Live Your Best Lives
The young Taoists cultivating in Mount Zhongnan are aloof when cultivating, yet playful and witty when not serious. When it's cold, they huddle together by the fire and drink tea; when it's hot, they hide in the woods to enjoy the cool breeze and drink tea. Aside from their focused cultivation, they're no different from ordinary people in every other way.
Young Taoists in the secular world generally have clear goals and are indifferent to fame and fortune. To achieve something, they focus all their intelligence and management on one thing, remaining a fool in all other areas. This is why there's a saying: "One should be gentle, not strong; one should be foolish, not clever."
It is really safe to live according to the principles of the Tao Te Ching!
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Photo Network
This time, I've sorted out four of Xi'an's more representative Taoist temples and towers to share with you. Spreading Taoist culture is the responsibility of every young Taoist! Please see below:
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Tips:
The most magnificent position in the world is in the county called Chang'an;
The most important place in Chang'an is located in the mountain called Zhongnan.
The most famous scenic spot in Zhongnan is the Tower View in the palace.
All those who have attained immortality and enlightenment came from among them.
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One day 2,500 years ago, the guard at Hangu Pass, Commander Yin Xi, ascended a tower and gazed out into the distance. Suddenly, he saw a gathering of purple clouds in the east, stretching 30,000 miles in length. Shaped like a flying dragon, they rolled in from east to west. Overjoyed by the purple aura, Yin Xi foresaw a sage passing through the pass. He immediately dispatched troops to clear the road for 40 miles and burn incense along the way to welcome the sage. Yin Xi himself bathed and fasted daily, purifying himself in anticipation.
Sure enough, a few days later, he met a white-haired elder: Zhou Shouzang Shi Laozi. The two struck up a deep acquaintance and enjoyed a delightful conversation. Soon after, Yin Xi resigned from his official position and retired, accompanying Laozi to the ancient Louguan Terrace at the foot of Mount Zhongnan. In his thatched cottage, Laozi shared his spiritual insights on the universe and life, summarizing them in the immortal 5,000-word Tao Te Ching. Because of this, Louguan Terrace became known as the birthplace of Taoism and was hailed as the most blessed place in the world.
Image source: Cilantro
Image source: Cilantro
Image source: Cilantro
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Photo Network
Tips:
Specific address: North of Zhongnan Mountain, 15 kilometers southeast of Zhouzhi County, south of Xi'an City
Opening hours: 09:00-17:00
Recommended play time: 2-3 hours
Ticket price: 55 yuan
Scenic spots and historical sites: Sutra Platform, Daqin Temple, Yansheng Temple, Huanu Spring, Lvzu Cave, Laojun Alchemy Furnace, Dan Stone, Danjing, Ancient Ginkgo Tree, Niubai
Image source: Cilantro
Image source: Cilantro
Image source: Internet
Image source: Internet
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Cilantro
The Eight Immortals are eight gods in Taoist legends, namely Li Tieguai, Han Zhongli, Lü Dongbin, Zhang Guolao, Han Xiangzi, Cao Guojiu, Lan Caihe, and He Xiangu.
Tips:
The Immortal Lord Li Tieguai's surname was Li, his original name was Xuan. He achieved enlightenment despite all the hardships he endured. He still sells medicine even though his leg is incurable, and sighs in vain that it is difficult to save others.
Zhongli Quan said that the master was a Han Chinese who had once served as a general in a defeated battle. He happened to enter the East King's palace at night and has since lived a carefree life away from the world.
Lü Dongbin, awakened from his dream, turned back, carrying a sword and chanting throughout the world. He left behind a legacy of good deeds, but how could unofficial history record his romantic deeds?
Legend has it that Zhang Guolao is an old bat spirit, known for his paper-cut white donkey. Ever since Emperor Wu discovered his identity, no one has known where he has disappeared.
Han Xiangzi was originally a nephew of Changli. He attained enlightenment in Zhongnan and saved Shuchi. If it weren't for the record of Lan Guanxue in the book, his immortal name would have been unknown.
Uncle Cao bid farewell to his royal family and resigned from his official position, passionately seeking the Dao in the Southern Mountains. To demonstrate the equality of all beings in the heavenly realm, he remained in court attire and accompanied the other immortals.
Lan Caihe is as free and unrestrained as you, full of ancient sentiments. He drunkenly beats the sandalwood board and sings profound songs. Money falls to the ground, unnoticed. Soon, immortal companions will tread upon the blue waves.
He Xiangu, a thirteen-year-old girl, met the true one. She carefully calculated all the causes and consequences. One day, she would visit the Queen Mother at Yaochi and become a wandering immortal.
