Fujian China travel destination Qingyang Temple Chengdu Attraction. View more details including related videos clips reviews comments and rating.
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Introduction
Quingyang Temple, or Quingyang Palace, was originally built during the Tang (CE 618-907) Dynasty, a period when Taoism flourished in China. However, most of the temple’s remaining buildings are restorations from the Qing (CE 1644-1911) Dynasty. These include Sanqing Hall, Doulao Hall, Hunyuan Palace, the Eight Trigrams Pavilion, and Wuji Palace.
The most magnificent building on the Quingyang Temple grounds is the Eight Trigrams Pavilion. Built on a square pedestal with a colored glazed dome, this octagonal building follows the Taoist philosophy that “”the sky is round and the earth is square”” in their outer appearances. The eight pillars in the corridor are engraved with dragons, and the images of eight trigrams (i.e., diagrams consisting of three parts, in this case, three lines) are ornately arranged across the corridor’s ceiling. Close to the altar of Sanqing Hall stand two conspicuous bronze goats which were said to have been brought here from Beijing during the Qing Dynasty. One of the goats is a mythical looking creature with a mouse’s ears, an ox’s nose, a tiger’s claws, a rabbit’s mouth, a dragon’s horns, a snake’s tail, a horse’s face, a goat’s beard, a monkey’s neck, a chicken’s eyes, a dog’s belly and a pig’s thighs.
Many important exhibits of Taoist cultural relics are on display in Qingyang Temple, such as the wooden engraving of the Dao Zang Ji Yao (the Abstract of Collected Taoist Scriptures) and the stone sculpture of Patriarch Lu Dongbin, who was one of the Immortals in Taoist cosmology. Wandering through the temple, you will find many visitors from near and far eating, drinking tea, and playing Mahjong* at the temple’s teahouse. This is a traditional but highly popular pastime for the people of Chengdu. If you have the time for it, joining the locals for a pleasurable afternoon at the teahouse, perhaps over a game of Mahjong, is an excellent way to experience life off the beaten path in China.
The Gate
The gate that one sees on approaching Qingyang Temple is of newer date. The older, original palace gate was built during the Ming (CE 1368-1644 ) Dynasty. On its left were statues of the earth spirit and a dark dragon, and there was also a tablet depicting nine dragons. The original gate was built thanks to the largesse of the emperor. On the right of the older gate was a white tiger statue and a stake with seven stars painted on it and with esoteric Taoist symbols carved on it in the form of plowing oxen, or Triones. Therefore, it was called the Triones Stake. In addition, there was also a Dragon Stake and a Phoenix Stake, a pair of stone lions, a Dragon King shrine, etc. Compared to what we know of the former gate, the present-day one is more magnificent, with double-rowed, overlapping cornices on which mascots such as tigers and dragon are artfully engraved. As well, a stele (a commemorative rectangular stone or wooden slab carried in a vertical position at funeral processions, etc., on which is carved the names and titles of the individuals being commemorated) hangs above the entrance with a gilded inscription signifying Qingyang Palace. The inscription was written by Anhongde, the magistrate of Huayang County in Chengdu, under the rule of Emperor Qianlong (CE 1735-1796) during the Qing Dynasty. The stele shows the writer’s sure hand, and is an important cultural relic from Qingyang Temple.
Hunyuan Palace
Rebuilt under the reign of Emperor Guangxu (CE 1875-1908 ) during the Qing Dynasty, Hunyuan Palace is the second largest hall of Qingyang temple, occupying 616 sqm, with twenty-six stone and two wooden pillars. There are life-like, pierced patterns engraved on them such as deer, phoenix watching the moon, two lions playing ball, etc. Under the reign of Emperor Zhenzong (CE 997-1022) during the Song Dynasty, the emperor, an adherent of Taoism, posthumously conferred on Lao Zi, the founder of Taoism (also known as Taishanglaojun or “”Lord the Most High””), the title of Emperor Hunyuan Shangde. A statue of Lao Zi as Emperor Hunyuan Shangde stands in the center of the hall, depicting Lao Zi with a wise yet affable face, and holding a Hunyuan Universe Ring in his hand.
Eight Trigrams Pavilion
Located between Sanqing Hall and Hunyuan Palace, the Eight Trigrams Pavilion is a building full of Taoist symbolism. With its compact arrangement and an ingenious design, the three-floor building was erected on square foundations with a round body, thus symbolizing the Taoist concept that, in appearance, the sky is round and the earth square. There are two sets, or rows, of cornices, ornately crafted doors with a turtle-shell design and reticulated windows engraved with cloud patterns surrounding them. On the front door facing south, there is a simple and elegant relief depicting the Eight Trigrams and the twelve symbolic animals of the zodiac that are associated with Chinese mythology’s twelve-year cycle. At twenty meters high and seventeen meters wide, the pavilion is made entirely of wood and stone, and is held together without the use of a single metal wedge or bolt. The two upper layers of the stone baluster are octagonal. There are lions, elephants, tigers and leopards engraved on both rows of cornices, and various other animals engraved on the upturned eaves.
Sanqing Hall
Also referred to as Wuji Hall, Sanqing Hall is the main hall of Qingyang Temple. It was originally built during the Tang Dynasty, but was restored in the eighth year of Emperor Kangxi’s rule (CE 1661-1722), during the Qing Dynasty (Emperor Kangxi’s was the second reign of the Qing Dynasty). Its square foundation comprises 1,600 sqm. On the outer pillars are wood carvings of children, two lions playing ball, etc. In front of the hall, the Youming (the “”nether world”” in Chinese) Bell, weighing over 3000 kg and fashioned during the Ming Dynasty, lies on the left. On the right, there is a drum. On the 1st and 15th days of the Chinese lunar calendar, and on other important occasions, people toll the Youming Bell and beat the drum. The music thus produced can be heard surprisingly far, imparting a sense of community and security.
