Beijing Dongyue Temple

Attraction Introduction:Beijing Dongyue Temple, abbreviated as Dongyue Temple,is located at No. 141, Chaoyangmenwai Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, and is the largest Taoist Zhengyi sect temple in North China. It is named after its main deity, the Lord of Mount Tai, Dongyue Dadi. The temple was established in the sixth year of the Yuanyou era of the Yuan Dynasty (1319) and completed in the third year of the Zhi era (1323), receiving the name "Dongyue Ren Sheng Gong" (Benevolent Sage Palace of Dongyue). Covering an area of approximately 60,000 square meters, it was funded by Zhang Liusun, the Grand Master of the Zhengyi Sect, and his disciple Wu Quanjie. Initially built in the Yuanyou era of the Yuan Dynasty, it has a history of over 600 years. Destroyed by war at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, it underwent several expansions and eventually became the largest Zhengyi sect temple in northern China, also known as the “Number One Taoist Temple in North China.”

On November 20, 1996, Beijing Dongyue Templewas announced by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China aspart of the fourth batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites.

Starting from July 31, 2021, Beijing Dongyue Templehas been temporarily closed to the public due to renovation work.

Beijing Dongyue Temple is aAAA-star attraction

Ticket Booking: Online booking is available through platforms such as Ctrip and WeChat.

The Dongyue Temple enshrines the Dongyue Dadi (Great Emperor of Dongyue).
Dongyue Dadi, also known as the God of Mount Tai, has various legends about his origin, including the Golden Rainbow Theory, the Taihao Theory, the Pangu Theory, the Heavenly Grandson Theory, and the Huang Feihu Theory.
Beijing Dongyue Temple, abbreviated as Dongyue Temple, is located at No. 141, Chaoyangmenwai Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing. It is the largest Taoist Zhengyi sect temple in North China and is named after its main deity, the Lord of Mount Tai, Dongyue Dadi. The temple was initially built in the sixth year of the Yuanyou era (1319) of the Yuan Dynasty, covering an area of about 60,000 square meters, and was funded by Zhang Liusun, the Grand Master of the Zhengyi Sect, and his disciple Wu Quanjie.
The temple was completed in the third year of the Zhi era (1323) of the Yuan Dynasty and was granted the name "Dongyue Ren Sheng Gong." In June 1997, the Beijing Folklore Museum was established within the temple grounds, and religious activities resumed in May 2008.

Dongyue Temple worships the Dongyue Dadi, also known as the God of Mount Tai. Dongyue Temple is open for worship. The saying that “you shouldn’t casually enter temples or worship random gods” refers to those poorly attended yin temples. Dongyue Temple has a strong flow of worshippers and is not considered a yin temple.

Dongyue Temple worshipsDongyue Dadi, also known as the God of Mount Tai. There are various theories about his origin, including the Golden Rainbow Theory, the Taihao Theory, the Pangu Theory, the Heavenly Grandson Theory, and the Huang Feihu Theory. He is surrounded by many legends. As the incarnation of Mount Tai, the God of Mount Tai is regarded as a sacred messenger communicating between heaven and earth. Emperors throughout history, believed to be mandated by heaven to govern the world, relied on this protector deity. In ancient Chinese Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory, Mount Tai is located in the east—the direction where the sun rises and one of the birthplaces of all things—so people believe the God of Mount Tai holds essential powers over life and death, making him a significant spiritual support.

The notion that you can't worship casually at Dongyue Temple

Dongyue Temple is open for worship. The saying “you shouldn’t casually enter temples or worship random gods” refers to those poorly attended temples—some roadside shrines may no longer be inhabited by deities. Due to lack of worshippers, the gods have long departed, leaving behind malevolent spirits or wandering ghosts, such as those who died by the roadside during the Qing Dynasty or childless wanderers. So avoid worshipping randomly. Therefore, don’t worship at random roadside temples—except for those dedicated to the God of Fortune, they are mostly yin temples.

I think most of us have seen Journey to the West and remember the story where Tang Sanzang and his disciples mistakenly entered the Little Thunder Monastery. Isn’t that a classic case of entering the wrong temple and worshipping the wrong god? Even the immensely powerful Tang Sanzang and his disciples suffered greatly—so if you, as an ordinary person, encountered the same situation, wouldn’t you be at someone’s mercy? Aside from well-known large temples, most smaller ones house minor or even malevolent deities. Especially those smaller, long-abandoned temples, which are more prone to being taken over by nearby spirits using the incense offerings to enhance their own power. The stranger thing is, the more such temples there are, the more likely your wishes are to come true—but remember to fulfill your vows, or the consequences can be severe.