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The Eight Immortals Temple, near Xi'an's East Gate, was built in the Song Dynasty and has been rebuilt many times since then. According to a stone tablet, a temple to the God of Thunder originally stood here. The Eight Immortals, escaping from the world and wandering here, caught flying cockroaches and ate them. After their departure, they left behind chestnut shells scattered across the ground. This was considered a play on the human world, so locals built the Eight Immortals Temple to commemorate them.
There is a stone tablet outside the mountain gate that reads "Chang'an Tavern, where Mr. Lu Chunyang met Mr. Han Zhongli and achieved enlightenment". In a dream of the Yellow Millet, Lu Zu realized the truth and ascended to heaven, so the Eight Immortals Temple is regarded as a Taoist immortal site.
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During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing. Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu took refuge in Xi'an and lived in the Eight Immortals Temple. They donated silver for its renovation and granted the temple the name "敕建万寿八仙宫", which is how the Eight Immortals Temple got its name.
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Image source: Internet
Image source: Internet
The temple boasts a large screen wall on the south side and a large brick archway on the north side. North of this archway are a second archway, the mountain gate, the Ling Palace, the Leizu Hall, and the Doumu Hall. The eastern courtyard, separated by two corridors, houses the Lüzu Hall, the kitchen, and the Taoist dormitory; the western courtyard houses the Qiuzu Hall and the Supervisory Office.
Image source: Cilantro
Image source: Cilantro
Tips:
Specific address: Beihuo Lane, Changlefang, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Opening hours: 08:00-16:45
Recommended play time: 1-2 hours
Ticket price: 3 yuan
Scenic spots and historical sites: Yuxian Bridge, Eight Immortals Hall, Lü Zu Hall, Qiu Zu Hall
Image source: Internet
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Photo Network
Tips:
Xia Yunfeng by Wang Chongyang
Lying alone on a high hill, on a stone pillow and a straw robe.
Lying down and gazing far into the distance, I eat the peaches and apricots as I please, and steal their sunshine and shade.
Slowly escaping from the worldly appearance, with three layers of piano music.
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Chongyang Palace is frequently mentioned in Jin Yong's novels, where he tells classic stories of the Quanzhen Taoist founder, Wang Chongyang, and his disciples, including the Seven Masters. These stories all trace their origins to Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. Chongyang Palace, located in Zu'an Town, Huxian County, is considered one of the three great ancestral temples of Quanzhen Taoism in China, along with the Baiyun Temple in Beijing and the Yongle Palace in Ruicheng, Shanxi Province.
Chongyang Palace is where Wang Chongyang, the Fifth Patriarch of the Northern Quanzhen Sect, practiced Taoism, hence its name. Wang Chongyang represents the fifth generation of Quanzhen Dao, from Emperor Donghua Wang Xuanfu, Zhongli Quan, Lü Dongbin, and Liu Haichan to Wang Chongyang, hence his designation as the Fifth Patriarch of the Northern Quanzhen Sect. Because Wang Chongyang's encounter with an immortal in Ganhe River and his transmission of Taoism are considered legendary, scholars believe he was actually the founder of the Northern Quanzhen Sect.
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Wang Chongyang, also known by his courtesy name Mingzhi and pseudonym Chongyangzi, was a native of Dawei Village in Xianyang, Shaanxi Province. His family was wealthy and local, and he studied Confucianism in his early years, passing the civil service examination. Later, in Ganhe Town and Liquan County, he encountered immortals who taught him secret techniques. (According to legend, Wang Xuanfu, the Emperor of Donghua, Zhongli Quan, and Lü Dongbin taught him the Dao.)
At the age of 49, Wang Chongyang devoted two years of diligent cultivation within the "Tomb of the Living Dead" before finally gaining enlightenment. In 1163, he left the crypt and moved to Liujiang Village, now home to the Chongyang Wanshou Palace. After attaining enlightenment, Wang Chongyang preached extensively throughout the Guanzhong region, where he was often labeled a madman. Three years later, his master appeared in his dreams, prompting Wang Chongyang to burn down his former monastery and travel to Pengying, East China Sea, to visit friends.
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Wang Chongyang's preaching in Shandong was very successful, and soon he gained the Seven Sons of Quanzhen: Ma Yu, also known as Danyangzi; Tan Chuduan, also known as Changzhenzi; Liu Chuxuan, also known as Changshengzi; Qiu Chuji, also known as Changchunzi; Wang Chuyi, also known as Yuyangzi; Hao Datong, also known as Guangningzi; and Sun Buer (Ma Yu's wife), also known as Qingjing Sanren. These were the so-called Seven Sons of Quanzhen, who inherited and promoted Quanzhen Taoism.
