龍母(mu)祖廟以神、絕、巧、靈(ling)著稱于世。
巧(qiao)——龍(long)母祖廟(miao)石雕(diao)、磚雕(diao)、木雕(diao)、陶雕(diao)等(deng),建筑(zhu)雕(diao)刻(ke)藝(yi)術巧(qiao)奇(qi)天工(gong)。一塊小方磚竟能雕(diao)刻(ke)出四、五個栩栩如生(sheng)的人物;山(shan)門、香亭的蟠(pan)龍(long)花崗石雕(diao)柱,廣泛運用深雕(diao)和透雕(diao)工(gong)藝(yi),使盤龍(long)的口(kou)中(zhong)“龍(long)珠”還可滾動而(er)拿不出來(lai);廟(miao)內木雕(diao)、陶雕(diao)題材廣,造(zao)工(gong)精(jing)、數量多、保(bao)存好,堪(kan)(kan)稱(cheng)小型雕(diao)刻(ke)藝(yi)術館(guan)。龍(long)母祖廟(miao)無論(lun)從建筑(zhu)技藝(yi)、文(wen)化底蘊都堪(kan)(kan)稱(cheng)“古(gu)壇僅存”。
靈(ling)——龍母(mu)祖(zu)廟“四海朝宗”,位(wei)居(ju)靈(ling)勝之(zhi)(zhi)地(di),前(qian)臨西(xi)江,后靠雄竣的五龍山,青、黃旗山列于兩旁拱衛,形(xing)環抱護珠之(zhi)(zhi)勢(shi),人稱鳳派龍勢(shi)鐘靈(ling)之(zhi)(zhi)地(di)。有(you)(you)關龍母(mu)靈(ling)驗的傳說不少,馬萬祺有(you)(you)感龍母(mu)圣(sheng)靈(ling)曾題詩:“久仰悅城(cheng)龍母(mu)顯,有(you)(you)求必(bi)應鑒(jian)公平。天機奧妙誠難測,國泰民(min)安感圣(sheng)靈(ling)。”
廣場各處設有香(xiang)爐(lu)及化寶爐(lu),供香(xiang)客焚燒紙扎、上(shang)香(xiang)。廣場中(zhong)心立著石牌(pai)坊。
傳說(shuo)(shuo),龍(long)(long)(long)(long)母(mu)(mu)(mu)出生于于西江(jiang)南(nan)岸程(cheng)(cheng)溪(xi)(xi),在(zai)程(cheng)(cheng)溪(xi)(xi)豢(huan)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)、馴鹿、治水,有功(gong)于國、有德于民。公(gong)元前210年龍(long)(long)(long)(long)母(mu)(mu)(mu)去世后,人們(men)把她厚葬于程(cheng)(cheng)溪(xi)(xi)水口青(qing)旗山上。后來,人們(men)編造神話傳說(shuo)(shuo),說(shuo)(shuo)是(shi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)母(mu)(mu)(mu)墓(mu)被五龍(long)(long)(long)(long)作法遷到西江(jiang)北(bei)岸的(de)悅(yue)(yue)城(cheng),才建孝通廟,這才有了今天(tian)悅(yue)(yue)城(cheng)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)母(mu)(mu)(mu)廟中“龍(long)(long)(long)(long)母(mu)(mu)(mu)墓(mu)”的(de)建筑。其實,龍(long)(long)(long)(long)母(mu)(mu)(mu)故事源于程(cheng)(cheng)溪(xi)(xi),而龍(long)(long)(long)(long)母(mu)(mu)(mu)墓(mu)也在(zai)青(qing)旗山,至于悅(yue)(yue)城(cheng)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)母(mu)(mu)(mu)的(de)廟、墓(mu),皆源于悅(yue)(yue)城(cheng)人對程(cheng)(cheng)溪(xi)(xi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)母(mu)(mu)(mu)的(de)虔誠信仰(yang)。
