The White Cloud Taoist Temple (bái yún sì 白云寺) is in southwestern Beijing, directly behind the Broadcasting Building. It was called the Temple of Heavenly Eternity during the Tang Dynasty and the Temple of the Great Ultimate during the Jin Dynasty. It is the largest Daoist architectural complex in Beijing and was the headquarters for the Dragon Gate sect. Although historical records indicate that there were Daoist temples in Beijing during the Tang Dynasty, it was not until the early Yuan Dynasty that they came to be built on a large scale.

The Yuan Emperor Shizu (yuán shì zǔ 元世祖) (Kublai Khan), whose reign lasted from 1260 to 1293, appointed a Daoist priest from Shandong province to the position of "National Teacher,"which nominally put him in charge of all Chinese Doaist affairs. This priest‘s name was Qiu Chuji, but he was commonly known as the Sage of Eternal Spring (Changchun Zhenren). While Qiu Chuji was in Beijing, he resided in the Temple of the Great Ultimate, which he expanded and renamed the Temple of Eternal Spring (Changchungong). From then on, it became the center of Daoism in northern China. It was not until the Zhengtong era (1436-1449) of the Ming Dynasty that its current name was adopted.

The extant temple was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty and exemplifies the Daoist architecture of the period. The complex is composed of multiple courtyards set out on a central axis. From front to back the structures are as follows: a memorial archway, the main gate, a pool, a bridge, the Hall of Officials of the Heavenly Censor ate (corresponding to the Buddhist Hall of Heavenly Kings), the Hall of the Jade Emperor and the Hall of Religious Law (corresponding to the rear hall of a Buddhist temple).

In the center of the rear courtyard is the Hall of the Patriarch Qiu, devoted to the worship of Qiu Chuji, and behind this, the Hall of the Four Heavenly Emperors, the second story of which is the Hall of Three Purities (corresponding to the Sutra Repository of Buddhist temples and housing the Daoist Tripitaka). Here one can see the similarity between Daoist and Buddhist temple architectures, though the decorative details and paintings make use of specifically Daoist motifs such as lingzhi fungus, specifically Daoist immortals and cranes, and the Eight Diagrams.

The temple contains a stela with calligraphy by Emperor Qianlong recording in detail the history the history of the temple and the life of Qiu Chuji.

Contact
Address: Binhe Lu, Xibianmen, Xicheng District;
Tel: 63463531, 63443666.
Website: http://www.bjbyg.com
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Map

Attractions

Attractions nearby
Capital Museum (shǒ dū bó wù guǎn首都博物馆)

Opening time
8：30－16：30

Bus Line
Trolley Bus No. 114, buses No. 26, 308, 320(zhi),414, 717, 727, 932, 937
Subway: Nanlishilu Station (nán lǐ shì lù南礼士路)

Ticket Price
RMB 10

Tips

• It is not permitted to take photographs in any of the halls.
• From 1st-19th, the first lunar month, lively temple affairs are be held every year. It's the largest, most interesting temple affairs in Beijing.

• Under the bridge are oversized Chinese coins with bells in the middle (right). Yyou can buy a bunch of fake coins (sample below) to throw at the bells. It is said to be lucky if you can hit the bell with a coin throwing from either side.

• Visitors stand about 10 meters back from the pot with their eyes closed, and try to walk over and touch the dragon. Usually friends yell out directions, but some of them like to give out misinformation making it entertaining for spectators as well as participants

• Bronze Horse is a mythical animal named "shen Te" in the western route. It has the face of donkey, the ears of a horse, the hooves of an ox and the body resembles a mule. It was believed to cure diseases by first touching the suffering places on your own body and then touching the same place on the Bronze Donkey.

• Touch the monkey which is on the surface of The Front Gate will get good luck.