Taiqing Palace (Taiqing gong), the largest, oldest and most impressive of the temples in Laoshan, lies to the southeast of the mountain and faces the sea.

 

 

Altogether, the palace houses 140 rooms and halls including the most famous Three God's Hall, Three Purities' Hall and Three Emperor's Hall. The palace was first built during the reign of the first Emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty about 1000 years ago and underwent complete rebuilding during the Ming Dynasty, some 500 hundred years later.

 

In front of the Three Purities' Hall is a pool with clear blue water, which was named Shengshui Spring (Magical Spring) by the Taoists who lived in the Temple. It is said that the spring will never dry up. Embedded in a wall nearby are religious inscriptions on a tablet, which was written by Kublai Khan (the first Emperor of Yuan Dynasty) and the Jinhufuwen (Gold Tiger Magic Figures) issued by Genghis Khan.On a giant stone located to the east side of the Palace four big words are engraved,Bo Hai Can Tian(the waves reach to the sky), below which a famous line of small words reads,a visit here on the 28th year of the period of the first emperor of China.

 

Every moonlight night, the water and the sky here blend into one, forming a breathtaking view.

 

 

 

 

 

Travel tips

 

How to get there: Take bus number 304 (6:30- 17:00) from railway station (Zhanqiao); or take bus No.106 (7:15- 16:20) from Li Village and get off at Yakou station, which is also named as Mt. Laoshan Taiqing Ropeway and Taiqing Palace are before your eyes.

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Costs: 15 yuan; Taiqing Palace entrance fee: 15 yuan. Taiqing Ropeway Fee: 50 yuan for going up, and 40 yuan for going down.

 

(china.org.cn)