Beijing White Cloud Temple

Beijing White Cloud Temple

The White Cloud Temple is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a key cultural relic protection unit in China.

The White Cloud Temple, the foremost Quanzhen Taoist monastery, is located about two li outside the Xibianmen Gate. It is one of the three ancestral temples of the Quanzhen sect of Taoism and has been regarded as the "foremost monastery" of Quanzhen Taoism since the Yuan Dynasty. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, national Taoist organizations, institutions, and research centers such as the Chinese Taoist Association, the Chinese Taoist College, and the Chinese Taoist Cultural Research Institute were successively established here. It holds a lofty status in the hearts of Taoist believers and attracts numerous pilgrims and tourists from both China and abroad for its rich collection of Taoist cultural relics and well-preserved heritage.

According to the *Beiping Temple General Survey*, the predecessor of the White Cloud Temple was the ruins of the Tang Dynasty’s Tianchang Temple, which was originally built in the 29th year of the Kaiyuan era (741 AD). In the fifth year of the Zhenglong era (1160 AD) during the Jin Dynasty, when the Khitan people from northern China invaded the south, Tianchang Temple was almost completely destroyed by fire. In the seventh year of the Dading era (1167 AD), an imperial decree ordered its reconstruction, which took seven years and was completed in the 14th year of Dading (1174 AD) in March.

White Cloud Temple

In the early Yuan Dynasty, the Taoist master Qiu Chuji returned from the Snow Mountains. In the 19th year of Genghis Khan’s reign (1224 AD), he arrived in Yanjing (present-day Beijing) and was granted residence in the Taiji Palace. In the 22nd year of Genghis Khan’s reign (1227 AD), Master Qiu Chuji passed away here. In the same year, an edict from Genghis Khan renamed the temple “Chang—”.

In the late Yuan Dynasty, due to years of warfare, the original halls of Chang— gradually deteriorated. Later reconstruction efforts focused on the Chushun Hall as the center. In the early Ming Dynasty, the temple was renamed the White Cloud Temple. In the early Qing Dynasty, under the direction of Abbot Wang Changyue, another large-scale renovation was carried out, laying the foundation for the current scale of the temple.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the government implemented religious policies and protected cultural relics. In 1956 and 1981, funding was allocated twice to assist the Taoist community in renovating the White Cloud Temple, restoring the temple complex and its ancient architectural features. The renovated halls are magnificent and grand, restoring their former glory. The long-neglected ancestral temple of Quanzhen Taoism once again embodies the spirit of the “foremost monastery.” In the past, the White Cloud Temple was one of the scenic highlights of Beijing, frequented by literati and poets. Today, it shines with renewed splendor, offering a place of reverence for believers and delight for visitors. The state has designated the White Cloud Temple as a nationally important Taoist temple, and the Beijing municipal government has listed it as a key cultural relic protection unit.

The White Cloud Temple is the foremost Quanzhen Taoist monastery and also the ancestral temple of the Longmen sect. Its predecessor was the Tang Dynasty Tianchang Temple. According to *A Brief Record of the Reconstruction of Tianchang Temple* by Liu Jiuxiao of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang built this temple to cultivate spiritual devotion and worship Laozi. After the Jin Dynasty, it was renamed Taiji Palace and Chang—, and in the early Ming Dynasty, it became known as the White Cloud Temple. It is a cultural relic protection unit of Beijing. The existing halls of the White Cloud Temple were reconstructed during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Entering through the mountain gate, the temple complex is divided into central, eastern, and western routes, along with a rear courtyard, covering a vast area. The central route includes, in sequence, the Spirit Official Hall, Jade Emperor Hall, Old Law Hall, Qiu Zu Hall, Three Pure Ones Pavilion, Four Emperors Hall, and the Bell and Drum Towers. To the east of the Three Pure Ones Pavilion is the Scripture Repository. The eastern route includes the South Pole Hall, Doumu Pavilion, and Luo Gong Pagoda; the western route includes the Lu Zu Hall, Eight Immortals Hall, Yuanjun Hall, Wenchang Hall, Yuan Chen Hall, and the Ancestral Hall Courtyard. The walls of the left and right chambers in the Ancestral Hall Courtyard are inlaid with stone carvings of the *Tao Te Ching* and *Yin Fu Jing*, both written by the Yuan Dynasty calligrapher Zhao Mengfu. The rear courtyard, named Cloud Gathering Garden and also known as Little Penglai, centers around the Precept Platform and Cloud Gathering Study, with rockeries scattered throughout. It is surrounded by corridors, Cloud Flower Fairy Hall, Crane Friend Pavilion, Fragrant Delight Pavilion, and Retiring Tower, all shaded by green trees, creating a serene and refreshing atmosphere that captivates visitors.

White Cloud Temple Parking:

There is almost no parking space near the White Cloud Temple. During the temple fair period, traffic management authorities will designate temporary parking areas on the south and north banks of the moat west of Baiyun Bridge, as well as the north bank of the moat west of Baiyun Bridge.

Address: No. 9 Baiyun Temple Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Type: Taoist Temple / Historical Architecture

Phone: 010-63463531

Opening Hours:

8:30-16:00

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Beijing

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relic Protection Units