Qingyang Palace

The Qingyang Palace is situated at the southwest of Chengdu City in Southwest China's Sichuan Province. As the oldest and largest Taoist temple in the area, it is also designated to be a key national temple of Taoism by the State Council. The name of Qingyang Palace (the Grey Goat Palace) came from the two grey goats made of bronze in the Sanqing Main Hall. These two goats have become the symbol of the Qingyang Palace and attracted countless tourists.

The Qingyang Palace was first built in the Tang Dynasty (618-908). The story that one of the emperors of the Tang Dynasty once sought asylum here adds legendary light to it. It was rebuilt in 1667 during the reign of Emperor Kangxi  and repeatedly expanded after that. It is magnificent and grand, covering an area of 40,000 square meters. Major buildings include the Temple Gate, Sanqing Hall and Tangwang Hall, etc. Inside, the Hunyuan Hall is tall, big and grandiose. The Bagua Booth (Eight Diagrams Booth) where the statue of Laozi on a bronze cow is enshrined is the best-preserved and most luxurious building among these architectures. The principal building Sanqing Hall where the Sanqing (Taoist Trinity) Statue is enshrined is tall, large and solemn, with a hanging bell of about 3,000 kg and a pair of iron incense-candle canisters of 1,000 kg on the left part.

The most precious relic in the Qingyang Palace is the canon of Taoism Sutra. It is the best-preserved version in the world as well as a precious material for research on Taoism.