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In southwest China, Qingcheng Mountain is located in western Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, 48 km away from the city. It features numerous undulating peaks and luxuriant forests. Therefore Qingcheng Mountain is reputed as "the most tranquil place in the earth". Qingcheng Mountain has a long history and is one of the ancient cradles of China's Taoism. It is the fifth among the top ten fascinating Taoist places in China.
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There are many famous spots and historical sites in Qingcheng Mountain. The ancient architectures have their distinctive characteristics. Poems, paintings and odes of current and ancient celebrities can be seen here and there. In addition, there are beautiful sights and supernatural legends. Tianshi Cave is the core of all the palaces and temples on the mountain that consist of Jianfu Palace, Shangqing Palace, Zushi Hall, Yuanming Palace, Yuqing Palace, Chaoyang Cave and so on. Qingcheng Mountain has been the resort for bookmen and scholars to adventure or seclude from the earthly world since the ancient times. It was called as the "Dong Tian Fu Di" (the fascinating place and the Happy Land) and the "Shen Xian Du Hui" (the capital of immortals) in ancient times. There were many names for Qingcheng Mountain in the history, such as Wen Mountain, Tiangu Mountain, Du Mountain, Zhangren Mountain, Chicheng Mountain, Qingcheng Capital, and Tianguo Mountain, etc. Qingcheng Mountain is reputed as the Fifth Famous Mountain in China.
The Baxian Temple (Temple of Eight Immortals), also known as the Baxian Palace and located at the Changle lane, Dongguan District, Xi'an City, is a famous Taoist building in Northwest China and also the biggest Taoist temple in Xi'an City. It was first built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and most of the extant buildings were constructed in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Since the legendary eight immortals, namely Han Zhongli, Zhang Guolao, Han Xiangzi, Tie Guaili, Cao Guojiu, L
The Baopu Taoist Temple is located on the Geling Hill near Hangzhou City in East China's Zhejiang Province , and it is a key Taoist temple designated by the State Council. The name of the temple has something to do with Ge Hong,a famous Taoist once engaged in religious activities here.
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Ge Hong (284-364), born in Jiangsu Province, once cultivated and tempered himself here for a long time. He established a new theoretical system of Taoism and wrote a great workBaopuzi. Especially, he contributed a lot to the refined pills of immortality.
Adjacent to the famous West Lake, the Baopu Taoist Temple has very beautiful scenery. Because Ge Hong'sgreat contribution to Taoism, later generations established the temple at the place where he once lived to commemorate him. Since he called himself Baopuzi, the building complex here was called the Baopu Taoist Temple and the hill where the temple is located was named Geling Hill. By and large, most of the extant buildings were constructed after the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
The decorated archway of the Paopu Taoist Temple is made of bricks and stones. The bounding wall of the temple is calledLongqiang(the dragon wall). Inside there are Gexian Hall, Hongmei Pavilion, Banxian Hall and other buildings where many precious cultural and art materials are preserved. Up to now, the Paopu Taoist Temple is still playing an important role in the life of the local people.
Situated at the north of the Beijing Chaoyangmenwai Avenue, the Beijing Dongyue Temple covers an area of 60,000 square meters and is a key city-level cultural relics unit under special protection.
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Zhang Liusun, the descendant of the Taoist founder Zhang Daoling raised money and constructed this temple. Zhang Liusun was granted titles of the Great Taoist Master and Zhengyi Hierarch by an emperor of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) at the end of the 13thcentury. Subsequently, he decided to build the Dongyue Temple, but he died when the project just started. Therefore, the temple was completed by Zhang Liusun's disciple. The construction was started in 1319 and completed in 1323 .The emperor granted the name of Dongyue Rensheng Palace to it and used it as the Xanadu for Great Dongyue King.
The Dongyue Temple consists of three parts -- main, east and west courtyards. The 17thgeneration Taoist Ma Guanlin expanded the east and west courtyards during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Most of the extant buildings were the relics of the Qing Dynasty. Buildings in the main courtyard mainly include the Temple Gate, Dragon-Tiger Door, Daizongbao Hall, Yude Hall and Yuhaung Hall. There are the Guangsi Hall, Taizi Hall and Fucai Hall in addition. The Sanmao Zhenjun Ancestral Temple, Wu Quanjie Ancestral Temple, Zhang Liusun Ancestral Temple, Shan Fujun Ancestral Temple and Gaolizhangren Ancestral Temple are located on both sides of the Dai Zongbao Hall. The Hall of the Queen Mother, Doumu Hall, Daxianye Hall, Guandi Hall, Zaojun Hall, Wenchangdijun Hall, Xishen Hall, Lingguan Hall and Zhenwu Hall are at the back of the Daizongbao Palace. The Dongyue Temple is the first grand Taoist temple of the Zhengyi Sect, one of the two sects of Taoism, in the north China. It has over 600 rooms and halls. The Great Dongyue King, the God of Mount Tai, is enshrined in the Dongyue Temple.
The Dongyue Temple was changed to the Beijing Folk Customs Museum in 1995. The Temple Fair for the Spring Festival is held here every year, showing many folk custom performances.