕線路(lu)(lu)為從廣(guang)(guang)(guang)州(zhou)(zhou)火車站(zhan)出發——西場立交橋——東(dong)風西路(lu)(lu)——廣(guang)(guang)(guang)清高(gao)速(su)(su)連接(jie)線——廣(guang)(guang)(guang)清立交橋——廣(guang)(guang)(guang)州(zhou)(zhou)環城高(gao)速(su)(su)公路(lu)(lu)——沈(shen)海高(gao)速(su)(su)廣(guang)(guang)(guang)州(zhou)(zhou)直(zhi)線——二廣(guang)(guang)(guang)高(gao)速(su)(su)廣(guang)(guang)(guang)州(zhou)(zhou)直(zhi)線——廣(guang)(guang)(guang)昆高(gao)速(su)(su)公路(lu)(lu)——肇慶(qing)東(dong)出口——肇慶(qing)大(da)道——龍母祖廟(miao)。
乘坐往(wang)悅城方(fang)向(xiang)的車都(dou)可以(yi)到。