White Cloud Temple

White Cloud Taoist Temple (Baiyun Guan) is one of the largest and oldest Taoist temples in China, and it is the home to the Taoist Association of China. The temple was built in 739 during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907). During the Tang Dynasty both Buddhism and Taoism flourished. Beijing was on the outskirts of the country at that time. The capital was in Chang’an, in the center of what is China today.  In history, through three big renovations – 1706, 1714 and 1886. The architecture of White Cloud Temple seen today is mainly from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties.

The White Taoist Temple was built along the North-South Axis, upon which there are five main halls. There are also many side halls. The halls contain various Taoist deities including the Eight Taoist Immortals and the Three Gods of Medicine: Zhang Zhong-Jing, Hua Tuo and Sun Su Miao. There is a Chinese medical clinic on the grounds and in the back are the monk’s quarters, a garden and the ordination platform.

Visitors to the temple are coming with the purpose to touching the stone monkey and shooting coins at Wofeng Bridge. There are three stone monkeys hidden in different places inside the temple, people believe who can find and touch all three of them will live a long, healthy and fortunate life.

While the Wofeng Bridge was built in 1706 with no water under the bridge. There is a big brass coin with a hole in middle, to which a small brass bell is fastened, indicating great fortunes come when the bell rings. People believe one will be blessed if he/she can hit the big coin with a real coin.