Pantaogong

　　Destination Introduction
　　Pantaogong is located at the eastern entrance of Chongwenmen East Street. It is one of the famous Taoist temples in Beijing. It was first built during the Ming Dynasty, and the rear hall was rebuilt in the first year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1662). From the first to the third day of the third lunar month during the Ming and Qing dynasties and even during the Republican era, a temple fair known as the “Peach Blossom Festival” was held annually.

　　　　The official name of Pantaogong is “Huguo Taiping Pantaogong.” It was first built during the Ming Dynasty and renovated in the first year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1662). It is one of Beijing’s renowned Taoist temples. Its location is inside the former Dongbianmen Gate, along the southern bank of the city moat. Facing due north, it has a three-bay mountain gate flanked by a pair of stone lions and flagpoles. A stone plaque above the arched gateway of the gate reads “Huguo Taiping Pantaogong,” while the characters “Peach Blossom Festival” in green-rimmed glazed tiles are embedded on the left and right walls. There are also side gates on each side of the main entrance. Though not very large, the temple complex includes three main halls, including the mountain gate. Upon entering the gate is the Lingguan Hall, with bell and drum towers on either side behind it. The main hall is the Queen Mother Hall, whose walls feature a turtle-shaped mountain (a type of traditional sculptural backdrop) adorned with clay figures of immortals who came from all directions to celebrate the Queen Mother’s birthday. The Queen Mother of the West is a goddess in ancient Chinese mythology, with legends about her recorded in ancient texts such as the “Classic of Mountains and Seas” and the “Biographies of Emperor Mu.” The clay sculptures in the Queen Mother Hall of Pantaogong are grand in scale, rich in figures, and exquisitely crafted, representing fine examples of the temple’s clay sculpture art. Behind the Queen Mother Hall is the Hall of Lüzu, which houses a statue of Lü Dongbin, the founder of Taoism. Each main hall is flanked by east and west side halls dedicated to deities such as the God of Wealth (Zhao Gongming) and the Three Officials, each uniquely crafted and lifelike.

　　　　Although not very large, Pantaogong is one of the most well-known temples and Taoist sites in Beijing. This is largely due to the centuries-old temple fair that took place here. From the Ming and Qing dynasties through the Republican era, Pantaogong held its temple fair for three days every year from the first to the third day of the third lunar month, known as the “Peach Blossom Festival.” During the fair, tea stalls and vendor booths lined both sides of the southern bank of the city moat from Chongwenmen to the front of Pantaogong. Performers showcasing martial arts, acrobatics, magic, and wrestling were a continuous presence, while daily necessities and local snacks were abundantly available. The open space behind the temple also hosted activities such as cart racing and horse racing, drawing large crowds and creating a lively, bustling atmosphere. Visitors to the fair included not only common people but also officials, nobles, and literati. Some came to burn incense and worship, while some women visited to pray to the Queen Mother for safety, good fortune, and the birth of a noble child. Many more came to enjoy the spring outing, shop, and relax. Poetic verses from the time capture the scene, such as one from *Grass Beads in a String*: “At Pantaogong watching incense burn, / Playful sights along the river, daylight long. / Scholars and youths return while skies stay bright, / Gazing at canal grain from Datong Bridge.” This vibrant scene continued for hundreds of years until the early 1960s. Although fewer worshippers came, the fair remained lively. In 1987, Pantaogong was completely demolished to make way for the construction of the Dongbianmen Overpass, as it stood directly in the path of the main bridge. The “Huguo Taiping Palace Stele” that once stood in front of the Queen Mother Hall was preserved as a cultural relic and relocated to the green space south of the overpass.

　　　　Location: Eastern entrance of Chongwenmen East Street

　　　　The Pantaogong temple complex originally had only two main halls. At the front was a three-bay mountain gate, flanked by a pair of flagpoles and stone lions, with a stone plaque inscribed “Huguo Taiping Pantaogong.” Behind the gate were bell and drum towers, with the front hall being the Lingguan Hall and the rear hall the Doumu Hall, which housed the statue of the Queen Mother of the West. It was demolished in 1987. Preserved relics include the green-glazed brick inscription “Peach Blossom Festival” and a stone stele from the Qianlong era titled *Record of the Taiping Palace*.

　　 Beijing Chongwen District

　　(No images available yet. Contributions welcome.)