Temple of the Goddess Yuanjun

Temple of the Goddess Yuanjun

The Temple of the Goddess Yuanjun is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located at Mount Tai, the Temple of the Goddess Yuanjun overlooks the Ancient Pine Garden in front and borders the Sky Mountain at the back. It is a major cultural attraction within the remote rear area of Mount Tai, consisting of an exquisite and elegant complex of ancient Chinese architecture.

The temple is shaded by ancient cypresses and lush flowers and plants, and is the only temple on Mount Tai whose main gate faces west. In the courtyard, two cypress and pine trees stand opposite each other, thriving with greenery, coiling upward like dragons or phoenixes. Locals call them the “Dragon Cypress and Phoenix Pine.” These ancient trees are adorned with many red ribbons and have small stones pressed onto their branches — a custom known as “pressing the child” on Mount Tai. It was believed in ancient times that placing a stone on the branches of a tree around a temple on Mount Tai would help one conceive and have a child soon, fulfilling their wish. In recent years, people who come to Mount Tai to pray for a child, after receiving a clay baby figurine, tie a red ribbon to a tree — called “tying the child” — while others place a stone on a tree branch, continuing the ancient practice known as “pressing the child.” These red ribbons and stones on the trees vividly demonstrate the age-old and enduring nature of this tradition.

The main hall enshrines the Goddess of Mount Tai — Bixia Yuanjun. The right side hall worships the Heavenly Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official, while the left side hall is dedicated to Guan Di, the God of Literature, and the God of Longevity. Bixia Yuanjun’s full name is “Heavenly Immortal Jade Maiden Bixia Yuanjun,” but she is commonly called “Granny Yuanjun of Mount Tai.” There are many temples to Yuanjun on and around Mount Tai, with the main one being the Bixia Temple at the summit.

There are two main reasons why Bixia Yuanjun is so highly revered: First, her divine functions. The 1593 “Dongyue Bixia Palace Stele” by Wang Xijue records: “The Goddess can grant the wishes of all beings — the poor wish for wealth, the sick for health, farmers for good harvests, merchants for profits, those praying for children wish for offspring, those without sons hope for heirs, relatives wish for each other’s well-being, and none of their sincere prayers go unanswered.” This shows how, in the minds of the people, Bixia Yuanjun seems capable of granting any wish. Second, Bixia Yuanjun is seen as an approachable, kind, and charitable goddess, making her especially dear and trustworthy to the hardworking masses, thus rising to the status of a loving mother or sacred maternal figure in their hearts.

The annual lunar date of the 15th of March is Bixia Yuanjun’s birthday, and on this day, worshippers flock to Mount Tai to pay homage to her, resulting in particularly strong incense offerings. To the west of the Yuanjun Temple lies Matou Village, and to the north is Beiding Mountain. Along the mountain ridge and at its passes are remnants of the Qi Great Wall, stretching for several kilometers.

The rear area of Houshiwu's Temple of Bixia Yuanjun is divided into eastern and western courtyards. The main hall of the western courtyard enshrines Yuanjun. The main hall of the eastern courtyard is the former site of the Three Officials Hall. Within the courtyard is a natural stone cave named “Yellow Flower Cave,” said to be where Yuanjun cultivated her spirituality. Inside the cave is the “Spiritual Spring,” also called the “Crane-Coming Spring.”

A marvel inside the cave is the presence of icicles even in the height of summer. Zhao Guolin wrote: “The cave named Yellow Flower holds cool springs clear, in June ice pillars stand firm and sheer.” To the north of the temple lies Sky Mountain, commonly known as Jade Maiden Mountain. Legend says that Emperor Yao once climbed this mountain, hence it is also called Yao’s Observation Terrace.