Jinan Penglai Courtyard

Jinan Penglai Courtyard

Penglai Courtyard is located at No. 2 Xialvshi Street in downtown Jinan, Shandong Province, and is one of the main activity sites of Taoism in the city. Facing south and with its gate opening to the west, the first impression it gives is one of grandeur and solemn simplicity. The entire structure is built with a brick-and-wood frame, topped with small tiles and featuring upturned eaves and ridges. Upon entering, murals of “Marshal Zhao Gongming” and “Marshal Wen Qiong” are painted on the walls on either side of the entrance hall.

Penglai Courtyard consists of two courtyards, southern and northern. In the southern courtyard, there is a main hall to the north, known as the Lüzu Hall. The hall has three bays, with carved beams and painted rafters, and sturdy red-painted pillars. The eaves are adorned with exquisite painted friezes. On the western side of the porch is a mural of the God of Earth, while the eastern side features the God of the City Wall. Inside the hall are statues of Lüzu and two attendants, with the four disciples of Lüzu enshrined on the eastern and western pedestals. To the east of the courtyard is the Shifang Hall, used to accommodate Taoists who come from afar. Additionally, there is a row of side rooms to the west of the courtyard.

The main hall in the northern courtyard is the Queen Mother Hall, which houses statues of the Queen Mother of the West, Bixia Yuanjun, and Guanyin Bodhisattva. Ascending the steps from the east side of the Queen Mother Hall leads to the Sanqing Hall. Inside this hall are enshrined the Primordial Heavenly Worthy, the Supreme Heavenly Worthy, and the Moral Heavenly Worthy. The walls of the Sanqing Hall feature murals depicting “The Yellow Emperor Seeking the Dao” and “The Sage Inquiring About Rites.”

On the eastern and western sides of the Sanqing Hall are corridor pavilions. The western pavilion houses a large drum, while the eastern one contains a large bell, perfectly reflecting the traditional saying of “morning bells and evening drums.”

Location: No. 2 Xialvshi Street, Dongguan, Jinan, Shandong Province, east of Daming Lake

Transportation: Take bus routes 106, 112, 113, 118, 122, 45, BRT5, or K53, and get off at Changsheng Community

Source: Taoism Voice