White Cloud Taoist
Temple
In the 8th century, the Tian Chang
Temple was built in Beijing to house a statue of Lao
Tzu. Although it burned down in 1202, the statue was
saved . In 1224, Genghis Khan ordered the reconstruction
of the temple. It came to be known as the White Cloud
Temple. Today it is one of China's oldest and largest
Taoist temples, housing the office of Taoist Association
of China.
In Chinese, Taoist temples are not
actually called temples, but Guan. Guan means something
like to look at or observe. This is a reflection of
the Taoist belief that understanding the Tao comes from
a direct observation of nature, rather than scholastic
theological studies.
Here are some images of the Temple
taken on a full moon Sunday, which is a popular time
for Taoists to visit. It is especially popular with
Cantonese, whose dialect and fashion stand out from
local Beijing residents. The temple is one of the most
entertaining I've visited with lots of activities for
visitors.
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