龍(long)母祖廟(miao)(miao)(miao)是(shi)(shi)一座磚(zhuan)木石結構的建(jian)筑,也(ye)是(shi)(shi)一座凝聚了歷代建(jian)筑和造型(xing)藝(yi)術的殿堂。龍(long)母祖廟(miao)(miao)(miao)具有(you)良好的防洪、防火(huo)、防蟲(chong)、防雷(lei)性能,雖(sui)經百(bai)年風雨雷(lei)電,至(zhi)今瓦不(bu)漏(lou),墻(qiang)不(bu)裂(lie),柱(zhu)不(bu)彎,地(di)不(bu)陷(xian),令(ling)專家(jia)驚(jing)嘆(tan)不(bu)已,稱為南方低(di)水地(di)區(qu)古建(jian)筑的典范。特別(bie)是(shi)(shi)它完整的地(di)下排(pai)洪渠(qu)道(dao)設計非常巧妙,溢(yi)流通(tong)暢快捷(jie)。每逢(feng)洪水侵浸,廟(miao)(miao)(miao)宇(yu)內外清潔如故(gu),絕(jue)無淤泥。廟(miao)(miao)(miao)內梁、柱(zhu)、桁、檐,幾乎全是(shi)(shi)木雕、磚(zhuan)雕、石雕、灰雕、陶(tao)雕,精妙絕(jue)倫(lun)的藝(yi)術品(pin)目(mu)不(bu)暇(xia)接,令(ling)人嘆(tan)為觀(guan)止。
東裕(yu)堂(tang)這三個大字是清同(tong)治年間由順德的(de)一(yi)位狀元——梁(liang)耀樞所(suo)寫(xie),無(wu)論是從起筆(bi)(bi)、運(yun)筆(bi)(bi)還是落筆(bi)(bi)來看,這三個大字都寫(xie)得很好,給人(ren)以剛健遒(qiu)勁之感,因此是一(yi)幅十分(fen)難得的(de)書法藝術(shu)珍品。據說(shuo),清朝慈禧太后(hou)當時(shi)也十分(fen)欣賞梁(liang)耀樞所(suo)寫(xie)的(de)字。
程溪書院又名(ming)龍母書院,因龍母傳(chuan)說源(yuan)于南岸程溪豢龍而得名(ming),始建(jian)于清光(guang)緒(xu)十年(1885),距今已(yi)有120多(duo)年歷(li)史了。
從廣州(zhou)市省汽(qi)車客運站(zhan)(zhan)、越秀南(nan)、芳村、窖(jiao)口(kou)客運站(zhan)(zhan)到肇慶端州(zhou)路汽(qi)車總(zong)站(zhan)(zhan)再坐車到德慶悅城(cheng),窖(jiao)口(kou)到德慶,7:00-15:00,約每(mei)(mei)1小(xiao)時有一班車發(fa)車,肇慶到德慶,7:00-18:00每(mei)(mei)隔20-30分鐘(zhong)發(fa)車,直接(jie)在悅城(cheng)站(zhan)(zhan)下車即可到達,約50分鐘(zhong)。
肇(zhao)(zhao)慶汽(qi)車(che)(che)站(zhan)有直(zhi)達(da)德慶的班車(che)(che)。自駕線(xian)路(lu)為從廣州(zhou)火車(che)(che)站(zhan)出(chu)發——西場立交橋(qiao)——東風西路(lu)——廣清高(gao)速(su)連接線(xian)——廣清立交橋(qiao)——廣州(zhou)環城高(gao)速(su)公(gong)(gong)路(lu)——沈海高(gao)速(su)廣州(zhou)直(zhi)線(xian)——二廣高(gao)速(su)廣州(zhou)直(zhi)線(xian)——廣昆(kun)高(gao)速(su)公(gong)(gong)路(lu)——肇(zhao)(zhao)慶東出(chu)口——肇(zhao)(zhao)慶大(da)道——龍(long)母祖廟。
乘坐往悅城方向的車都(dou)可以到。