The Nanyang Memorial Temple of Marquis Wu — marquis being Zhuge Liang's posthumous title, not one he held in life — is the city's most important historical monument, dedicated to the strategist of the Three Kingdoms period who is regarded as a near-perfect embodiment of loyalty, intelligence, and self-sacrifice. The temple complex is large and well-maintained, with ancient cypress trees shading the main courtyards and a series of halls covering Zhuge Liang's biography, the political geography of the Three Kingdoms, and the literary tradition that grew up around him.
The museum within the complex is better than most local temples of this type — clear displays on the actual military and political history of the Three Kingdoms period, good reproduction maps, and some original Han-dynasty artefacts from the region. Entry is ¥60. The site is known as Wolong Gang (Crouching Dragon Hill), a reference to the ancient Chinese metaphor comparing a great man waiting for his opportunity to a dragon biding its time. The courtyard gardens are pleasant for a slow walk, particularly in the early morning before the tour groups arrive.