Chunyang Gong, Taoist temple in Datong, China
Chunyang Gong, also called Lüzu Temple, is a Taoist temple on Gulou West Street in the old city of Datong, about 100 metres west of the Drum Tower. Its three successive courtyards hold more than 70 halls, with the main axis running from the gate through the Lingguan, Zushi and Xian halls to the Sanqing Hall. The Zushi Hall is the largest building, roofed with green glazed tiles.
Chunyang Gong was reportedly founded by Liu Daoning, a Taoist priest of Mount Heng and head of the Western Capital's Taoist administration, at the end of the Jin and start of the Yuan dynasty. It was expanded in the Ming and Qing periods, wrecked in 1966 during the Cultural Revolution and taken over for other uses, then returned to Taoist authorities in 1999 and gradually restored. It is listed as a Datong municipal heritage site since 2011 and a Shanxi provincial one since 2016.
The temple is also called Lüzu Miao or Lüzu Guan, after Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals and patriarch of the Quanzhen school. It forms the "northern palace" of Shanxi's three Chunyang temples, alongside the southern palace at Yongle Gong in Ruicheng and the central palace in Taiyuan.
The temple stands on the north side of Gulou West Street in the old city, about 100 metres west of the Gulou bell tower, so it is reached on foot from the surrounding streets. The compound runs three courtyards deep along a central axis, entered through a three-way, five-roofed paifang gate. Allow time to walk the full axis from the gate to the Sancing Hall.
Chunyang Gong is the "North Palace" among Shanxi's three Chunyang temples, with Yongle Gong in Ruicheng as the "South Palace" and the Taiyuan temple as the "Middle Palace". It honours Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals and patriarch of the Quanzhen school. The temple was listed as a Datong municipal heritage site on 24 October 2011 and among the fifth batch of Shanxi provincial heritage sites on 6 June 2016.
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