觀(guan)(guan)山(shan)(shan)寺群位于高州市之(zhi)西的觀(guan)(guan)山(shan)(shan)上(shang),觀(guan)(guan)山(shan)(shan)東臨鑒江,南(nan)對南(nan)宮嶺(ling),山(shan)(shan)清水秀,風景(jing)迷(mi)人(ren)。明代以來,這里先后建(jian)(jian)起了觀(guan)(guan)山(shan)(shan)寺、玉泉寺、呂仙殿、潘仙殿、報(bao)德祠(ci)等寺廟建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)群。民國期間,又(you)開(kai)辟了中山(shan)(shan)公園,建(jian)(jian)有(you)中山(shan)(shan)亭(ting)(ting)、若虛亭(ting)(ting)、茂植亭(ting)(ting)、詠風亭(ting)(ting)、襟江亭(ting)(ting)、曠怡亭(ting)(ting)和斷碑(bei)(bei)亭(ting)(ting)等建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu),使觀(guan)(guan)山(shan)(shan)增添(tian)了不(bu)少色彩。在這些建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)群體的各(ge)個(ge)不(bu)同地(di)方,分別(bie)樹(shu)有(you)各(ge)種碑(bei)(bei)記(ji),其中有(you)詩(shi)碑(bei)(bei)、記(ji)事碑(bei)(bei)、記(ji)功碑(bei)(bei)、捐題碑(bei)(bei)以及各(ge)個(ge)名(ming)家題詞(ci)手跡(ji)碑(bei)(bei)記(ji)等。在山(shan)(shan)上(shang)的斷崖處,還有(you)摩崖石(shi)刻,這些建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)群體和石(shi)刻群體,結構(gou)有(you)序,典雅大方,頗有(you)風韻。
觀(guan)山寺群中,特色(se)的(de)要數觀(guan)山寺、玉泉寺等,但(dan)(dan)由于(yu)歷遭(zao)嚴重(zhong)破壞。目前尚存的(de)只(zhi)有玉泉寺、呂祖殿(dian)(dian)、潘仙殿(dian)(dian)、報德祠,其余的(de)建筑被破壞拆(chai)除。但(dan)(dan)山光水色(se),景貌依然。
觀山寺群是以道教為主體的宗教群體建筑。在中國歷史上,林林總總的宗教信仰和民間信仰名目繁多,結構復雜。代表著相應宗教信仰的宗教建筑也遍布各地,其中佛教和道教尤為突出。觀山寺群是屬于道教的群體建筑。包括潘仙殿、觀山寺、玉泉寺等。
觀(guan)山(shan)(shan)是(shi)潘茂(mao)名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)飛升處,一名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)仙(xian)山(shan)(shan),又名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)升真崗,山(shan)(shan)高(gao)(gao)40余米,獨秀江(jiang)畔,林木蔥(cong)蘢,鳥語(yu)花香。明知府孔鏞游觀(guan)山(shan)(shan)感(gan)慨(kai)萬(wan)千,詠七絕(jue)一首:“偶來(lai)山(shan)(shan)上覓靈蹤,路入瓊花夾翠松。琳(lin)館也隨兵燹廢,獨留仙(xian)高(gao)(gao)峰。”“玉(yu)(yu)泉(quan)(quan)寺(si)”原(yuan)名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)“玉(yu)(yu)泉(quan)(quan)庵(an)”,為(wei)(wei)兩進院落式布局,正殿(dian)開始為(wei)(wei)奉祀明、清時期高(gao)(gao)州府和茂(mao)名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)縣一些(xie)名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)宦而(er)建(jian),后為(wei)(wei)紀念(nian)潘茂(mao)名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)而(er)增建(jian)前殿(dian),稱玉(yu)(yu)泉(quan)(quan)寺(si)。建(jian)筑(zhu)均為(wei)(wei)硬山(shan)(shan)頂,面寬3間,抬梁(liang)與穿斗混合(he)式架梁(liang)結構,通(tong)進深21.7米,通(tong)面寬12米,總面積約260平方(fang)米,寺(si)現保存較好。