Baiyun Guan (White Cloud Temple) 白云观

Baiyun Guan is located on the east side of Baiyun Road outside Xibianmen in Xicheng District, Beijing. It is one of the three major ancestral courts of the Quanzhen School of Taoism. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, national Taoist institutions such as the Chinese Taoist Association, the Chinese Taoist College, and the Chinese Taoist Culture Research Institute were all established here. In the minds of Taoist believers, it holds a lofty status.

Beijing Baiyun Guan was first built in the Tang Dynasty, named "Tianchang Guan" (Celestial Longevity Temple). According to historical records, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty built this temple to "cultivate his mind and respect Taoism" and enshrine Laozi. There is still a white marble statue of Laozi sitting in the temple, which is said to be a relic from the Tang Dynasty. In the 5th year of Jin Zhenglong (1160), Tianchang Guan was completely destroyed by fire. In the 7th year of Jin Dading (1167), an imperial order was issued to rebuild it, which took seven years and was completed in March of the 14th year of Jin Dading (1174). Emperor Shizong of the Jin Dynasty gave it the name "Shifang Tianchang Guan" (Ten Directions Celestial Longevity Temple). In the 2nd year of Jin Taihe (1202), Tianchang Guan unfortunately suffered another fire, leaving only the stone statue of Laozi. It was rebuilt the following year and renamed "Taiji Gong" (Taiji Palace). In the 2nd year of Jin Zhenyou (1215), due to the decline of the national power, the capital was moved to Bianjing, and Taiji Palace gradually fell into disrepair.

In the early Yuan Dynasty, Qiu Chuji (styled Changchunzi) went to the snowy mountains in the Western Regions to meet Genghis Khan. After returning to Yanjing (now Beijing), he was granted residence in Taiji Palace. At that time, the palace was in a desolate state with rubble everywhere. Qiu Chuji then ordered his disciple Wang Zhijin to take charge of the construction, which took three years, making the halls and pavilions take on a new look. In May of the 22nd year of Genghis Khan's reign (1227), Genghis Khan ordered Taiji Palace to be renamed "Changchun Guan" (Everlasting Spring Temple). In July, Qiu Chuji passed away in Changchun Guan. The following year, Yin Zhiping, a senior disciple of Qiu Chuji, built Chushun Hall in the east courtyard of Changchun Guan to store Qiu's remains. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, due to years of wars, the original halls of Changchun Guan were gradually abandoned. In the early Ming Dynasty, the temple was rebuilt with Chushun Hall as the center and renamed "Baiyun Guan" (White Cloud Temple). In the early Qing Dynasty, under the supervision of Wang Changyue, a large-scale renovation of Baiyun Guan was carried out, basically establishing the scale of today's Baiyun Guan.

The buildings of Baiyun Guan are divided into the middle, east, and west routes, as well as the back courtyard, with a grand scale and compact layout.

The archway was originally the Lingxing Gate, where the Taoists in the temple observed the stars and qi. Later, the Lingxing Gate evolved into an archway and lost its original function of observing celestial phenomena. This archway was built in the 8th year of Ming Zhengtong (1443), with a four-pillar, seven-story, and gable-roofed structure. The mountain gate is a stone-built three-arch gate, with the three doorways symbolizing the "Three Realms". Stepping into the mountain gate means jumping out of the "Three Realms" and entering the fairy cave.

The stone walls of the mountain gate are carved with patterns such as flowing clouds, cranes, flowers, and plants, with vigorous carving techniques and exquisite shapes. There is a palm-sized stone monkey hidden in the relief on the east side of the middle archway, which has been polished bright by visitors. There is a legend in old Beijing: "Immortals have no trace, only leaving the stone monkey in the temple." This stone monkey has become the incarnation of immortals, and visitors to Baiyun Guan all want to touch it with their hands to seek good luck. There are three small stone monkeys in the temple, each hidden in different places. It is difficult to see them without sincere searching, so there is a saying that "the three monkeys never meet".

Wofeng Bridge is a single-arch stone bridge facing north-south. There is no water under the bridge. Then why build a bridge here? It is said that due to the strong winds and little rain in the north, there was originally a "Ganyu Bridge" outside the temple, so people built this "Wofeng Bridge" inside the temple. The two bridges symbolize favorable weather for crops.