Sanqing Hall, with its three gilded statues displayed in a sitting position, is consecrated to the Sanqing spirits. In the center of the hall, with a lotus coronet on his head, a purple gown wrapped around him and a supernal pearl held in his fingers, sits the Yuanshi Heavenly Spirit (Yuan-shi-tian-zong) on his lotus throne.
Yuan-shi-tian-zong is the master of all gods and the founder of the universe. According to Taoist scripture, Yuan-shi-tian-zong lives in the Qingweitianyu wonderland, therefore he is also called Tian-bao-jun (Sovereign of the Heavenly Treasure). Once the heaven and earth opens primordially, Tian-bao-jun will impart a secret message to his angels, who will descend to the world of man to help them. On Tian-bao-jun’s left sits the Shangqing Lingbao Heavenly Spirit, also called Lingbao-jun, who lives in the Shuyu Heavenly wonderland from which the title Shangqing (alternatively, Sanqing) is derived. On Tian-bao-jun’s right sits Taishanglaojun, the Moral Heavenly Spirit who lives in the Dachitiantai wonderland and is also called Shenbao-jun. There are gilded statues of an additional twelve gods ranged about on the sides of the hall.
In addition, there are thirty-six pillars in the hall, among which the eight wooden ones represent the Eight Heavenly Spirits of Taoism while the remaining twenty-eight stand for the stars in the sky. This is a rare and magnificent building, and a Chinese cultural treasure.
Doulao Hall
Built during the Ming Dynasty, Doulao Hall is in the form of a basement consecrated to the great Taoist goddess, Doulao. The main focal point of Doulao Hall are the three goddess figures: the goddess Doulao, the Queen Mother of the West, and the Empress of Earth, or the “”Earthly Mother””.
In the center is the goddess Doulao, also called Mrs. Ziguang in Taoist scripture. Mrs. Ziguang is the mother of nine sons, the “”Nine Emperors””. The goddess Doulao has four heads – each with three eyes on the forehead – and four arms on each side of her body. With a mysteriously smiling face, Doulao is the goddess in charge of life and death, sin and fortune.
On the right of Doulao is the Queen Mother of the West who predates Taoism, but who was eventually incorporated into Taoism. The Queen Mother of the West’s official title in Taoist scripture is “”Golden Mother of the Shining Lake””, but ordinary mortals call her Empress Wangmu. The Empress Wangmu is in charge of all goddesses of lower rank than the goddess Doulao. Any goddess besides Doulao who lays eyes on Empress Wangmu must bow down before her. According to Chinese mythology, the Queen Mother of the West holds the key to immortality for certain lucky individuals: she has a special peach tree in her garden that produces fruit once every 3000 years, which fruit grants immortality to the person who eats it. On March 3rd of the Chinese lunar calendar, the annual Peach Fairy Feast is held, and all gods and goddesses come to congratulate the Queen Mother of the West on her birthday. Of the ancient fables about Empress Wangmu, the most popular is the one about her romance with Emperor Zhoumu. Together, the two were fond of holding lavish court feasts.
On the left of Doulao is the Empress of Earth who is in charge of reproduction. The Empress of Earth is also the spirit of all things animate and inanimate. She is called “”Dimu”” in the language of ordinary people.
On either side of these three statues are distributed various other statues, including the god of longevity and representations of constellations such as the Southern Cross and the Little Dipper. Of all the buildings belonging to present-day Qingyang Temple, Doulao Hall is the only one that originates from the Ming Dynasty.
Yuhuang Palace
The old palace was built under the reign of Emperor Daoguang (CE 1820-1850) during the Qing Dynasty (Emperor Daoguang was the sixth Qing Emperor), but the dilapidated building was later pulled down. Rebuilt in 1995, the new palace is a basement structure. The palace is dedicated to Emperor Yuhuang upstairs and to Emperor Sanguan downstairs. Of subordinate rank are dedications to Emperor Ziwei (upstairs) and Emperor Zhenwu (downstairs). On the grounds of the new palace also stand two bronze goats, 90cm long and 60cm high, one of which is the mythical looking single-horned goat-animal referred to above with a mouse’s ears, an ox’s nose, a tiger’s claws, a rabbit’s mouth, a dragon’s horns, a snake’s tail, a horse’s face, a goat’s beard, a monkey’s neck, a chicken’s eyes, a dog’s belly and a pig’s thighs. It is thus intended to symbolize the reincarnation of the twelve zodiac animals.
It was said that this strange bronze creature belonged to the Jingmei Pavilion in Kaifeng in Henan Province during the Song Dynasty. In the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Daoguang, another goat was sent by Zhangkeshi (in Chengdu), who invited Chenwenbin and Gutiren (in Yunnan) to share in the gift to the emperor.
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* Mahjong is a four-player game in which each player is dealt either thirteen or sixteen tiles to a hand, depending on which variation of the game is played. In their turn, the players draw a tile from a center pile of tiles and discard one, with the goal of forming a hand consisting of four (alternatively, five) “”melds””, or sets – depending on whether thirteen or sixteen tiles were dealt each player – and one “”head””, or pair. Winning occurs ‘on the draw’, that is, by drawing the final tile that completes the hand and ends the game (no tile is discarded on the final, winning draw). Thus the winning hand will consist of fourteen (alternatively, seventeen) tiles. [Note: This is a rehash of the Wikipedia article under the search “”Mahjong””.]
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