 White Clouds Temple, Beijing
|
The White Clouds Temple, or Baiyun Guan, is the largest Taoist shrine in Beijing. Located at 6 Baiyunguan Jie, Xuanwu, it is the headquarters of the China Taoist Association.
The White Clouds Temple is also known as the Temple of Heavenly Eternity. It is one of the three ancestral halls of the Quanzhen School of Taoism, which emphasizes good deeds and its benefits to karma.
Originally built in AD 739, it burned down in 1166, and has since been rebuilt a few times. What you can see today are structures dating to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. There is a triple-gated Ming entrance arch, or pailou. There is a belief here that you will get good luck if you rub the carved monkey on the gate.
As with many Chinese temples, the buildings of White Clouds Temple is laid out on an axis, with auxiliary buildings on either sides. In the Hall of the Tutelary God, you can see the statues of the four marshals who act as the temple protectors.
The Hall of Ancient Disciplines are dedicated to the seven disciples of Wang Chongyang, the founder of the Quanzhen School of Taoism. These seven are called the Seven Perfect ones.
The Hall of Wealth is popular among devotees coming to seek financial blessings while the Hall of the King of Medicine is patronized by the unwell and infirm.
The White Clouds Temple is busiest during Chinese New Year, when a temple fair is held here.
How to reach the White Clouds Temple
Take the subway to the Nanlishi Lu subway station, followed by taxi.
Another Photo from White Clouds Temple
White Cloud Temple Pagoda
Author: Haldini/Sam Haldane (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
|
|
