White Cloud Temple, Beijing
White Cloud Temple was constructed in the 8th century to house the statue of Lao Tzu. This temple was originally known as the Tian Chang Temple. It was burnt down in 1202 but the statue was miraculously saved.
Reconstruction of the temple took place in 1224 under the order of Genghis Khan. The temple was then named the White Cloud Temple. Now it is one of the largest and oldest Taoist temples in China.
Taoist temples in China are not called temples but Guan which means observe. This is based on the Taoist belief that direct perception of nature and not theological or scholastic studies leads to understanding. Taoists visit this temple especially on full moon day.
You can find traditional image details including the two hidden monkeys exquisitely depicted on the front arches. Visitors find and touch the hidden monkeys as they believe that it is lucky to do so. At the busiest hours, you will find a long line of people waiting to touch the hidden monkeys.
Do not miss out the bridge that features the bells and the oversized Chinese coins. Purchase fake coins and throw them at the bells. If you hit the bell with a coin, you are considered to be lucky. White Cloud Temple is a must visit destination on your trip to Beijing.
Reconstruction of the temple took place in 1224 under the order of Genghis Khan. The temple was then named the White Cloud Temple. Now it is one of the largest and oldest Taoist temples in China.
Taoist temples in China are not called temples but Guan which means observe. This is based on the Taoist belief that direct perception of nature and not theological or scholastic studies leads to understanding. Taoists visit this temple especially on full moon day.
You can find traditional image details including the two hidden monkeys exquisitely depicted on the front arches. Visitors find and touch the hidden monkeys as they believe that it is lucky to do so. At the busiest hours, you will find a long line of people waiting to touch the hidden monkeys.
Do not miss out the bridge that features the bells and the oversized Chinese coins. Purchase fake coins and throw them at the bells. If you hit the bell with a coin, you are considered to be lucky. White Cloud Temple is a must visit destination on your trip to Beijing.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Beijing. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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White Cloud Temple on Map
Sight Name: White Cloud Temple
Sight Location: Beijing, China (See walking tours in Beijing)
Sight Type: Religious
Sight Location: Beijing, China (See walking tours in Beijing)
Sight Type: Religious
Walking Tours in Beijing, China
Create Your Own Walk in Beijing
Creating your own self-guided walk in Beijing is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Beijing's Historical Temples Tour I
Chinese temples are of unique beauty and have withstood many dynasties. However because the temples have always been connected to the imperial families, many of them were destroyed when the last dynasty ended in 1911. Nevertheless, a great number of beautiful temples with great history still stand in Beijing. Take this self-guided walking tour to discover a few famous temples in the northern part... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.9 Km or 0.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.9 Km or 0.6 Miles
Beijing City Center Walking Tour
A political, cultural, and economic center of China for the past eight centuries, Beijing is the newest of the country's Four Ancient Capitals.
The city boasts the grandest and best preserved imperial palaces, gardens and temples, including seven UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs, Zhoukoudian, and parts of the Great Wall... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
The city boasts the grandest and best preserved imperial palaces, gardens and temples, including seven UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs, Zhoukoudian, and parts of the Great Wall... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Olympic Park Walking Tour
The Olympic Park in Beijing was built for the Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2008. This modern complex represents a contemporary architectural approach as compared to the more traditional buildings that dominate the city. Among its signature items are the iconic Bird's Nest, otherwise known as the main Olympic stadium, and the beautiful Water Cube – the Aquatics Center for water sports.
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.6 Km or 3.5 Miles
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.6 Km or 3.5 Miles
Beijing's Historical Temples Tour II
The places of worship are some of the best links to the city's history. The unique churches, Buddhist and Taoist Temples, and beautiful Muslim Mosques all tell great tales of the history of Beijing. Despite that many of them have been partially or completely destroyed over the years either by wars or by the changes of political power, a good number of them still remain. You can visit a few... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
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