In the ninth year of the Dading reign, the founder of the Quanzhen sect, Chongyang, traveled west to Liang and died of natural causes. From this point on, the Seven Masters of Quanzhen each established their own sects, which gave rise to seven sub-sects: the Yuxian Sect of Ma Yu, the Longmen Sect of Qiu Chuji, the Namo Sect of Tan Chuduan, the Suishan Sect of Liu Chuxuan, the Jianshan Sect of Wang Chuyi, the Huashan Sect of Hao Datong, and the Qingjing Sect of Sun Buer. The Longmen Sect was the most powerful of these.
Image source: Internet
Tips:
Specific address: Zuan Town, Huyi District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province
Opening hours: 08:00-18:00
Recommended play time: 1-2 hours
Ticket price: 25 yuan
Scenic spots and historical sites: Tomb of the Living Dead, Chongyang Patriarch's Tomb, Zuan Temple Stele Forest, Millennium Ginkgo Tree
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Photo Network
The Duchenghuang Temple is a sacred site of the Quanzhen sect of Taoism. The City God is a guardian deity worshipped by both Han Chinese folk and Taoists as a guardian of cities. Only temples built in capital cities are considered "Duchenghuang Temples." China has three major capital city temples: those in Beijing, Xi'an, and Nanjing.
The City God is a guardian deity worshipped by Han Chinese folk and Taoists as a guardian of cities. The Xi'an Duchenghuang Temple was founded in 1387 (the 20th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty). It was one of the three largest City God Temples in China at the time. It governed the northwestern provinces, hence the name "Duchenghuang Temple."
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It was relocated to its current location on West Street in the eighth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty (1433). It was destroyed by fire in the first year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty. That same year, Nian Gengyao, the Qing governor-general of Sichuan and Shaanxi and general of Fuyuan, expanded and rebuilt it using wood and bricks from the dismantled Qinwang Palace. It was subsequently renovated during the reigns of Emperors Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Guangxu.
Xi'an's City God Temple is particularly renowned for its drum music. Taoist Master An Laixu, then abbot of the temple, was renowned for his drum music. In 1961, he led a troupe to perform in Beijing, where he was personally received by Premier Zhou Enlai and became a household name in the capital. He was also included in the "Encyclopedia of World Music," along with Abing.
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The archway in front of the temple was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. In 2005, Xi'an designated the renovation of the area in front of the City God Temple as a key construction project. The project primarily includes the archway, arcades, side rooms, a plaza, and related supporting facilities.
The newly built archway, modeled after the destroyed original, is unprecedented in China in its scale and high standards. Its massive pillars, sweeping eaves, carved ornaments exude auspiciousness, and painted in a dazzling brilliance, creating a delightful and captivating spectacle in the ancient capital. A street in Huifang, Lianhu District, is named "Miaohou Street" because it sits behind the City God Temple.
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Photo Network
Image source: Photo Network
There are four interesting characters in Xi'an's City God Temple: "Have you come?" There are many different interpretations of these four characters, and there is no absolute right or wrong answer.
According to folklore, upon taking office, ancient local officials would worship the City God, first praying for peace and prosperity, and good weather. They would then report their actions to him. As ordinary citizens, facing the all-seeing City God, neither good nor evil escaped his scrutiny. Even if good deeds remained unspoken, the City God would praise them; even if evil deeds were concealed, the City God would punish them. Consequently, as a Taoist warning, these four characters are found in most City God temples across the country, admonishing everyone to examine their consciences.
Image source: Internet
Tips:
Specific address: East side of Daxuexi Lane, Xidajie, Xi'an
Opening hours: 08:30-17:30
Recommended play time: 1-2 hours
Ticket price: Free
Nearby attractions: Our Lady Temple, God of Wealth Temple, Daxuexiang Mosque
Image source: Internet
Image source: Internet
There are currently 21 registered Taoist activity sites in Xi'an, with a distribution as follows:
There are 5 in Zhouzhi County: Louguan Terrace, God of Wealth Temple, Anle Palace, Guandi Temple, and Qingniu Temple;
3 in Hu County: Chongyang Palace, Chengdao Palace, and Wangchanyuan;
5 in Chang'an District: Dongyue Temple, Mozhen Temple, Jinxian Temple, Wanhua Mountain, and Yuhuang Pavilion;
2 in Lantian County: Zhenwu Temple and Bitian Cave;
2 in Lintong District: Laomu Temple and Mingsheng Palace;
There are 4 in the urban area: Eight Immortals Temple, Blue and White Palace, City God Temple and Xiangzi Temple.
As for unregistered small temples, there are countless of them on the mountain. Due to space constraints, I can only share four representative ones with you. Please forgive me!
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