Bailong Temple Scenic Area

　　Bailong Temple Scenic Area is located around the main peak of Bailong Taizi Mountain, covering an area of about 4 square kilometers. Here, the mountains are high and the forests dense, with beautiful scenery and a pleasant climate. Numerous historical sites are scattered throughout the scenic area, such as the ruins of Bailong Temple, Bailong Cave, Bailong Well, Liu Daoren’s Tomb, Jiutian Ridge, Longquan Cave, and the Porter’s Path. Each of these sites has its own mysterious legend. Visiting the Bailong Temple Scenic Area allows travelers to feast their eyes, delight their spirits, explore the wonders of nature, and ponder the truths of life. The experience is rich in meaning, full of joy, leaving visitors lingering and reluctant to leave, enchanted and captivated—much like Ouyang Xiu’s experience at the Drunken Weng Pavilion. It’s not too dissimilar, really.

　　The ruins of Bailong Temple are located on the northwest slope of the main peak of Bailong Taizi Mountain. Originally, there were two temples: one at the top and one at the bottom. The upper temple had three rooms and was built on the cliffs of the main peak, serving as a practice site for female Taoist nuns. The lower temple had three stories and forty-eight rooms, built in a bamboo forest halfway up the mountain, and was a cultivation site for male Taoist priests. There are two legends regarding the origins of Bailong Temple.

　　The first legend says that on the northwest slope of Bailong Taizi Mountain, there is a pond called Bailong Pond. The pond is not large and is semi-circular in shape. Legend has it that the water in Bailong Pond used to be crystal clear and unfathomably deep. In the pond lived a white dragon that would appear and disappear from time to time. Whenever it rained, Taizi Mountain would be shrouded in clouds and mist, and the white dragon would fly among them. When the rain stopped, it would retreat into the pond and hide. As a result, local residents began offering incense by the pond, praying for the white dragon to bring rain and blessings to protect the local people and wildlife. By the Eastern Han Dynasty, people built a temple here, which they called “Bailong Temple.” Every year on the third day of the third lunar month, a temple fair was held, attracting believers from a hundred miles around who came to worship and pray for the white dragon’s protection. The incense offerings were abundant, and the scene was spectacular, leaving observers in awe. Over time, the temple went through cycles of prosperity and decline. The last Bailong Temple was built during the Qing Dynasty. Before World War II, there were still more than ten Taoist priests residing there. At the end of 1939, Japanese invaders swept through the mountains and burned down all the temple buildings.

　　The second legend tells of a small white dragon from Taizi Mountain in the East Sea. This dragon had violated heavenly laws and was punished by the Heavenly Emperor. Later, after being enlightened by Guanyin Bodhisattva, the white dragon transformed into the White Dragon Horse and carried Tang Seng on his journey to the West to retrieve Buddhist scriptures. After enduring many hardships and helping Tang Seng obtain the true scriptures, the little white dragon was rewarded for his merit, attained enlightenment, and regained his true form. Afterward, on his way to visit his father, the Old Dragon King of the East Sea, he passed through this area. Finding the pond water to be excellent, he descended from the clouds and rested in the pond. Since then, the mountain has been called Bailong Taizi Mountain, and the pond has been called Bailong Pond. The little white dragon left spiritual energy in the pond, so whenever it rains, a wisp of white mist appears on the pond’s surface, rising and connecting with the thick clouds over the mountain. Within the mist, the dragon’s head can sometimes be seen. Thus, the reputation of Bailong Pond’s efficacy gradually spread, and people within a hundred miles all knew of it. Visitors came in an endless stream to pray for rain and blessings at Bailong Pond. When news reached Mount Wudang, the head Taoist priest of the Wudang Taoist Temple at the time sent some of their monks to raise funds and build Bailong Temple. Some Taoists from Mount Wudang came to stay, and thus, Bailong Temple continued as a branch of Wudang Taoism.

　　Of course, we can no longer verify the truth of these legends. However, the ruins of Bailong Temple are indeed real. Nowadays, the old foundation of the temple has been turned into a new agricultural village. This area features a slope-alluvial fan terrain, with fertile soil, high mountains, dense forests, swirling clouds, and a pleasant climate, making it an ideal summer retreat and health resort, often referred to as the “Little Lushan Mountain.”