Lingguan Hall is dedicated to Wang Lingguan, the Taoist Dharma protector. The statue is a wood carving from the Ming Dynasty, about 1.2 meters high, with moderate proportions and exquisite shape. With a red face, curly beard, angry round eyes, left hand making a magic gesture, and right hand holding a whip, the image is powerful.

On the left wall are portraits of Zhao Gongming and Ma Sheng, and on the right wall are portraits of Wen Qiong and Yue Fei, who are the four Dharma-protecting marshals of Taoism.

The Ancestral Hall Courtyard was built in the 45th year of Qing Kangxi (1706). The hall enshrines a sitting statue of Wang Changyue, the seventh generation master of the Quanzhen Longmen School. His remains are buried under the hall. On the walls of the left and right rooms in the hall are inlaid with stone carvings of "Tao Te Ching" and "Yin Fu Ching" written by Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty, which are treasures of Baiyun Guan.

The Eight Immortals Hall was built in the 13th year of Qing Jiaqing (1808). The hall enshrines eight Taoist immortals: Zhong Liquan, Lü Dongbin, Zhang Guolao, Cao Guojiu, Tieguai Li, Han Xiangzi, Lan Caihe, and He Xiangu.

Lü Zu Hall was built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, dedicated to Ancestor Lü Dongbin. Lü Dongbin is the most influential and widely rumored immortal among the Eight Immortals. He traveled around the world, converting and saving people, sometimes hiding, sometimes appearing, and no one in the world could fathom him.

Yuanjun Hall is dedicated to Taoist goddesses. The central seat is Bixia Yuanjun, the Holy Mother of Heavenly Immortals. The left seats are Cuisheng Niangniang (Goddess of Facilitating Birth) and Songzi Niangniang (Goddess of Sending Children) respectively, and the right seats are Yanguang Niangniang (Goddess of Eyesight) and Tianhua Niangniang (Goddess of Smallpox) respectively. In the past, women were most worried about infertility, difficult childbirth, and after childbirth, they were worried about infants getting smallpox, eye diseases, dying young, or being disabled. The four goddesses here are in charge of all these things, so the incense here was very prosperous.

Sanxing Hall was Huazu Hall in the Qing Dynasty, dedicated to Hua Tuo, the divine doctor. After reconstruction in 2000, it was renamed Sanxing Hall, dedicated to the statues of the three stars of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity.

Cihang Hall was Huozu Hall in the Qing Dynasty, dedicated to Huode Zhenjun (True Lord of Fire Virtue). After reconstruction in 2000, it was renamed Cihang Hall, dedicated to Cihang Tianzun (known as Guanyin Bodhisattva in Buddhism).

Zhenwu Hall, dedicated to Emperor Zhenwu, was first built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1736 - 1796) and rebuilt in 2000.

Leizu Hall was built in the 3rd year of Ming Zhengtong (1438). The main deity enshrined is the Heavenly Lord of Universal Transformation of Thunder, accompanied by four heavenly generals of the Thunder Department: Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning. The statues in the hall are all bronze statues cast in the Ming Dynasty.

The back courtyard of Baiyun Guan is a quiet and elegant garden named Yunji Yuan (Gathering Clouds Garden), also known as Xiaopenglai (Little Penglai). It is composed of three connected courtyards, with winding corridors, surrounding rockeries, lush flowers and trees, and green shade. On the east side are Youhe Ting (Friendship with Cranes Pavilion) and Yunhua Xianguan (Cloud Splendor Immortal Hall), and on the west side are Miaoxiang Ting (Wonderful Fragrance Pavilion) and Tuiju Lou (Retirement Building).

The center of the garden is the Ordination Platform and Yunji Shanfang (Gathering Clouds Mountain Chamber). The Ordination Platform is the venue where the Quanzhen School of Taoism confers the "Three Altar Great Precepts" (Chuzhen Precepts, Zhongji Precepts, and Tianxian Precepts). Yunji Shanfang is where the Quanzhen Taoist masters lecture on scriptures to the disciples receiving precepts. In 1989, Baiyun Guan held the first Quanzhen ordination ceremony since 1949, which was an unprecedented grand occasion.

The ancient Baiyun Guan has now become a major scenic spot in the capital Beijing, attracting numerous pilgrims and tourists from home and abroad with its unique charm. Every year, during the folk temple fair at the Spring Festival, there are crowds of visitors, and it is extremely lively. Baiyun Guan has become an important window for people to understand Chinese Taoist culture and traditional customs.